lennie.
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Jun 18, 2021 14:45:24 GMT
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 22, 2021 16:08:40 GMT
"In my opinion Lady Whistledown never seems to comment on anything that doesn't hold at least a little bit of truth," Penelope argued. She couldn't very well tell him she was Whistledown and thus knew very well Lady Whistledown did her very best to ensure what was published was the truth. Penelope hadn't begun writing because she wanted to be cruel, she wanted to be fair to her friends and everyone else of the ton while just simply showing how ridiculous it could all be.
Maybe there were times when she had been a bit too tough on someone, but in her defence Penelope hadn't pulled her punches when it came to insulting herself either. Considering the rate the ton purchased her writing at it proved the need for gossip was larger than anyone wanted to admit. They might not notice her, but they were noticing Lady Whistledown and Penelope couldn't help but feel a bit smug no one would ever suspect it was her.
She offered Lewis a small smile, hoping it appeared encouraging, "either way I'm sure my toes will be fine, and are they not well, then isn't a doctor good company to already have?" Penelope contemplated. She hoped it sounded encouraging and not insulting, it was the last thing she wanted to do to hurt his feelings. Penelope often found her words sounded one way in her head and then when she said them out loud, it never sounded how she had intended; it always made more sense in writing. |
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lennie.
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Jun 18, 2021 14:45:24 GMT
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 20, 2021 22:51:04 GMT
While not many gentlemen asked her to dance, in fact the list of who usually did was very short, it was not entirely uncommon. There had been that gentleman who courted her sister for a short while, of course nothing had come from it, but for a short moment he had been someone who had danced with her if only just to impress her sister further. It had been evidence he wasn't at all suited for Prudence, it most definitely did not impress her sister that the man had danced with Penelope. Paying attention to anyone but Prudence herself was most definitely not the way to Prudence's heart, and she was sure her sister had one, although at times very deep down.
Lewis Anwyl was most definitely not courting her sister. It was probably a good thing, based on the few interactions she had had with the man Penelope could conclude her sister would be far too much for him, either of them would be. As much as she loved her sisters they were a lot, especially for anyone who was not family.
Penelope smiled at his warning, shaking her head, "I'm sure you are far better than you believe yourself, Doctor Anwyl," she insisted with a small laugh. Even so, Penelope knew she'd be fine with a few bruised toes, it was better than having stood in her corner for the whole evening. Besides it was nice that someone had asked her to dance without their mother telling them to do so, even though she appreciated Violet Bridgerton's kindness and never would've refused any of her sons asking her to dance there was a pain that came with them only asking her because their mama told them to. She offered him yet another smile, "If we are lucky the band will just play a simple waltz next," she mused, lowering her voice into a quiet whisper, laughter following her words. |
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lennie.
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Jun 18, 2021 14:45:24 GMT
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 20, 2021 16:54:00 GMT
Penelope could feel the heated flush in her cheeks rising as she had kept talking, remaining there as the man responded to her polite question. Lewis Anwyl, while respected in his field and by the ton, would never be a man Penelope's mother approved of, and even if he had been he wouldn't have been the man her heart wanted. But while Portia Featherington saw every act as part of the hunt in finding husbands for her daughters Penelope didn't agree. She cast her gaze across the room towards her mother before looking back to Lewis with a smile, her mama was too busy to notice what was going on with Penelope, and she nodded, "I would be honoured," she replied.
The smile that passed across her features felt easier this time around, less forced. Despite how she would insist in her retellings of balls to Eloise that they were pointless and ridiculous Penelope wanted to be asked to dance. Even if she told her best friend she didn't care she most definitely did care.
By the time her mama would see her dancing with Mister Anwyl it would be too late for her to interfer. Penelope was sure she would receive a stern reminder about appropriate suitors, even though Penelope couldn't remember Lewis Anwyl ever actually courting anyone despite always asking someone to dance. Not everything needed to be calculated, not everything could be or Penelope was quite certain she wouldn't be able to stand it.
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lennie.
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Jun 18, 2021 14:45:24 GMT
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 19, 2021 19:57:27 GMT
Another evening, another ball, and yet another dress so very yellow. It was really the only way she could describe the garment her mother had purchased it was... yellow. Penelope looked around the room and she hoped her gaze wasn't full of longing as she observed the pale blues and lilacs of the other debutantes, the faint tones of green she was so sure would look good against her skin. She had tried, of course, to tell her mother that maybe trying a different colour would be a good idea, to just see if it would look good, Portia Featherington had shut her down over and over again, telling her how men liked happy girls, and happy girls wore happy colours.
