A Wallflower's Bloom

Chapter 4: Twenty-four Letters

The next morning

Portia Featherington's head aches profusely. Along with her daughter Prudence, she had spent all the hours at last night's ball talking with different mamas of the ton, prospecting who can she match with both of her daughters. Her eldest daughter at least was able to dance with three different bachelors last night. What exhausted Portia at the party was the endless questions about what happened to their relative Jack and the news about her youngest Penelope becoming an heiress.

Lady Featherington does not say it out loud but she is happy as she noticed that there was a change of wind when it comes to the ton's treatment towards her family. Moreso, with their interest in Penelope whom had not even attended the ball last night. Nevertheless, this makes the ambitious mama be more hopeful as she could see a glimpse of chance that her youngest may truly be able to snatch a marriage this season.

The dowager Baroness had been joined in lunch meal by her two daughters. Penelope silently minding her own meal of stuffed tomatoes and scalloped oysters, whilst Prudence enjoying the crunch of asparagus and carrots. Penelope seeing how tired her mama's eyes were, inquired about their excursion last night.

"Everything went well mama?" Penelope's sweet voice echoed all throughout the dining hall.

"Of course, should it be not?" Portia asked back.

Penelope just politely raised her concern of the baroness' existent tiredness on her eyes. Prudence was quick to intervene with her thoughts.

"Well. I think it goes with all the ladies last night." Prudence's statement had piqued the interest of Penelope.

"What you mean sister?"

Prudence feeling proud, told the youngest Featherington on the juicy details she missed at the ball. On how there were new eligible bachelors who re-entered society, the gossips around town and the gentlemen who got to ask her for a dance.

Not that the last topic really interests Penelope, but the first two parts made the young lady regret not coming to the first ball of the season. What intrigued the girl most was of that fine gentleman that was introduced by the famed Lady Danbury. Her mother and daughter seemed to be captivated by the man's charms and she could only hear good words about him. Penelope felt bad that she was not able to witness this man in person. Her Lady Whistledown instincts are now pressuring her up to join as many balls as she can just to be fully aware of all the heard and unheard gossips and revelations around town.

"Surely, you will not be making any excuses in attending tomorrow's ball, won't you Penelope?"

Her mother's voice had brought Penelope's attention back to the dowager Baroness. She knew that her mother would no longer permit her to miss any of the parties and she herself, decided to be as diligent on being present at the nightly activities. She knew that for her to get married as she planned, she needs to partake actively within the social circles.

"Of course, mama. I am thrilled to meet this Lord Debling you both speak highly of." Penelope Featherington takes a sip of her lemonade as she tries to imagine how this golden-haired man looks by the flesh.

"Do not get your hopes up, sister." Prudence discourages her younger sibling. "Lord Debling may have introduced himself to a lot of ladies, but he did not ask for any hand to dance with him." A truth that Portia had agreed to.

"Is he not interested for a wife?" Penelope curiously asks. She seldom heard of a gentleman who refuses to ask a hand's lady for a dance. Even those whom she knew like the Bridgerton brothers, asks her and Cressida just for courtesy, even if it was not genuine or they were just forced by their mothers.