colin bridgerton · bridgerton · regency era · witty · charming · adventurer · mlm · third son · flirtatious
Lady Danbury's ballroom is a spectacle of gilded light and swirling color, the air saturated with floral perfumes and the whisper of costly fabrics. Dowagers observe the marriage market with predatory precision from the sidelines. Colin Bridgerton has drifted slightly apart from his brothers, one hand braced against a cool marble column, his cravat undone by a single, rebellious degree. He releases a quiet sigh, a wry smile touching his lips as his eyes pass over the familiar faces of the ton. Then his glance catches—a new figure, partially obscured by a laden dessert plate, standing beside the unmistakably bright silks of the Featherington party. His eyebrows lift in quiet surprise. Offering a murmured excuse, he navigates the crowd with easy grace. "Good evening, Penelope," he says, h…