#as evident by her friendship with pen and cressida

[bisexualfemalemess]

Eloise Bridgerton is a raging lesbian and i will not be taking criticism

[gleefullypolin]

Another of my musings, shall we? Indulge me...

Today, let’s talk about why Cressida was never set up as a redemption story in Season 3, but simply as a lesson for our three main character leads…

I’ve seen a lot of discourse around the treatment of Cressida in Season 3, and I find it kinda funny because Cress has always been a side character and never a main plot point and it was very evident this season that it was still very much the case. In Season 3, she was what is known as a plot device. The point of a plot device is to jettison the main characters forward.

So, let’s look at how they used her to do that this season.

Eloise Bridgerton:

Cressida was a huge plot device in moving Eloise’s story along in a heavy way this season. El has been very close to being stuck in quicksand for a while now. What do we know about her character between S1 to now?

She doesn’t want to get married.

She believes that women are held back but is questioning her place in society and what to do about that.

She’s angry at Pen and feels betrayed by friendship currently.

So, when we last left her, her closest relationship ended because Penelope was Lady Whistledown, she realized she knew nothing about the one person she thought she was closest with, her belief that her say in the world as a woman was rocked, and the one connection with a man she ever had, Theo, dissolved before her.

She goes off to the country and meets up with Cressida, the one person who hates the person she also dislikes the most currently, who befriends her and thus we start the new season.

But in the story, Cress is now there to show Eloise a different side of the Ton. Eloise has always had a not so small issue…her mouth. It NEVER stops. She literally never shuts up. Pen was the type where she let her go on and on and on, and never stepped in to stop her. But Cress is like... Ok shut up, stop talking now and listen because bad shit is happening to me and I need you to hear about it.

And El finally saw that life outside the Bridgerton drawing room, was shit. Not every Mama will protect you from marriage you don’t want, not every word said at a ball stays between friends, and not every friend is welcomed by your family. El had to grow up this year. She had to learn that her family protected her from things others were subjected to.

El whispered in the ballroom about her brother helping Pen find a husband and that rumor spread like wildflower and El was quick to blame that on Cressida, only to find out that it was her own mouth that spread the rumor because she didn’t think, she just spoke loudly in the ballroom with no thought of consequence for her actions. And it was Cressida who had to point it out to her, Plot point made.

Cressida was desperate to escape a life her father was forcing her into. El could have easily been forced into marriage to a man thrice her age, but she was not. But she was still El. And El was caught up in her own worries with Pen/Colin suddenly announcing their engagement and she didn’t listen to Cressida’s concerns.  She didn’t see the desperation until it was too late, and Cress stood up and claimed she was Lady Whistledown.

It was only once Cressida, with no other alternatives left on her plate, and no loving parent to guide her, chose a path that led her to take actions against Pen/Colin by writing against the Bridgertons and blackmailing them that Eloise truly was forced to face herself and forgive Penelope and see the difference in how Pen wrote versus how someone with no remorse or responsibility held the quill. Plot point made.

But she then sees the difference in how Pen stands up and takes responsibility for her actions, faces consequences, holds her own as a woman of the ton and gives her back a bit of understanding that a woman can have a voice in the world. Now we see El facing that she has much to learn and going off into the world with excitement to find it.

Penelope Bridgerton:

Cress has always propelled Pen forward as a plot device, the evil queen who tortures the princess as the knight in shining armor comes to her rescue.

Case in point, Season 1, spills her drink, Colin to the rescue, I’m afraid I’m to escort Miss Featherington to the floor. Season 2, she tries to take Eloise from her, for her to be rebuffed, then she dances with Colin happily for him to only use her as a ruse to once again save Pen from Jack Featherington’s ruby scheme. And then Season 3, she does take Eloise from her, stands on her dress for Colin to chase after her, then tries to defeat her in her pursuit for Debling as a suitor.

All of these plot devices move Pen’s story forward. They have a purpose of either knocking her down a peg or by having a man dive in to rescue her thus making her feel important. This season ramped it up a notch as Cressida came after her true worth. Lady Whistledown. Sure, going after Debling was part of it, but one could argue that Debling was a red herring. Pen never truly cared about him. But Lady Whistledown was her true value.

Having Cressida take her prize, was the true crux of the plot device for Pen this season. Cressida stole her glory by claiming to be the one thing that Penelope truly felt she was worthy of. The power of Whisteldown. And once that was taken from Cressida by her proving to the Queen that Cressida was a fraud, once Pen felt she had beat her, Cressida struck the final blow in their showdown by trying to take away her worth and ruin her in the eyes of her family.

Having Cressida out her to her mother and then strike the blow to her new husband by demanding they pay her with blackmail and humiliation to destroy any hope of love and happiness that Pen had found was the final act of villainy in their story.