Penelope was certain she didn't look happy in yellow.
Holding her glass of lemonade between her hands Penelope allowed her gaze to travel across the ballroom, her sisters were walking arm-in-arm through the hall, clearly trying to earn the attention of a man asking at least one of them to dance. She noticed how Prudence seemed to be successful, smiling in a way that seemed too predatory as a man bowed and asked for her dance card as Philipa glowered mutinously. Penelope rolled her eyes, taking a sip of lemonade.
"Mister Anwyl," Penelope exclaimed, eyes widening and she hoped he had not seen her roll her eyes at her sisters' actions across the room, smiling she curtised, shaking her head as she answered his question, "I- no," Penelope cleared her throat, "I don't, have a partner, no one asked me I mean," her brow furrowed and Penelope cut herself off, pressing her lips together tightly, her grip strong around the small lemonade glass which was now emtpy. She exhaled shakily, hoping her smile looked more like a smile than the grimace it felt like, "How are you this evening?" |
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lennie.
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 18, 2021 16:33:57 GMT
It wasn't that Penelope needed saving, not from Cressida Cowper, but it didn't make it any less nice to be saved. She knew what she would do once she was home, how she would write about the evening and Cressida's embarrassment would be Whistledown's word in the next column published. What she wrote as Lady Whistledown, while it gave her the private satisfaction of knowing she had a way to get under the skin of the ton, it wasn't public. This was public, this was what Penelope couldn't bring herself to do. She didn't understand it, she spoke eloquently and with a sharp wit whenever she was around friends, but something about anyone else made her shrink back inside herself.
Penelope snorted. "I doubt that," she muttered, her gaze travelling across the room to find Cressida Cowper looking very determined in her attempts to not look at the dance floor. Penelope wished she could see her face when she read the next Whistledown column, it wasn't taking credit for it, but oh how she at the very least wanted to see Cressida's face.
Her attention snapped back to Anthony and Penelope offered him a small smile, "it doesn't matter," she insisted, shaking her head softly, "if I took offense to everything said by Miss Cowper I would spend the rest of my days being offended." Internally Penelope exhaled in relief, how she actually sounded like she believed her own words. Because of course they were a lie, she would spend the rest of the evening contemplating what Cressida had told her, questioning whether or not she was really right. It was the truth Penelope didn't want to face, no one showed any interest in courting her, marrying her, and while Penelope might insist she was happy the way things were it didn't change how she wanted more.
"I believe she is more worried about Lady Whistledown than anything else now thanks to you," Penelope mused, "not that it isn't just as bad for her that everyone here might've seen but, if Whistledown writes about it it'll be in writing and to Cressida it'll be much worse to have everyone read about it rather than just hear about it," this time Penelope couldn't help the small smile that formed, more smug than was appropriate for a young woman, "talk can be dismissed as hearsay and yet Whistledown's word is treated like gospel by these people, she won't be able to deny that as easily and things like that matter to people like Miss Cowper."
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lennie.
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 18, 2021 1:22:36 GMT
His dismissal of Cressida was so simple, polite and effective and Penelope could not help but be jealous of it. It was silly of course, to be jealous someone could so easily dismiss another, silly and perhaps even rude. The idea of openly humiliating Cressida Cowper, not writing a snarky remark about what had just happened in her next Lady Whistledown column, but actually saying something as Penelope Featherington caused a heated blush to rise in her cheeks. All three of them knew that there was nothing Cressida could have done except step aside, except smile and gracefully float through the ballroom to fetch herself a glass of lemonade, dress swishing past several eligible gentleman in a clear attempt to be noticed. But all the while Cressida was on the prowl Penelope found herself on the dance floor.
She felt the tension leave her as Cressida did, no longer feeling tongue tied in the company of someone who came closer to being a friend than the blonde debutante ever would. "I believe she may have had the idea you were asking her to dance, my Lord," Penelope informed him boldly, brow arched as she met his gaze and Penelope studied him. It was subtle, almost too subtle to note, the satisfaction in Anthony's gaze and Penelope gasped, her eyes growing wide and mouth falling open, "that was on purpose, oh that is wicked," Penelope shook her head, laughing as he led her in the dance, "and yes, my Lord, I do believe an argument could be made for it being your fault. However," she paused, "of course an argument could also be made for how impolite jumping to conclusions can be, a healthy lesson to learn to avoid any futur embarrassments, you may have done Miss Cowper a favour."
