#my writing bunny is baaaaaaaaack

[klarolijahs]

The Return of Lawrence Faraday

Hey folks! So this is an addition of sorts to my existing Five Kisses series. I have a lot of missing scenes and follow up story ideas and will be adding them here!

“Why does Colin look like he’s swallowed something vile?” 

Anthony brow furrowed as he looked around the crowded ballroom to spot their younger brother, but in the swarm of similarly dressed gentlemen he chose to instead look for a young woman with fiery red hair, quite certain that Colin would be somewhere right next to her. And as expected, he spotted his future sister-in-law at the far corner of the ballroom, dressed in what his wife would call a forest green dress - Anthony couldn’t tell the difference between green and forest green to save his life - with a scowling Colin standing close to her. 

A little too close to her. Anthony groaned, leave it to his siblings to never mind the rules of propriety and show a modicum of restraint. Colin stood behind Penelope, his one hand a little too low on her hip and his front almost pressed to her back as he glared at the gentleman facing them. Anthony didn’t even want to think of where his other hand was. 

“They’re betrothed.” Benedict said warningly, noting the vein that popped up in Anthony’s forehead. He wasn’t surprised Benedict didn’t give a jot about propriety - he had been thoroughly amused that their younger brother had debauched Penelope Featherington in Anthony’s study. On his table. And they weren’t even engaged then! No matter how often and how loudly Colin insisted he hadn’t comprised her virtue, Anthony couldn’t enter his own study without first shivering in revulsion. 

“Nevertheless,” Anthony murmured, tilting his head as he realized that Benedict was right. It had happened rarely, but here it was - Benedict was quite right. Colin did look like he had swallowed something vile. 

And he also looked like he wanted to murder the gentleman in front of him. 

“Who in the world is that man?” Anthony asked. 

“Isn’t that Lawrence Faraday?”

Colin had never thought himself capable of violence. For as long as he could remember he’d never felt anything akin to rage, or even anger. Finding out about Lady Whistledown and Penelope’s subsequent disregard for her own reputation and safety had been the only time in his life Colin had felt slightly angered. Not at her work or achievements but at how lightly she took her own safety and security. Even that had quickly disappeared once she assured him she planned to bring the legendary column to a close and quickly distracted him with her nimble fingers. 

But this, this, Colin could not bear so easily. 

Lawrence Faraday was back - smiling with that lopsided, mischievous smile that had mothers hiding their debutante daughters and wives swooning. And more importantly, pretending that Colin seemingly didn’t exist. 

“You look lovely Penelope.” Colin controlled the urge to scowl and instead placed himself quite strongly behind his bride to be. Penelope - her given name like they knew each other beyond one miniscule interaction. Like they were even passing acquaintances. 

Like his wonderful, beautiful wife to be hadn’t first asked this maddening future duke to kiss her. 

Read the rest on AO3.