This was the part that Pen needed to propel her to take a stand, to allow her what she needed to say ENOUGH is ENOUGH and that she would not let this person take everything she loved away from her. She would not let Cressida deal the final blow in her life, her marriage, her family, her purpose. And it would not control her. And thus, she made her final move.

Colin Bridgerton:

Colin had a huge turning point with Cressida, and I did not see it coming. I will be honest when the scene came, I was like why the fuck are they wasting this scene between these two and he’s not having this conversation with this wife. But the more I sat on it the more it made sense because Colin couldn’t have this conversation with Pen. Because he was so hurt and so angry with Pen, he didn’t want to lash out and say mean things to her, but with Cressida, he didn’t care what he said to her. It was easier to say thing to someone he had no feelings for.

And thus, the blackmail conversation happened. Or Cressida/Colin’s Therapy hour was born. Because that plot point was exactly what happened. It was a way for us to hear Colin’s inner thoughts. In a book, it’s easy to know what the main character is feeling, because you read it. But in the show, you don’t get that intimate knowledge. Here we got to know what Colin was feeling.

He shared with Cressida that he left town wanting to hear from Pen, and when he didn’t, he withdrew from himself. He started to take away feeling, to hold back things he needed from others. He become Pod Colin! And then he talked to her about how Pen was treated by the Ton and by extension (CRESSIDA) He talked about loneliness and how that makes a person feel and for fucks sake he bared his soul.

And then he talked about how people pay this damned woman Whistledown to read what she has to say and boy if Cressida didn’t take 3 seconds to call him out for his whining and jealousy of his wife. Because that is what it was, and he recoiled as if she bit him. And thus, jealous Colin reared his ugly head. Plot point made.

And then Cressida, just like she had shown his sister, showed Colin, that outside the Bridgerton drawing room, life sucks. Cressida was able to hit him where things hurt, because she doesn’t care about Colin, she’s not Pen looking at him like he hung the moon, to Cressida, he’s just another spoiled Bridgerton. So, he gets to learn that you don’t always have a loving family to support you and welcome you back from mistakes and responsibility you don’t want with open arms. Sometimes your life just sucks, and you get forced to marry an old ugly man who wants 4 kids from you.

And then she charged him double for all her trouble and sent him home with his tail between his legs. Plot point made.

Colin now ready to accept that he failed, that he should have listened to his wife, and it was time to do things differently, returned to his wife perhaps ready to listen a bit more.

And thus, we see, that Cress was not a main character, she was there to propel our leads forward, to get them where they needed to be, and sometimes, just sometimes, the villain has to be the villain.

I’m not saying she will always be that, they did a good job making you feel sympathy for her this season, but this just wasn’t her season for redemption yet. Maybe in the future, but it wasn’t for Season 3.

[qu33nb3337]

Eloise and Cressida, my thoughts.

I’ve seen quite a few posts about these two but nothing that really reflected my perspective, so here goes.

Cressida

I’m actually excited to dig into her character more, to this point she has been a two dimensional villain which I understand. As the audience we aren’t meant to like Cressida. In the books, the Bridgertons and Penelope dislike her due to her cutting remarks and slimy nature. She is a straight forward villain with no complexities to her character. However the show delves into the shades of grey around the characters and presents them all as flawed complicated beings which means this book narrative of Cressida doesn’t really fit within that. I’m excited to find out what lies beneath.

I also think this friendship will begin to introduce Benedict’s Sophie’s storyline as I think Sophie’s stepfamily will be the Cowpers. It will provide a link between the Bridgerton’s and Sophie and the show loves a link.

Eloise

I think Eloise has been behaving like a typical girl her age, she’s a teenager and as such she thinks the world revolves around her. Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Eloise’s character, she has some cracking lines and Claudia Jessie plays her brilliantly. However Eloise is very caught up in herself.

When it comes to her friendship with Penelope she assumes that Penelope wants what she wants, thinks what she thinks and doesn’t ever really consider that might not be true. Eloise is blind to their very differing social standing, very different family situations and dynamics and how that affects them. As we saw in season 1, Eloise didn’t believe Penelope would be interested in marriage because she herself is not interested in it. Eloise has a supportive family, who despite their bickering want happiness for each other. Penelope has a family that constantly mocks, belittles and dismisses her. Eloise can depend on her family, Penelope can not. The Bridgertons are able to weather a certain amount of scandal whereas the Featheringtons cannot. Which would mean, regardless of whether Penelope wanted an epic love story or not Eloise should have been aware enough of her friends situation to know that she likely would need to marry for economic reasons if nothing else.