Her laughter died down, and Penelope allowed a smile to take its place on her lips, "Thank you," she hummed, voice softening as she spoke. While Penelope knew she would have her chance for revenge, would be able to put a scathing comment about the cruel blonde in writing this was different. This rescue was the support from a friendly face she needed to pick herself up after the harsh words, after Cressida attempted to crush the little confidence inside her.
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lennie.
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 18, 2021 0:20:04 GMT
Penelope frowned, a similar look of surprise flashing through her own and Cressida's eyes, though the emotion which followed was definitely not the same. A dark look of rage in Cressida's eyes as Penelope's lit up with a small smile across her lips. Cressida had already been on her way to raise her dainty wrist, to hold up her dance card and Penelope watched as her wrist promptly snapped down to her side. The blonde turned her head towards the redhead, offering a poisonous glare before she managed to compose herself, and Penelope had a feeling Cressida Cowper was imagining doing far more than glaring at her, then the mask was back, perfectly polite smile as she faced Anthony, "Always such a gentleman, Lord Bridgerton. It's truly wonderful to see such an example of kindness towards a dear friend."
Penelope arched a brow, they were hardly friends, and there was nothing dear about it.
When she really thought about it it wasn't really a surprise, there hadn't been a ball she had been to where Anthony or one of his brothers had not asked her to dance. Of course Penelope had a strong feeling Violet Bridgerton had more to do with it than either of Eloise's brothers actually wanting to dance with her. Though tonight she couldn't remember Lady Bridgerton pushing her son in her direction, and the smile on Penelope's lips grew slightly wider.
"I would be delighted, Lord Bridgerton," she declared, her voice stronger now, not quite confident, but gone was the trembles that Cressida had put there, that her cruelty had imbued in her. Taking his offered arm she let him lead her onto the dance floor. "I don't believe Miss Cowper is very pleased with you right now, my Lord," Penelope said softly, her voice lowered into a whisper. |
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 17, 2021 14:24:11 GMT
There were times like these when Penelope wished her mama had allowed her to wait another year, to let her debute the following year along with Eloise. It wasn't as if she believed there would've been any gentlemen suddenly noticing her if she had waited, but at the very least she would've had Eloise by her side. It would've made the rejections easier.
The reaction from both women was instant. Cressida withdrew her arm from Penelope, stepping forward with her lips curled into a sweet smiles, eyelashes fluttering as her gaze morphed from taunting to sweet. Stepping in front of the redhead Cressida averted her attentions from the girl to the Viscount.
Penelope smiled softly from behind her at her best friend's brother, "Good evening, Lord Bridgerton."
"Lord Bridgerton, it is as if you read my mind," Cressida mused, Penelope inhaled sharply, resisting the urge to roll her eyes, "there is always a place on my dance card saved for you," this time Penelope could not resist rolling her eyes, immediately looking around the room, finding her mama off to the side and Penelope exhaled in relief noting how Portia Featherington hadn't taken notice to the situation.
She was ready to slip away, to not be so obviously left standing as Anthony Bridgerton escorted Cressida Cowper onto the dance floor and left Penelope standing on the sidelines of the hall. Penelope could already see the attention of other attendees on them and the last thing she needed was further humiliation. |
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 16, 2021 14:23:01 GMT
Hands folded together neatly in front of her, dance card dangling from her wrist penelope stood half concealed by the side of a marble pillar in the grand ballroom. She liked lady danbury, more than she liked most members of the ton, the genuine honesty was refreshing, Lady Danbury told people to their face what she thought, while most others whispered behind her back. So, regardless of the discomfort Penelope felt standing in the ballroom there was no illness she would've faked to get out of the event when it was the aforementioned Lady hosting it. There were plenty of times when she would lie to her mother and feign a headache or cough to get out of it but not in this case.
It didn't ease the ache as she watched people interacting with such ease - debutantes with chaperones nearby with demure smiles and soft spoken words offering up dance cards. Her own dance card hung untouched around her wrist, feeling like a burning beacon as she swiftly moved her hand to her side. But clearly it had been a beacon because out of nowhere there she stood surrounded by friends, tall and beautiful with her blonde hair and blue eyes. Cressida Cowper's beauty was dulled by the cruelty in her gaze that looked upon Penelope, her smile feeling more like a taunt than the polite curve of ones lips a lady of the ton learned to perfect.
"Cressida, I hope you're well," Penelope said softly, her voice quiet as she spoke. Now happy she had shifted her hands into a more discreet place, making the dance card less obvious, even if she told herself it was fine it remained empty she didn't want Cressida to know that.
