#penelope x lord debling

[ispridestillasin]

So I decided to watch a bit of Bridgerton with my mother, which I'm not really interested in (I don't really like period pieces unless it's a fanfic for a ship I like) but it's a show she enjoys so I sometimes catch her watching it and join her, and literally the only takeaway from the stuff I've seen with her is that Colin, Lord Debling, and Penelope should have all been poly

[kvtnisseverdeen]

what if i start shipping penelope and lord debling? then what

[welldonebeca]

Correspondência (7) - 9th of December 1815 (1/2)

9th of December, 1815 My dear husband, I’ve arrived at the Featherington estate early yesterday and everything is well. My mama has welcomed me

Penelope stared at the paper in front of her, hesitating as she pulled her quill away.

Well, how had Mama welcomed her?

She was still upset, nearly outraged, at Penelope’s secret about the baby, but it wasn’t for a lack of reason. Penelope had hidden a whole 6-month pregnancy from her!

It was for a good reason, though. Was Mama so unaware of herself that she didn’t understand why Penelope hid away for so long? Didn’t she realise how unhappy she was with the way she was treated?

She raised her head quickly at the sound of steps, straightening her back, her Whistledown instincts still as sharp in Winter as they were in London, but there was nothing to hide as she sat at her desk and waited for the knock on her door that didn’t come – the door just opened.

Prudence and Philippa elbowed each other as they entered her bedroom, looking as round as Penelope herself felt.

“It is true, then!” Prudence exclaimed. “You’re expecting.”

“I thought Mama just didn’t understand that you got fatter,” Philippa frowned.

They were looking at Penelope like she was a circus animal, wide-eyed and shocked.

“I am,” she agreed. “I’m expecting.”

“And you didn’t tell us!” Philippa exclaimed, even more confused. “You were all alone in that big house. You could have stayed with us here!”

Penelope raised her eyebrows. They’d stayed with Mama the whole time?

“I had much to do,” she defended her choice. “Lord Debling left me with many duties.”

Did she even need to defend herself? Her sisters cared very little about her; she was sure they enjoyed her absence much more than they would ever feel it negatively.

“All alone?” Prudence exclaimed.

“I enjoy being alone,” Penelope shrugged.

“Well, are you sure you wouldn’t rather be with family?” Philippa exclaimed, smiling.

Philippa was… not bright. It honestly seemed liberating to be so calm-minded and unaware. It certainly looked like it made life very easy.

“Mama said you were avoiding us,” Prudence said suddenly. “But that doesn’t make sense, because why would you want to avoid us?”

Philippa frowned more, and Prudence turned to look at her while Penelope watched them both. They truly didn’t know, did they? It had never even crossed their minds how much their actions hurt her!

“That’s silly,” her middle sister chuckled. “She just said it herself. Lord Debling left her with too much work to do.”

“Indeed,” Penelope agreed, resting her quill. “And there’s still much to do. We’re renovating the nursery as we speak, and I have many tenants to care for now, at our county.”

Prudence made a face, looking entirely unimpressed and amused.

“I can’t imagine being left with so much work and not seeing my husband for three years,” she affirmed. “Mr Dankworth is… not…”

She hesitated to find her words.

“Unpleasant,” she spat out. “I would certainly feel his absence.”

Penelope raised her eyebrows.

Well, that was new.

“I’m sure he would feel yours as well,” she confirmed.

As Penelope herself felt Albert’s absence.

The thought soured her tongue.

“I would die if I had to spend so much time away from my Albion,” Philippa affirmed. “I miss him dearly when I spend even two days away from him.”

In truth, Penelope avoided thinking of how long Alfred was going to spend away. The mere thought of those three years brought tears to her eyes that she found increasingly harder to blink away the more pregnant she became.

She turned away from her sisters, feeling her lips trembling and her vision blurring.

Expecting women were sensitive, all the books said it

It didn’t mean much more than that. Alfred was a good companion.

She blinked her tears away forcefully, focused on the widow, trying to find something that would break the silence and the tension around them, but her attention was completely taken by the familiar carriages at the door.

“Mail has arrived,” she realised.

Alfred must have sent her something.

“Excuse me,” she mumbled.

Penelope stood up, storing her letter away and rushing out of her bedroom. She barely got a glimpse of her sisters doing the same before she rested her hand on the rail of the stairs, trying to balance herself as she moved down and Mama’s servant came to the door to gather the letters.