I am not convinced that Eloise is aware of Penelope’s crush. The line from the trailer from Eloise to Colin about since when did he care about Penelope suggests that she may not. When I look back at the last two seasons there’s no evidence to suggest that she is aware. She wouldn’t have seen them dancing in either season. The first season she wasn’t at the balls because she wasn’t out yet and the second season, we only saw Colin and Pan dance once at the Featherington ball and Eloise would have been ransacking Pen’s room at the time. Whenever Colin and Pen are talking in season 2 Eloise would show up and whisk Pen away which could be indicative of how she views their conversations as trivial and unimportant. I don’t think she is aware that they have formed their own relationship separate to her. I think she will have assumed they converse because of her, she is the link and without her what would they have to talk about.

However Eloise questioning Colin in the trailer about whether Penelope is trying to make him her husband could be because she is aware of the crush but has chosen to ignore it? I don’t know. I am interested to see how they play it.

I think what I am getting at is that Eloise doesn’t really know Pen like Pen knows her. Their friendship isn’t equal, Pen is desperate to please Eloise as we saw in season 2 when she writes a whistledown article that reflects Eloise’s thoughts about womanhood. I think their falling out will have a big impact on Eloise and their journey to reconciliation will be key to her her developing into from a teenager to an adult. To Eloise realising that others thoughts and opinions are different to her own but just as valid, that not everyone is as they appear to be, that her life whether she likes it or not is changing. I think her relationships with her siblings will develop, she will hopefully begin to see that they are all carrying a burden and are all a little lost.

I am hopeful that her friendship with Cressida will start some of these things in motion. It must lead her to question what she thinks of people if she befriends a person she believed to be awful. I don’t think she has befriended her to spite Penelope. I think they bond over something and I think Eloise will see the complexities of Cressida’s character and really learn that friendship is just as complex which will lead her to reflect on what happened with Penelope.

That’s my two cents. I could be wrong. I often am. What do you think?

[rainybraindays]

Hi! Rainy here on her soapbox again!! Heres some things I've seen said about Eloise today

"Eloise be staying a terrible friend"

"Shes finally showng her true colors"

"This is the ultimate betrayal I don't care how mad she is I can't believe she'd do this to Penelope."

"Eloise was always a brat/bitch she deserves whatever happens to her for being friends with Cressida."

"If she was a true friend she wouldn't do this."

And lots more!

My thoughts on this? You all need to calm the fuck down oh my god.

Listen, I love Penelope, and I'm not exactly thrilled to see Eloise attaching herself to Cressida, but also you have to imagine being in her shoes.

You're 19 forced into a world and position you don't like, your reputation has been dragged through the mud, most of your acquaintances are no longer spaking to you, the first person you've had a crush on has basically said to never come around again, and you found out your best friend has been lying to you for years and using her anonymity to mock your family.

She gets to be hurt and upset. Penelope did betray her, and she may have been trying to do it to save her, but that doesn’t change that she did an it certainly doesn't change how she reacted when Eloise found her out.

We know from the live Cressida is the only person who was nice to her. Was it likely for a self serving reason? Does it likely have more to do with Eloises name than who she is as a person?

Maybe, but also, we really don't know Cressida beyond a surface level. I don’t know how to tell you his but characters can have more depth to them.

And even if she is, Eloise could also be in this friendship for self serving reasons as well.

Violet says it in Queen Charlotte, Eloise is lonely, and angry, and likely looking for a way to hurt Pen like shes been hurt. Cressida is excellent at helping her be less lonely and to also get back at someone who hurt her. In Eloises mind Cressida may be bad, but at least shes not pretending she isn't.

These girls are not done cooking, their brains are not fully developed, they are going to make impulsive, mean spirited decisions.

They shouldn't be crucified for them.

Marina lashes out at Pen for meddling, it's taken as evidence that shes actually this evil bitch. Eloise lashes out and makes friends with "the enemy?" She was never a true friend, and never actually cared about Penelope.

I love Penelope, I find her to be an interesting character with a lot of facets that can be played with, yet some how how this fandom keeps deciding she needs to always be in the victim role. Something she wouldn't agree with, seeing as sh seemingly hold some guilt about Marina, and immediately tried to run after Eloise. The things she does aren't full altruistic, to an extent they usually play in her favor. She knows shes in the wrong, why can't we as the audience accept that?

When Pen and El reunite, it shouldn't involve some huge redemption arc from Eloise for daring to befriend someone Penelope hates.

It should be genuine apologies, on both sides, because they've both said and done things to hurt each other.

Their friendship isn't going to be the same and I think thats okay honestly. They've both been self-centered in their friendship, niether really listened to each other, theres been secrets and fights that do change alter relationship. They have to rebuild, reassess and go from there.

