From Streets To Ballrooms

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Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: F/M
Fandoms: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn
Relationships: Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington, Colin Bridgerton & Penelope
Featherington, Eloise Bridgerton & Penelope Featherington, Penelope
Featherington/Original Male Character(s)
Characters: Colin Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington, Eloise Bridgerton, Anthony
Bridgerton, Benedict Bridgerton, Violet Bridgerton, Bridgerton Family
(Bridgerton), Agatha Danbury, Portia Featherington, Featherington
Family (Bridgerton), Marina Thompson, Original Male Character(s),
Original Characters
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Regency, Misunderstandings, Angst, Angst and
Hurt/Comfort, Penelope Featherington Needs a Hug, Strong Penelope
Featherington, Penelope Featherington-centric, POV Penelope
Featherington, POV Multiple, Miscommunication, Divorce, Tags May
Change
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2024-05-15 Words: 1,782 Chapters: 1/1
 From Streets To Ballrooms
by mamamogreen

Summary

Set in 1813 season, an alternative universe where Colin and Marina successfully eloped and
married in Gretna Green, which lead to Penelope having a huge fallout with the whole
Bridgerton family - well, except from Eloise, her most loyal confidant and best friend.

A heartbroken Penelope finds her way outside the Ton where she meets new friends and
forge new connections. However, what will happen when one Colin Bridgerton tries to re-
enter her life after their huge misunderstanding.

Or
Colin is young, and faces the implications of his choices, he is a total mess.
Penelope, is young, deprived of love, and a much bigger mess.

Or
Growing teenagers and young adults trying to navigate the real world

Notes

Okay, so this is my third attempt to writing a Polin fic, just because I cannot stay in place and
going crazy about waiting for the Season 3 to be released!

See the end of the work for more notes

 ♤♡◇♧

On a fine Monday afternoon, Penelope entered the Bridgerton home for tea. Although, she
spends almost all her afternoons in this manor which is just across her house, today felt
different. She usually comes for tea without invitation, it's like she is always expected to
show up, but for this particular afternoon she had received an invitation from the Dowager
Viscountess herself. She did not try to dwell on the peculiarity of the whole thing because she
was just over the Bridgerton house two days ago. But somehow she felt tense and uneasy.

As she entered the drawing room she was surprised to see Violet, Anthony, Benedict, and
Colin waiting for her. No sign of Eloise and the youngest Bridgertons.

They know.

They definitely know, because why on earth will she be having tea with the three older
Bridgertons with Violet if they don't know. Oh shit. Penelope is in deep trouble. With shaky
hands she curtsied to the four of them, trying so hard to calm herself.

“Good Afternoon Lady Bridgerton, Viscount Bridgerton, Mr. Bridgerton, and Mr.
Bridgerton.”

“Miss Featherington.” Greeted back the Viscount and Benedict. Colin hasn't said a word, and
Penelope could not put a word to it, but he somehow looks angry, and frustrated, while
clenching his jaw.

Penelope tries to mentally convince herself that this odd afternoon tea could be about
anything else. It could be about Eloise right? That's why she is not present. Right?

“Penelope, dear, I am glad you accepted my invitation for tea. Please, do take a seat.” Violet
said as she reached for her hand and squeezed it a bit, before gesturing to the settee beside
her, just across the three brothers.
“How have you been Ms. Featherington? We haven’t talked for a while.” Benedict glanced at
her with a small smile, which is weird because, although he is Eloise’s favourite brother, they
never really talk beyond niceties and curtsies.

“I’ve been well, Mr. Bridgerton, nothing much to note. How about you and you? Eloise told
me that you started painting”

“Ah yes, well, it’s been great, but I am still in search of a muse. Might you know someone
willing?” he replied and playfully waggled his eyebrows.

The Viscount cleared his throat, while Penelope’s face was painted with confusion.

“Well, Mr. Bridgerton, I really don’t have any friends in the ton aside from Eloise, so I am
afraid I cannot recommend anyone, unless you want to be acquainted with my two older
sisters.” Benedict's smile faltered. He did not quite expect that Penelope is capable of
answering with a bit of sarcasm, while Anthony gasped and Violet let out a little laugh.

“Oh you’re in the mood to joke around now huh. Tell me Pen, did you know?” Colin said
with an accusing tone.

Oh shit. They do know. But, Penelope has not done anything wrong. She did not actively
partake in Marina’s deception. It was purely Colin’s choice to run off to Gretna Green with
her cousin.

“W-w-what do you mean, I know?” she managed.

“Marina is with child.” Violet replied. Penelope was too stunned to speak, like literally.

“Unfortunately not my child, we have not even cosumated! Now tell me Penelope, did you
know?”
Four pairs of eyes were looking at her. She wanted to bolt and go into hiding. Why does it
feel like it is her fault? That she is the one to blame? Why does it feel like they are ganging
up on her?

“Yes, I know.” she whispered while blinking rapidly, trying to stop her tears. The room felt
really heavy, she could only hear the buzzing in her ear.

“And you did not think of telling me? I thought we were friends, Penelope. You betrayed not
only me, but our family.”

“Miss Featherington, we had always welcomed you in our home, I did not expect you to
partake in such a cunning deception. Tell me, did you help Miss Thompson in decieving our
brother?” The Viscount added.

“Anthony, enough!”

“Brother!”

Both Violet and Benedict shouted with clear frustration in their voices.