Penelope assumed no one was fooled by the way Cressida smiled, the ton might've been oblivious to any other side of Penelope Featherington than the demure wallflower easily ignored, but no one could miss who Cressida Cowper really was. No one cared who Cressida Cowper really was, she was beautiful, it was all she needed to be. "I was just coming over to check on you, Penelope," the blonde sounded concerned, and Penelope steeled herself, back straightening, fingers curling lightly into the terrible yellow dress her mother forced her to wear, "I haven't seen you on the dance floor this evening, and with so many wonderful gentlemen of the ton in attendance," she hooked her arm with Penelope's in a seemingly friendly manner, "now I'm sure we can find a suitor for you as well, dear Penelope. Nigel Berbrooke perhaps? Now that darling Daphne is no longer available to him surely he is looking for another fine woman to court."
Of course Penelope wanted to dance. Of course she wished that someone would notice her. The more Cressida spoke the more Penelope felt herself tense up, the confidence she had gathered draining from her and she trembled lightly, voice failing her as she tried to respond to her words. |
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lennie.
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 16, 2021 13:39:08 GMT
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Post by lennie2 on Mar 15, 2021 17:34:03 GMT
| ~ • ~ | Character Basics | ~ • ~ |
.:Name:. Penelope Featherington.
.:Nick Name:. Pen, Lady Whistledown.
.:Rank:. Nobility.
.:Age:. 17, born in 1796.
| ~ • ~ | Appearance | ~ • ~ |
.:Physical Appearance:. The most damaging part towards Penelope's looks are the gowns her mother insists that she wears, yellow may be a happy colour but it does nothing for her complexion. Instead of a pale hue with rosy cheeks she appears sallow against the sharp yellow. Her bright red hair makes it impossible to miss her and yet that seems to be exactly what most of the ton are very much able to do, she should stand out like a beacon and yet Penelop manages to slip into the shadows and corner at every ball. Her smile is kind, and her eyes light up with mirth as she laughs, saving her moments to open up for her friends.
.:Height:. 5’0”.
.:Portrayed by:. Nicola Coughlan.
| ~ • ~ | Personality | ~ • ~ |
.:Personality:. Penelope is sweet and kind, she is witty and clever, and her commentary can be rather cutting while never unfair when she is in company that makes her comfortable. Of course, most of the time her true nature doesn't get to shine through, instead her insecurities get the best of her and she hides in the corners of ball rooms, hoping that a gentleman will notice her and ask her to dance. She always gets to dance, and she smiles politely accepting whichever of the Bridgerton brothers Lady Bridgerton ushers her way, ignoring the voice in her head reminding her how they're appeasing their mother, appeasing Eloise even by saving her best friend from futher humiliation.
There's another side to Penelope Featherington however, a persona she has invented who is strong and powerful and dares to speak up. Lady Whistledown is everything no one would ever think Penelope would be - bold, outspoken and utterly fearless. When putting a quill to paper there is not much holding her back, she may not have a silver tongue in the company of most, but her quill is as silver as they come.
.:Skills:. Writing, noticing people, blending in.
.:Weaknesses:. Lack of confidence, insecure around people she doesn't know well.
| ~ • ~ | History | ~ • ~ |
.:Birthplace:. London, England.
.:Family:. Lord Featherington ( father ), Portia Featherington ( mother ), Prudence ( sister ), Philipa ( sister ).
.:Occupation:. Writer.
.:History:. Penelope is a romantic soul wishing for her life to be different, wishing for a family who showed more love and support for one another, and for the boy turned man she's been in love with for years to notice her as more than his little sister's closest friend.
Penelope doesn't understand the rush. There shouldn't be a reason why her mother is pushing her to debute now when Lady Bridgerton is allowing Eloise to continue her studies for one more year, they're exactly the same age and surely it would be easier to only introduce two daughters to society instead of three? But despite her protests once Portia Featherington has made up her mind it doesn't seem like there is anything that can stop her. Penelope sent pleading looks in her father's direction only to have him ignore her by ducking behind the newspaper. She should've known better than to look to her father for support, standing up against his wife has never seemed to be his strong side.
To cope with the season, which Penelope already knows won't end with her finding a husband, not when there are debutantes like Cressida Cowper and Daphne Bridgerton wying for the attention of the gentlemen of the ton around. No one in their right mind will look to her. So she has decided to look at them instead, to make the best of the situation of being the girl no one notices, the wallflower at every ball, she'll discover their secrets and using a pseudonym she will spill those secrets for all to see.
( this will of course be expanded on further as more is revealed about penelope )
| ~ • ~ | Member Info | ~ • ~ |
.:Name or Online Alias:. Lennie.
.:How Did You Find Us:. Through a tumblr post in the bridgerton tag.
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