[forasecondtherewedwon]

The Ladies Whistledown - final chapter

Pairing: Eloise x Penelope Rating: T Word Count: 3528

read on tumblr: one | two | three | four | five | six seven | eight | nine | ten | eleven | twelve | thirteen fourteen

Like a mythic sea monster, Lady Whistledown uncoiled herself from the depths and burst through the surface of the new social season. Her return was startling even while breathlessly anticipated. The ton was, as ever, beside itself with giddiness at the reminder that she had been watching all along, and had already formed predictions for certain gentlemen and young ladies that even the gentlemen and young ladies could not yet imagine would come to pass. Whistledown was their informant, their oracle, and, this year more than ever before, their protector.

This was Eloise and Penelope’s plan for the gossip sheet this season. As they had discussed for months, they would wield their power to specific effect, guiding and defending the women of the marriage mart. They would look out for their interests when their parents were uncaring or unable. They would expose the deceptions of gentlemen without remorse.

Marina now wore Colin’s ring as evidence of their betrothal. Through Penelope, Eloise had heard Prudence’s marriage to Dankworth was off to a happy start. Eloise was eager to do more good, to meddle in a positive way, but she knew there was still one woman to whom Whistledown had not brought satisfaction. It had never been a statement, not a public pledge, but Eloise felt bound to do right by Cressida Cowper regardless. She had not forgotten Cressida’s surprising candor at the Finch party late last summer. With her knowledge of Cressida’s fear, and hints, since their friendship began to develop, that Cressida’s parents were among those who would honour their own definition of an advantageous marriage without regard for their daughter’s preferences, Eloise was determined to intercede.

She spoke about it with Penelope. Pen was not overly fond of Cressida, had neither had the opportunity for greater closeness with Cressida nor sought it, but she was too good to refuse to help her. She would not make a special exclusion for petty reasons. No, it was more that she did what she did for Eloise. And Eloise saw that. So, it was terrible that Pen’s suggested solution made her laugh.

“What about Lord Debling?” was what Penelope said one afternoon, while they sat in the window seat within Featherington House.

“He is odd,” Eloise replied succinctly.

“As are we.”

Eloise glanced at her friend, her best friend, to make sure she had not bristled. Penelope did not seem to have taken offense at Eloise’s assessment. Good. Nor had Eloise taken offense at Pen’s rather accurate response.

“Yes,” she agreed. “Of course, Debling is not odd by our standards, Pen. If a fellow wishes to spend his time studying birds rather than the strutting human peacocks of the ton, he has both my blessing and my jealousy. Might he not be a little odd for Cressida, however?”

“He is single, he is rich,” Penelope enumerated, then paused. “What is it that she wants? What does she need to be happy?”

For a moment, Eloise admired Penelope’s earnest face, then she swallowed and thought back on the conversations she had had with their subject.

“The strangest things,” she said, wearing an ironic smile. “What Cressida wants from a marriage is to not be controlled, to be left alone as much as possible. In matrimony, she looks for freedom. In union, the possibility of herself and her husband leading two separate lives.”

“That is strange,” Pen agreed. How she smiled in return explained that Cressida’s needs were strange in the most understandable ways.

Eloise would not tell Penelope how Cressida’s mother dictated what she wore—Pen was already too familiar with such a practice—or how her father guarded Cressida’s time in such a way that it was nearly impossible for Cressida to sustain any friendship; all her time was meant to be devoted to catching a suitable husband. Eloise did not expect Cressida would wish this information to be shared, nor did she have the impulse to do so. Anyway, it was unnecessary to wheedle Penelope towards greater sympathy for Cressida when Pen was already so inclined. She had a powerful sense of fairness. This struck Eloise. To be sure, it had clearly waxed and waned over recent years, with the Society Papers as proof, but when Penelope was fair, her justice rang like a bell. None were unworthy.

“Odd, even,” Penelope went on. Her smile deepened to tease Eloise.

“Yes, alright, maybe Debling is odd in the right way,” she allowed. It should not be so much fun to lose an argument, but Pen had always been a gracious winner.

“Marrying someone so… unusual will affect Cressida’s reputation.”

“But I do not think she will mind,” Eloise offered. Thoughtfully, she chewed her thumb.

“It seems rather wonderful,” Penelope said abruptly, tilting her head dreamily against the glass. “Being too happy in one’s oddness to mind what anybody thinks.”

“A privilege, really.”

“Yes.”

“Not a bad way to live,” Eloise remarked, gazing at her friend.

Penelope smiled gently. “I do not think so.”

—

“Oh, Eloise,” Cressida had gushed. “It is so diverting! Emma Woodhouse is quite the best character I have ever read!”

