Chapter Text
Colin
Colin Bridgerton had never been someone who liked to gamble. He enjoyed card games with his family, especially when he played with his two youngest siblings, but he had never had any interest in joining the men at White's when they gambled for money. Even though he was well acquainted with the rules and knew that he was not a bad player, he simply preferred to spend his time with his two brothers and occasionally with his school friends from Eton. This evening was no exception. He had stayed out of the gambling and sat together with Benedict and Anthony.
But that didn´t stop him from noticing what was going on at the nearby table. Lord Featherington seemed to be having a winning streak tonight. Several men had already left the table, but his neighbor was still playing and apparently had no intention of stopping anytime soon. “You have already taken all our money. Don’t you think that it´s enough?” he heard Lord Stiegel ask.
The older Lord laughed out loud. “Don’t you want to have the chance to win your money back?” he asked. “What if I make you a proposition!”
“We are listening!” answered one of the other players.
Colin rolled his eyes and was just about to turn back to his brothers when Lord Featherington's answer made him freeze. “Well, I will play against one of you one-on-one. If you win, you get your money back, but if I win, then the loser will marry my youngest daughter without a dowry!”
The third Bridgerton brother had to restrain himself not to jump up and yell at the older man. How could he dare to offer Penelope as a wager? She was his best friend, and she deserved to be treated with love and respect. He took a few deep breaths and stood up.
Colin went over to the table and met the gaze of Penelope's father. “I accept your bet, Lord Featherington. You will play against me!”
The Lord studied him briefly before he began to grin. “Very well, Mr. Bridgerton. Then let us see what you are made of!”
He pointed to the empty chair opposite of him and Colin slowly sat down. Lord Featherington handed him the cards and Colin began to shuffle and deal. He watched as the other man took his cards in his hand, but he could find no hint in his face of how good his cards were.
Colin picked up his own cards and looked at them. He had three aces in his hand. 33 points—not a bad value. As long as his opponent did not have four 9s or higher in his hand, he would win with it. But then, did he even want that? Who was to say that Lord Featherington wouldn't just look for the next opponent until he was rid of Penelope? He swallowed and watched as his opponent took two cards, looked at them, and then selected two cards from his hand and placed them on the discard pile. Colin still could not read in his face how good or bad his hand was.
He himself reached for two cards from the stack and looked at them. An ace and a four. If he took the ace, he had won the game, no matter what cards the other man had. He hesitated briefly before he put the four into his hand and discarded one of the aces for it. He placed the two aces on the discard pile and looked over at the other man. Lord Featherington laid the cards down in front of him.
“I’m closing!” he said confidently and Colin felt himself breathe a sigh of relief. If he ended the game in the first round, then he must have good cards in his hand, right? He nodded and also laid his cards in front of him. He looked over at the man, and Penelope´s father gestured with his hand toward his cards. “I’ll let you go first!”
Colin turned his cards over. A pair of aces, 22 points. He could hear some men murmuring, but he ignored them and instead looked his opponent in the eye. Lord Featherington took his time as he turned over one card after another. Two kings. Colin felt his heart beat faster; that would not be enough for him. But finally, the older man began to grin and turned over the last card. A third king. 30 points in total. The man leaned back and crossed his arms. “Well, Mr. Bridgerton, it looks like I must congratulate you on your upcoming nuptials!”
***
Colin climbed into the carriage behind his two brothers. The two had said nothing about his surprising engagement so far and he was sure that was because they did not want to have this conversation in public. As soon as he closed the door behind him, he could feel Anthony’s gaze at him. He looked at him with a serious expression. “Did you lose on purpose?”
The question surprised Colin. Had his brother caught a glimpse of his cards? But it made no difference. He wanted to be honest with them, and so he lowered his gaze and nodded. “I could not risk that he would simply bet on Penelope with the next man.”
“I am proud of you, Colin!”
Astonished, he looked up. He was sure he must have misheard. But his brother smiled at him and nodded slightly. “It is disgusting that Lord Featherington gambled away Penelope's hand and that he apparently did not care who would marry her. You have saved her from a cruel fate!”
“You are not angry or disappointed with me?” he asked quietly.
Anthony shook his head. “No, Colin. I know you will make the best of the situation and I am convinced that Penelope will fit well into our family!”
