Chapter Text
In tandem with the story of his life since he was ten and nine, Anthony Bridgerton had to be here. As the head of the family, it was his duty to facilitate his sisters’ debuts into society. He didn’t want to be standing on the sidelines at Lady Danbury’s opening ball. In fact, he’d rather be just about anywhere else, but Anthony never really gets what he wants.
~z~
Penelope Featherington didn’t want to be here. But she didn’t have a choice. Practically, she needed to attend to gather information for her next Lady Whistledown column. More importantly, however, Lady Danbury’s ball was where she must be if she had any hope of securing a husband this year. And Penelope needed a husband if she wanted to get out of her mother’s house.
~z~
Anthony did his best to stoically bear the stares and whispers as he escorted his mother to a nearby seat while Francesca and Eloise danced. The only reason he hadn’t been rushed by the crowd yet is because he knew the mamas were trying to weigh the benefits of a marriage to his title against the risks of a scandal for their daughters if one didn’t materialize. He wouldn’t easily live down his failed wedding, nor the rumors of the reasons for it.
~z~
Penelope did her best to gracefully bear the stares and whispers as she stood, yet again, by the wall with no signatures on her dance card after her rather dramatic entrance. Despite the changes she’d made to her appearance after Colin’s careless remark, the gentlemen of the Ton continued to ignore her. She was used to it, but being left on the sidelines still stung. Pen looked down at her new gown, dark green with a black lace overlay, and smoothed it out, but it was no use. The gown never mattered to gentlemen anyway. Only the size of the body inside of it.
~z~
When the Prince invited Edwina (and Lady Mary, of course) back to his country for an extended visit to see if they would suit, Kate decided that she wanted to go along.
“Please don’t go,” Anthony had begged.
“She’s my sister, Anthony. I have to go.”
“Why?”
“Almost losing Edwina this season changed my mind. I don’t want to live in a different country than her. If it works out with Frederick, she would have to live there.”
“So, you’re just going to leave? Like what we have doesn’t matter?” His voice broke on the last word.
“That’s not fair,” Kate, now frustrated, replied.
They stood silently for a moment, tension between them so thick you could cut it with a knife before she blurted, “Come with me.”
“What?!”
“Renounce your title and come to Prussia with me.”
Anthony scoffed involuntarily at the idea. “You can’t be serious?” escaped from his lips unbidden.
Kate, now angry, crossed her arms. “So, what? It’s okay for me to leave my family to be with you, but not for you to leave yours to be with me?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Well, you’re thinking it,” she huffed. “You don’t need to be the viscount. Benedict can handle it.”
“This title comes with a level of responsibility that my brother can’t even fathom. “
“Well, you had to learn. He can, too.”
“It’s just not possible.”
“No. It’s possible. You just don’t want to give it up to be with me.”
~z~
“It’s just not healthful to weigh more than ten stone at our age,” Penelope heard Cressida titter to a group debutantes a few feet away from where she was standing.
One that included Eloise Bridgerton.
Penelope sighed dejectedly.
It was one thing for Eloise to cut her out of her life.
It was another for El to befriend the woman who mercilessly bullied her for the past two years and flaunt said friendship in front of her face.
Pen made a beeline for the door.
~z~
Anthony wished he was capable of renouncing his title for love.
But his title was all he had left of his father and he’d be damned if he’d give it up.
With his father gone, the family was his responsibility.
He couldn’t let them down.
But he could get the hell out of this ballroom.