Eloise had taken the novel Cressida offered and flipped to the first page, skeptical but curious. It was not that she distrusted Cressida’s taste, only that she doubted it was very much like her own. Would this Emma Woodhouse be as wonderful as Cressida promised, or insipid, predictable, caricaturish? To be polite, Eloise had gone away with the book.

She had read Emma in snatches ever since. Cressida was keen to discuss it when Eloise was finished, and Eloise quickly realized she would be before long. Her first had been absolutely correct: Emma Woodhouse was a most amusing character—not silly or dull, but flawed and proud and eager and loving. Eloise adored her. She had even stuffed the novel into her reticule and read on the way to church. The only thing about it that disappointed her was the impossibility of Emma falling in love with Harriet Smith. It seemed a shame; Harriet worshipped her so.

One day, midmorning, Colin surprised her in the drawing room while she was sprawled the length of the chaise, Emma propped on her stomach. Eloise was annoyed at the interruption; Jane and Frank had just made public their secret engagement! She closed the book with a loud sigh and sat up to make room for her brother.

“What’s that you’re reading?” he inquired as he sat.

“It is called Emma, by the authoress Jane Austen.”

“What’s it about?”

Eloise had not expected the question. She recalled the carriage ride to Aubrey Hall the year before, how Benedict had brokered peace amongst them by suggesting that Eloise might recommend some books for Colin’s travels. Apparently, her brother remained interested in what she read. It was… pleasant, she found. She appreciated his interest, and the open, earnest look in his eyes when he asked.

“It is a love story, unfortunately,” she said.

“Why is that unfortunate?”

“Well, it isn’t,” Eloise allowed thoughtfully, “for Emma. She is the protagonist. I suppose it is about a woman who is so busy matchmaking others that she misses her own perfect match right in front of her.”

“I wouldn’t have expected you to read a book about a woman who isn’t very bright, El,” Colin joked.

Eloise frowned.

“Emma is bright.”

“Then why does she not see this ‘perfect match’?”

“She has known the gentleman too long,” Eloise explained. “Their families are completely intertwined. She has always relied upon him, but never considered him. When they—”

“But you haven’t finished yet,” Colin cut in. His eyes were on her finger, tucked between the pages to mark her place.

“What of that?”

“Maybe Emma will marry someone else instead.”

Eloise scoffed. She shook her head and gave her brother a patronizing smile.

“No.”

“How can you be certain?”

“There can be no other,” was all Eloise could think to say. “No one else would be right.”

“Has Emma recognized that yet?”

“Sometimes it takes an outside observer,” Eloise bragged self-importantly.

“Indeed.”

And then—bafflingly and irritatingly—Colin began to laugh. Eloise stared at him.

“What on earth is the matter with you?” she demanded, unnerved.

“Forgive me, sister,” Colin said, still laughing.

“I certainly shall not until you explain yourself.”

Colin sighed out the end of his laughter and looked at her in a way that unnerved Eloise more still. It was far too knowing a look, and therefore did not belong on a face like Colin’s; he was hardly what she considered a shrewd observer. Perhaps that was ungenerous, but even he—she felt—could not possibly deny that his interest was more often turned inward. This was not a criticism, merely a fact. He thought much of himself, fixated on the man he was ever endeavoring to become. This had always seemed a safe trait for Eloise to tease him about. However, if Colin intended to redirect his self-examination, to look outward with the same ruthless sensitivity he employed on his self-reflections, Eloise was not certain she was prepared to be so studied.

Colin’s expression suggested whether or not she felt prepared was irrelevant.

“I wish to speak to you of something of a delicate nature.”

Not having the smallest idea what he meant, Eloise guessed, “Marina…?”

“Not Marina. No, I do not seek your advice on how to behave towards the woman I’m going to marry. Perhaps this makes me a hypocrite.”

“How so? Colin, I do not follow you.”

Colin shifted in his seat, twisting to better face Eloise.

“I’m going to tell you something—”

“Then just tell be already!” she burst out. “Stop telling me you are going to tell me, and saying you are going to speak to me. So far, you have said noth—”

“Are you in love with Pen?”

Her stream of words ran dry, and she was left gasping like a fish in the drained riverbed. In love with Pen. Eloise could not possibly own such a thing. She felt the blood drain from her face in horror, even while knowing her paling would make her more suspect. She knew she must answer in the negative. Swiftly. Deny it first, and then go back and find out what possessed Colin to ask the question.

Mutely, she shook her head.

Was there talk about the two of them? How? Eloise felt she had been so discrete with her feelings for her best friend that she had only recently recognized the full extent of them herself. How could another know? It defied logic. The only person who might have—

“Think hard, Eloise,” Colin bade her, too serious. “You will hurt her if you lie, and then you may not get another chance. What has happened for Marina and I is incredibly rare.”