Penelope reached the bottom of the stairs just as the servant was sorting through the mail, and she held her breath for a moment.

“Anything for me, please?”

The servant looked down at her and nodded politely, handing her a pair of envelopes, and Penelope took it, her heart racing as she climbed right back to her room, not even caring that the effort of the stairs was making her heave now.

She barely looked at anyone as she shut herself in her room again, sitting on her bed and ripping her husband’s seal to reach his message.

1st of October, 1815 Dear wife, I was overjoyed to receive your letter and to hear that you are well. It brings me great comfort to know that our estate is thriving under your care, even if the peach trees are still your nemesis. I do hope your aversion to their scent has passed by now, as I suppose you’ll be much further along when you receive this letter. New York has been an intriguing experience. The city is so full energy, and I feel like I’m just getting used to the harbour, and it is a constant hive of activity. I have met up with the crew for our Arctic excursion, and I must say, they are a hearty and enthusiastic lot, much more than I expected. Captain Roberts, our leader, is a seasoned explorer. His stories of previous voyages are very inspiring and daunting. He speaks of icebergs as tall as cathedrals and the eerie silence of the frozen seas with much familiarity.  The preparations for our journey are extensive. We have been provisioning our carriages with supplies that will sustain us through the harsh conditions we expect to face. The local merchants have been very accommodating, and I have taken great care to select the finest items to ensure the crew's well-being. We’re storing things carefully so we can carry as many supplies as possible to the Labrador Coast – merchants are scarce there, and deliveries take much too long to arrive. I am very eager for the adventure ahead, but I must admit, a part longs to be back home with you. Your mention of Sally the Chicken made me smile. I can picture her strutting about the yard, it is a very nice place for a chicken to live. Thank you for looking after our tenants. Your dedication to them speaks volumes of your character, and I am proud to call you my wife. Please take care of yourself and know that you are always in my thoughts. I miss you. Your Ob Husband, Alfred Debling.

Penelope took her hand to her throat, sniffing as she tried hard to control her emotions and the knot in him, but her pain was hard to keep from breaking through her.

It must have been her sisters’ fault, truly. They made her think of his absence, of how long he would be away.

I am proud to call you my wife. I miss you.

She sobbed suddenly, reaching for her pillow to quiet her sounds down, and her child kicked her right away, alerting her that no, her sobs weren’t hidden from her baby even if she was trying to keep it all to herself.

Why would he say such a thing? She was just doing her work and nothing to be any thoughtful of. It was what they had agreed upon, the exact reason why Penelope always measured herself on her own letters

Her hands trembled as she clutched the letter, unable to look at the second one for a moment.

What good did it do to speak of such feelings now, when there was nothing she could do about it and nothing he was willing to change? What good would it do for either of them to dwell on such matters at this point?

A knock came at the door, jolting her from her spiralling thoughts. She forced herself to pull her mind out of the despair, taking a deep breath with one hand over her throat and the other gently resting on her belly as her baby kicked against her.

“Yes?” Penelope managed to squeak out.

“A parcel, ma’am,” Mrs Selby announced. “From Lord Debling.”

. . .

Starting this August, "Correspondência" is getting Early Access on my Patreon. To read up to chapter 14 now, and up to chapter 16 by the end of the month, consider subscribing! It's just $2 a month and I promise you won't regret it!

[imthefailedartist]

Penelope is finally out of new baby yellow and neon pink and looking like a woman and not an adult baby. I could cry.

I'm having the same problem this season as I had last season: Too much of everyone else, not enough of the seasons couple. And I say that liking the side plots this season (minus Simon's friends. Why are they here? I say with love I like them, but they have no connection to anyone)

Why not include more of Colin's writing. A tit for tat deal. Penelope helps him with his writing. He helps her land a husband. Bam! That's how you get them in the same room together more often.

It helps for the reveal later that Penelope is Whistledown. He might not feel so blindsided if he has intimate knowledge of her passion for writing.

If you gon change the plot, change the plot.

Pen asks for the kiss. They kiss. Colin is sprung but still has to help her while pretending he's not sprung.

Let them wax poetic about their friendship, but have Colin recontextualize it. Realize what he's been missing about her.

I was also expecting a Cyrano plot. He tells her something to say to Lord Debling, but he's really saying it himself to her.

