The Wallflower and the Roses - A Bridgerton Fanfiction

Part 5

5 Bruton Street,

Mayfair,

London.

April, 1824.

Colin Bridgerton left the ballroom and then stopped. He had no idea where we was going. He had no idea where Penelope had gone.

He had no idea what he was doing.

He started walking down the hallway, listening intently for any faint footsteps. The noise from the ballroom was making it tough to hear much anything else. The further he walked, the quieter it got. Till finally he reached a point where all he could hear was the sound of his own breathing.

“Where did she go, where did she go?” he muttered under his breath.

The urgency in his chest was increasing proportionately to the helplessness.

“The garden, maybe,” he thought. He swivelled around to charge towards the garden and came face to face with Marcus Holroyd, the Earl of Chatteris.

“Bridgerton.” Chatteris nodded in greeting.

Colin blinked. It took him a moment to find his tongue. “Chatteris.” He nodded back. At least he tried to. It might have come out a bit stunted. His mind was conjuring images of a particular lady in a lovely blue gown. He blinked again, hoping the action would clear his mind. Enough to articulate.

Chatteris tilted his head and gave him a small knowing smile. His expression strikingly similar to Benedict’s from before.

“Are you well, Bridgerton?”

Colin had never seen the Earl emote before.

“Indeed, I am.” His words sounded curt even to his own ears.

The Earl just stood there in silence, seemingly enjoying Colin’s distress.

Colin cleared his throat. There was no way the Earl knew his reasons for being in the hallway. He had to stop acting like he had been caught red handed stealing a painting off the wall.

“Congratulations on the engagement.” He smiled his trademark smile.

“Thank you.”

“What brings you to this lovely hallway in the middle of the ball?” Colin asked, hoping the question wouldn’t be redirected to himself.

“I was looking for Honoria. I think she went to the garden for some fresh air.”

“Aah, I was heading there myself. The ballroom can get a bit much sometimes.”

Chatteris smiled again. That small, knowing smile. It was beginning to get on Colin’s nerves.

“Shall we, then? The garden is that way.” Colin started walking.

Chatteris fell in step, in silence.

Usually Colin would have felt compelled to make conversation, but given the current state of his irate mood, he thought it better to not say anything.