“Pen,” Eloise forced out.

“Yes, Pen. Penelope Featherington. Your closest friend since childhood. There can be no other.” Colin had the gall to grin at Eloise as he spoke the words she had used to describe the inevitability of Emma Woodhouse and Mr. Knightley.

Eloise felt dizzy. She thought she might excuse herself to lie down in her bedchamber. If only there were even the faintest hope of Colin forgetting all this by the time she rose again. He could be so dreadfully persistent sometimes, and he had compared her and Penelope to himself and Marina. It could be that he felt his duty as a gentleman demanded he repay Penelope for encouraging him to court his first love a second time. If this were the explanation, Eloise had not a prayer of dissuading him from his purpose. A Bridgerton always honoured his debts—she had heard Anthony say so before. He was constantly imparting wisdom for his brothers to hear and his sisters to overhear (and sometimes roll their eyes at).

Before she could quip something clever at him, Colin was taking the novel from her limp hands and flapping it in front of her face as a fan. She realized she must have looked as if she might swoon.

“Did she… speak?” Eloise asked weakly.

“She did.”

“What did she say?”

Colin desisted with the book, though he still looked at her with concern in his eyes.

“I believe that is for Penelope to tell you.”

“But, Colin…” The dizziness had not left Eloise. She could barely believe she had been lying here reading about Emma Woodhouse and Frank Churchill and Box Hill not ten minutes prior. “How can you suggest it?”

“You and Penelope?” he asked, but she could see he had understood perfectly well. Her incredulity was natural; it was his nonchalance which was perverse.

She nodded anyway.

“You do nothing wrong,” Colin said gently.

Eloise’s nose felt hot and her eyes welled abruptly. She turned her face away, hearing her brother sigh.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” he said, and was gone.

Alone, Eloise felt as scattered as she had once seen Daphne’s bedchamber before a ball—glittering gowns and filmy organza gloves littered across every surface. Somewhere in the mess, Eloise was sure, were the pieces which were meant to go together, but she could not see them, or the whole they would make. She thought of running, from the room and the conversation, but something held her in place. Penelope. Colin wished to speak to her of Penelope. She wondered if it had been like this between her brothers when Anthony had decided on Kate. When it was serious, she supposed, there would be a conversation, a kind of dividing line between the days of courtship that could still be backed out of and the intention to marry. Though she could not marry Penelope, she was beginning to see Colin’s confrontation for what it was: a reckoning and a blessing.

When he returned, he brought Benedict. Eloise stared up at her brother helplessly. She was hunched forward, as though to protect the heart which beat so fiercely inside her. Now, Benedict sat next to her and Colin across from them, looking on.

“Eloise Bridgerton in love,” Benedict stated bluntly. “How the mighty have fallen.”

He looked as though he wanted to tweak her nose, so it was a testament to how thoroughly pathetic Eloise must have appeared that Benedict restrained himself from causing her any further indignity.

“You aren’t…” She glanced between her brothers. “…disgusted?”

“Oh, entirely,” Benedict joked brightly, “but only because you and I were meant to be single together forever, not because it’s Penelope. Of course it’s Penelope!”

He scrunched his face in exaggerated pity, as though this ought to have been obvious to Eloise as well. What was it that had set Colin laughing? Eloise’s speech about it taking an outside observer to recognize how well suited two people might be?

“Why are you so upset?” Benedict inquired kindly. Tears were wobbling in Eloise’s vision.

“It is because Eloise has always relied upon Penelope, but never considered her,” Colin broke in smugly.

Benedict turned to his brother with an expression of surprise. It was rather insulting, which was why it made Eloise smile even as she blinked her tears away.

“That is uncharacteristically sage of you, brother,” Benedict complimented.

Colin was too good-natured to be wounded, and happily gave credit where it was due: “They are Eloise’s words.”

“About someone else,” Eloise felt it necessary to clarify. “Characters in a book.”

“And yet…”

“Art imitates life,” Benedict supplied.

It felt to Eloise rather like being ganged up on, except they were both on her side. She was annoyed, but uncertain who should feel her wrath. To be not only understood but advised was alarming and confusing and maddening at once. How dare they tell her what to do! But how kind of them to take her as she was! Eloise could not place a value on the fact that her brothers were treating this no differently than she imagined they would have were it an eligible gentleman who had captured her heart. It was not only good or sweet to them, it was reasonable. And that was shocking. Why not Penelope, a person of Eloise’s long acquaintance? A young lady of high birth, from a family they knew well? It all made perfect sense! Except that they were both women! Eloise began to laugh. Embarrassingly, it sounded rather hysterical, but that was how she felt!