“She has long been one of us!” Benedict added with a wink.
Colin laughed in relief. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “That means a lot to me.”
***
Colin had had almost no sleep during the night. His thoughts had circled around Penelope. To be honest, he was worried about how she would react to the news that the two of them were to marry. What if she did not want him? What if the whole thing ended up costing him his best friend? And then there was the rest of his family; he could not guess their reaction at all.
He had been glad about Anthony’s suggestion to speak with their mother together first after breakfast before they told their other siblings about the engagement. But now that he sat next to Anthony in the family's private drawing room opposite his mother, he felt nervous. Perhaps it would have been easier after all to explain it to everyone at once. Violet Bridgerton cleared her throat and looked at her two sons with a serious lock on her face.. “What is of such great importance that the two of you asked to see me alone?” she asked quietly.
Colin avoided her gaze as he answered. “I will marry in two days.”
“What?” she looked at him in disbelief. “But why and who? I don’t understand. Have you compromised a young lady? Colin Bridgerton, tell me that you have not done that!”
Before Colin could answer, Anthony interrupted her. “Calm down, Mother, and please listen to him. It is not his fault.”
Colin looked to the side. “Strictly speaking, I have done it on purpose!”
The Viscount nodded. “But you had good reasons for it!” he reminded him.
“If one of you two doesn't finally explain to me what is going on here...!” began Violet, and Colin finally dared to look at her.
“We were at White's yesterday evening. Lord Featherington was sitting at a table nearby and was gambling. He apparently won a lot, because his fellow players wanted to end the evening. So he suggested to them that instead of them having to wager more money, the loser would marry his youngest daughter!” he began to explain, and an understanding, sad smile spread on his mother's lips.
“Oh Colin!” she whispered and leaned forward so that she could grasp his hands. “My dear boy.”
“I lost on purpose!”, it burst out of him. “Even if I had won, he would have simply bet with the next man until he won and who knows who she would have ended up with then!” His voice had become quieter, but she had understood him nonetheless.
“That is a wonderful thing you are doing for Penelope, and I am sure that you will become a good husband to her,” Violet said and squeezed his hands firmly.
“I will never hurt her. I promise you!”
His mother released one hand and brushed it across his cheek. “I know, Colin.” For a while, the three were silent.
“Does Penelope know?” Violet finally broke the silence.
Colin shrugged his shoulders. “I assume her parents will have told her this morning. I only hope she doesn't think anything bad of me.”
Anthony looked at him reassuringly. “I can't imagine that. She has known you long enough, after all.”
“But perhaps you should go to her and talk to her,” Violet suggested.
Colin nodded thoughtfully. “I think that is a good idea. I will go to see her right away.”
He stood up, pressed a kiss on his mother's cheek, and exchanged a last look with his brother before he left the room.
***
Colin had been sent by the family's footman into the study of Penelope's father. He was somewhat annoyed by it, but he assumed that the man simply wanted to discuss something else with him. He was all the more surprised when the door was opened and instead of Penelope's father, her mother entered.
“Lady Featherington!” he bowed slightly.
“Mr. Bridgerton,” she answered. “I am surprised to see you here today. How can we help you?”
Colin looked at her in surprise. “Has your husband not spoken with you yet?” he asked quietly.
Portia Featherington crossed her arms and nodded impatiently. “Yes, of course. I am well aware that you and Penelope will marry in two days.”
“Why does it surprise you then that I wish to speak with her?” He looked at the older lady, confused.
“Well, Penelope has a lot to do before the wedding, and I assume that so do you. In two days, you will have plenty of opportunities to talk with each other. But she has no time today to receive visitors. I hope you can understand that!”
Colin swallowed, but he knew Penelope's mother well enough after all these years to know that she would not be persuaded to change her mind.
“I accept that, but can you at least tell her that I was here and hope that she is well and that she does not worry too much!”
He could not really read the expression on her face, but after a few moments, she nodded.
“I will make sure to tell her, but now you must excuse me. The modist is waiting for us, Mr. Bridgerton.”
He bowed his head once more. “Lady Featherington,” he answered politely and left the room.
He went toward the exit of Featherington House and could not shake the feeling that Lady Featherington would not tell her daughter that he had been here.