“I am sorry about that, Penelope, but we would really like to know the truth.” Violet held and
squeezed her hand, hoping to ease Penelope.

Penelope was on the verge of crying, she was hurt and also frustrated with the whole
situation. They really thought of her as a traitor. Her heart broke once more because of Colin,
did he really believe that she could do that to him? It was not her who lied to him. It was not
her who decieved him, but why is she having this conversation with them. Why does she feel
suffocated and cornered, in the only home she felt home.

“Well, speak up, Pen. Use your words, jest or whatever barb you have in there.” Colin spatted
each word with disdain.
“I'm sorry.”

“You're sorry? How is that gonna fix this? I am forever shackled to that conniving cousin of
yours! You ruined my life.”

“SHUT UP COLIN!” she screamed. She cannot take it anymore, all the accusations and
blame.

And silence. Every person in the room was shocked to their core hearing little Penelope
Featherington.

“Do not shout at me Pen! You just admitted you knew! How could you? How could you
Pen?”

Finally, Penelope's blue orbs meet his green eyes. She hardened her stare before beginning.

“Why are you blaming me? Did I tell you to court her? Did I persuade you to ask her to
marry you? Was I the one who drove you both to Gretna Green?”

“No.” He barely whispered.

“Then why are you blaming and accusing me with lying to you? I tried Colin. I really tried! I
asked her to choose someone else, or to wait for Sir George. She said you are her best option!
I tried to warn you, Colin. I did try. I did my best to tell you, but what, you dismissed me like
dirt under your shoes! Because, guess what, you said you love her and she loves you! Who
am I to get in between the two of you?!”

“And how exactly did you try to warn our brother Miss Featherington?” Asked the Viscount.

“After the engagement dinner, I followed him and told him that Marina is in love with
someone else.” She explained.
“That is not the same Pen! Being with child of another man is completely different from
being in love! I thought you're wiser than that!” Colin spat.

“I tried! What, would you believe me if I told you that she is with child?! Would you believe
me Colin?!”

“Lord Bridgerton, since you are so sure that I was part of these scheme, would you actually
believe me if i told you Marina is with child? Would anyone believe me?”

“You will never know unless you try.”

“Of course, no one would believe me! Because how on earth would I know that, right? You
all think of me as weak, and meek, with no knowledge of the particular relations between
men and women. Well, perhaps, I am not as innocent as you all think I am!”

Penelope's tears began to flow on her cheeks, while Violet tried to hold her trembling hands,
looking at her with understanding and a hint of pity.

“No one is blaming you, dear. We just want to know.” Violet told her.

“You still could have tried Pen.” Colin said in a low voice.

Penelope stood up, and looked at them all. Try as she might to appear stronger and unaffected
with all the accusations, but her tears were nonstop.

“I believe it's time for me to leave. I know you all still believe that I am part of the scheme,
there is no way to prove my innocence afterall. But, just know that you, Bridgertons, had
been more of my family than my real family. My loyalty had always been with Eloise and
that extends to her whole family. Colin, you had been my friend, I just could not understand
why do you all need to ambush me like this. Maybe we have not really been friends, afterall I
am just Eloise's extension.”

“Let me tell you this, it was your choice that you ended up in this situation. You chose her,
and you chose to ignore every single warning not just from me but from your family as well.
You chose to elope with her. Start taking responsibility for the consequences of your actions.”

Colin held her gaze while clenching his jaw. She did not lie right? She looked at Anthony and
Benedict.

“I barely know Marina. I have never lied to you, the only thing I've done wrong is
withholding information I did not wish to possess in the first place. I am not Marina, I am not
my mother. I never betrayed you, because that means I would be betraying my only friend,
Eloise and Lady Bridgerton who had been nothing but nice to me.” She gave them a small
smile that did not seem to reach her eyes.

She turned to Violet, who had been listening intently and caressing her hand for comfort.

“I am sorry, I truly am. This would be the last time I will ever set foot in your home, I believe
it would be best if I end my acquaintance with you, especially if your whole family thinks of
me as a schemer and conniving little bitch. I am still a Featherington afterall.”

“Oh dear. No, no, no, this has been just a misunderstanding. You are still dear to me and
Eloise.”

“I may be a wallflower, but I still have to keep my dignity intact. I hate to subject myself to
be around people who think so lowly of me. I, thank you for the afternoon tea, but I shall go.
Lady Bridgerton, Viscount Bridgerton, Mr. Bridgerton, and Mr. Bridgerton. Have a good
day!” Penelope hurriedly left the room and almost ran to her house. She saw Eloise in the
Foyer but decided to ignore her, as she cannot possibly find an explanation to whatever
happened that afternoon.

She went past Briarly and her family lounging in the drawing room and went straight to her
room where she locked herself up. It's over now. The only people who she cared for the most
are all gone in her life. They started the flames, but it was Penelope who decided to
completely burn the bridge. She cried herself to sleep, somehow blaming herself for the
whole situation, she could have done better. She screamed into her pillows until she had no
more voice.

Silently hoping that when she wakes up, this will be all just a dream.
End Notes

This is probably going to be a multi-chaoter fic, I hope I could update every week or more
often. And just note that this is my trying to practice writing and assessing my skills coz I am
down bad on the idea of being a writer just like Polin. Huhuhu.

Comments and feedback are highly appreciated. Mwa mwa.

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