“What am I to do?” she demanded of her brothers, who watched her with a kind of amused panic.

“You haven’t compromised the girl, have you?” Colin whispered.

Eloise swatted his arm hard with her book.

“Then all you’ll need to do is tell her of your feelings,” he said.

Eloise looked desperately to Benedict for a different solution.

“You might be more ready than you think,” Benedict said.

No other options then, no other advice. Useless brothers!

“I can’t,” Eloise insisted.

“How come? Too much of a coward?” Benedict stuck out his lower lip and pouted mockingly at her.

Eloise leveled a threatening finger at him.

“Just you wait until it is your turn. When you fall in love, I shall not forget this.”

“By that day, which may never come,” Benedict said, “you and Penelope will be so awfully happy that you will not even think of revenge.”

“Well, I—”

“You are stalling,” Colin said. “You must speak to Penelope.”

“What do I say?” Eloise asked anxiously.

“You—”

Benedict leapt forward and clapped a hand over Colin’s mouth. Colin glared at him, but did not fight. Their treatment of one another had been long established.

“You do not listen to our brother,” Benedict said. “He may have travelled the continent, but he is still Colin. Use your own words. You have them.”

Eloise swallowed with difficulty. If she did have the right words, it might still be quite challenging to force them from her throat.

—

It was not the day of her brothers’ intervention that Eloise spoke to Penelope. It was a different day, and they were in the garden of Bridgerton House.

The wisteria was in bloom across the front of the house, and in the back, the lilac bushes had erupted with warm and cool shades of purple. A soft breeze helped the flowers scent the air. Eloise sat on one of the swings, Penelope on the other. They had been speaking about something… the birth… the baby, Victoria, who might someday be queen… but now they sat in silence. Eloise’s heart ached pleasantly as she looked at Penelope, and then Penelope turned her head and looked back.

It had always been Penelope who looked and Eloise who spoke, but that day, when Pen saw Eloise watching her, the words blossomed from her lips.

She had much to say. It was more than Eloise would have expected, had she expected that it would be Penelope who made the courageous first declaration of love. Pen was fearless. On the rope that hung the swing, Eloise’s hand trembled as she heard how much she was loved—how much she had been loved. She had seen Penelope write, ink staining her fingers as she put down her thoughts with such determination and passion. Still, Eloise had never anticipated hearing Penelope speak the way she wrote. She had not thought to be the story Penelope told, both plot and protagonist. Never had Eloise imagined she might be someone’s favourite character. How astounding to find out the life she had been living was a love story.

Eloise replied in fewer words, yet said as much—all that was needed for Penelope to grow teary and reach for her hands, and for Eloise to rise from her swing and trip to stand before Pen’s, and to cup her dear face, and to bow to her so their lips could meet.

The contact was shaky, and then sure as Penelope stood too, the both of them breathing hard and clinging fast. In those moments when Eloise held Penelope in a way she never had before, she decided no one would part them. They were forever joined in friendship, and business, and now this. She would share Penelope with no one—Pen was hers alone, and she Pen’s, and all as it should have been. They smiled at one another, and then Eloise pressed her lips to Penelope’s once more.

There would be so much ahead of them. Eloise’s family were out amongst the ton today, and she felt a curious heat as Penelope eagerly returned her kisses. The feeling made her want to take Pen by the hand right then and lead her inside, upstairs. But it was also enjoyable to be like this, in the May sunshine, below the blindingly blue sky. To tell Penelope again that she loved her. To see Pen’s eyes sparkle as she looked up and said, “And I you, El.”

“We will have to be careful,” Eloise cautioned, lovingly stroking Penelope’s cheek.

“There are those who will help us.”

“And if people talk?”

“It will only be gossip,” Pen said, wearing a smile so assured it provoked one of Eloise’s own, “and anyone who challenges us on that field will find themselves outmatched.”

[thekatebridgerton]

Eloise wasn't good friend for Penelope, but Pen was much worse , she BETRAYED El, she told it was for protection, but El wouldn't need a protection, if LW didn't piss off queen, Pen CHOSE to write about El, knowing that such information could totally destroy reputation. And i can't see how show give Pen a redemption arc, as I remember in book people applauded her, but in reality ton will be pissed off, Bridgerton will be pissed off. Pen was friend for their family, and i can't see how Anthony, Benedict or Violet can be ok with that. Pen is not feminist, she has a huge internalized misogyny, cause she CHOSE to put other women down in her gossip, two of them were destroyed because of her. Maybe Colin would leave his family for love, but I don't see how they will do that because that is not how this show works

Okay guys get ready for a mild dose of my tirades on why I like show Penelope and why I think she was right. And Eloise not so much. Right in the read more button

First of all lady Whistledown is totally okay with making men like Anthony and Nigel Berbroke miserable too. She's nothing if not consistent in her disdain for both genders. If feminism is to want equal rights for all, I think Lady Whistledown is a feminist because she does try to damage the reputation of people from both genders equally.

1) up until Lady Whistledown is revealed. The columnist could have been ANYONE, from Cressida Cowper to lady Danbury. And Eloise knew that.

And sorry if I can't agree with your take on the Peneloise feud anon. Because I don't think what Penelope did was as wrong as you painted it out out to be.

Simply on account that

Say we separate lady Whistledown from Penelope for a second. Just pretend Lady Whistledown is really Honoria Smythe-Smith and Penelope is exactly who she says she is. A wallflower and Eloise best friend.

2) Penelope lies to everyone, her keeping the LW secret, isn’t personal, or intended to be some sort of insult to her friendship to Eloise.

So, lets unpack this for a bit shall we?

Eloise didn't know who was watching her trapsize around the red light district of London wearing her family diamonds on her neck! And using the Bridgerton carriage. That's why the queen thought she was sus. I mean what kind of strange girl, leaves the queen's castle on the day of her brother's wedding…to go to the dirtiest part of London in her family's very richly decorated carriage and meet a printer assistant?

You know how many people in that venue saw Eloise pull that move? A LOT. One of them could have been Lady Whistledown. Heck all our fictional Honoria Smythe-Smith needed to do to get good gossip on Eloise was ask a well meaning servant why Eloise seemed so obsessed with Lady Whistledown and boom, there's gossip ripe for publishing.

So let's move on, in the scenario that Penelope ISN'T lady Whistledown, but rather she's just a concerned young lady who has just had her best friend trash her room, maybe Eloise finds Colin's letters in the process, or other things Penelope would rather just keep private. All in pursuit of a goal that is evidently damaging life choices. Eloise is still left with no lady Whistledown and one friendship ruined anyway.

How exactly could Penelope have protected Eloise from making obviously bad choices. Considering her friend has been telling her about her escapades that in Penelope's eyes have now escalated to the point Eloise has put her life and that of her family in danger, not just by going to a dangerous neighborhood alone and wearing clothes that flaunt her nobility. But also by attracting the attention of the Queen.

And #2

Honoria Smythe-Smith would feel sympathetic sure. But she'd have thrown Eloise under the bus with a worse scandal than just political radical talk to get properly recognized as a columnist of means.

If Eloise had been anybody else, Penelope wouldn't have bat an eyelash at insinuating she'd lost her virtue. Because that's what everyone else would have been saying behind Eloise back once the words 'used the family carriage to go to the commoner district ' and 'met up with a boy' escaped an indiscreet servant mouth.

I guess the reason I don't think Penelope was a bad friend is because her lie wasn't personal? Penelope as a rule is lying to everybody. Lady Whistledown identity is a universal commodity she keeps to herself. And it doesn't feel like a betrayal if she doesn't share this life changing secret with her best friend because like her crush on Colin, Penelope isn't planning on sharing it at all, with nobody period.

What she does and the danger she puts herself in, from all the people she's outed and treated badly. She takes metaphorical responsibility for it. Both the perks and the problems of her part time job as Lady Whistledown. Aren't for anybody else to poke at.

So maybe im biased in this, because while I do recognize that towards Marina and Daphne, Penelope's writing was terribly damaging and the plot did make her suffer through the death of her father and the leaving of Colin as karma. But When it comes to her fight with Eloise I'm team Penelope.

Penelope doesn't involve anyone else in the enemy making stuff she's doing. If the Queen catches her, she's going down on her own, maybe with the odd footmen or maid who helped her sneak out. But Eloise was putting her family crest out there. The Queen catching her would have spelled the death of the Viscounty.

On a scale of big. The consequences of Penelope's mistakes will come for her alone. But Eloise consequences would have come for her whole family. And that's something that Penelope very well knew!

Have you ever tried to stop a best friend from making a bad decision? You know how hard it is?. Short of publishing her version of cease and desist in Lady Whistledown, Eloise would have continued to be reckless.

But I’m not breaking down the reasons I think Penelope doesn't need a redemption arc, that’s a conversation for another day

And lastly I reserve my opinion on the subject of Penelope’s redeption arc, because I honestly don’t think she needs one.

Realistically, the consequences for her being LW wouldn’t be that big, I mean yes she did take a shot at the queen to her face, but when it comes to the Bridgertons and the subject of forgiveness, they all like Penelope enough to hear her reasons out before outright getting as furious as people seem to think they will be.

And that’s the tea