Penelope is getting serious about Lord Debling, thinking there's nothing with Colin. Let Debling see Colin yearning for Pen, and he yields courting her. Then ba bam, Colin hits her with the truth ➡️ Carriage scene.

Also, I was expecting more wallflower hijinks. The season opens with Whistledown talking up the wallflower girls. I would've thought we'd have more of Penelope helping her overlooked sistren get noticed or hitched.

Have people forgotten how to do romance hijinks?

Daphne and Simon, as proof of concept, got to play out every trope in the romance lexicon. Let the others. I think the show runners are too focused on making it a show and are forgetting that it's a ROMANCE first.

Also, I would have loved if this season opened with him falling off the horse. We had a dream sequence, give us a flashback.

I knew they would focus too much on Franchesca when they recast her. I wish she'd have had her season off camera, and this takes place immediately after her marriage, as she's whisked off to her honeymoon in the off-season. Fewer balls & parties means Pen and Colin get to marriage plot and edit more often.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but bring back Daphne. She is the perfect Violet surrogate. She's a grade-A meddler and their older, happily married sister. They will talk to her faster than they'll talk to Violet. Imagine her spotting Colin staring at Penelope through the window.

That said, I still enjoyed it and will watch again and again. Nothing is perfect, I never expect perfection.

Dear god, I can't wait to see Prudence and Phillipa pregnant together. They are going to drive Portia to the mad house.

His fingers. I can't. Colin!

Also, I want Violet to have a hot girl spring. She did marriage. This is about lust. I'm not saying she's bussin it wide open for everybody, but a gentleman caller or two sneaking out the Bridgerton estate would be nice. Even that footman. But I do think it's funny that she's lusting after Lady Danbury's brother. A real "you fuck my dad. I fuck your brother" situation.

[bellarke-is-my-death-wave]

Shout out to Lord Debling

You may not have been the one for Penelope, but you were brave enough to stand up and say “that Bridgerton fellow seems mad hot for you, you should look into that”.

[turesti]

Colin’s flirting strategy with the ton if Penelope said yes to Debling

[bridgertonallday]

I actually liked Lord Debling.

[via X]

[incorrect-bridgerton-family]

Colin: I don’t get jealous.

Lord Debling to Penelope: Hello.

Colin:

Colin: Who the fuck is that!?

[abitcaughtinthemiddle]

I mean, he’s not wrong

[whistledownbad]

In a world where you can be anything, be an attention whore.

[seeleybooth]

[welldonebeca]

Correspondência (6) - 8th of December 1815

8th of December, 1815

Penelope exhaled in a long breath when her eyes caught sight of her family country estate, feeling her hands cold for reasons that weren’t even Winter.

There she was, home sweet home.

The journey had taken four days, partially because of the distance from Debling Estate but also because of her condition. The carriage rides she once found manageable were now the worst thing she could have ever felt in her life.

Now there was a little human in her belly that felt very heavy and made her feel quite uncomfortable. They had to stop at three different inns along the way to allow her a moment of respite, and by now, when they were finally near Featherington State, Penelope’s back ached, and she was undeniably tired.

She was flooded with relief and anxiety as the carriage rolled to a stop. That was her old home, the place where she had grown up and was filled with memories, good and bad.

It was also where Mama was waiting for her with Philippa and Prudence, and where she would spend the next month with the three of them - and their pairs.

Penelope breathed in and out, trying to at least appear decent and not as nervous.

She stepped down, met by the crisp Winter air, and was grateful for Rae’s kind reminder of wearing her new boots for this – the floor was covered in snow now.

“Lady Debling,” she heard.

She raised her head, and Mrs Selby was coming right out to meet her before Varley could even step out through the door.

“Mrs Selby,” she breathed out, relaxing.

Mrs Selby had been in a different carriage from hers and had taken the usual time to get there – which was good, cause it meant most of her things were settled and she probably had a room ready to rest.

“I was so worried, ma’am,” her governess curtsied to her quickly.

“Well, someone wasn’t keen on travelling and made it everyone’s problem,” she joked, adjusting her coat.

It hid her well enough – no onlooker would guess her state when wearing it.

“Do you want me to run you a warm bath?” she offered.

Penelope softened.

Oh, she was always the sweetest, wasn’t she?

“Please,” she told her.

“I’ll have a hot meal ready for you when you are done,” her governess affirmed, squeezing her hand.

“Did you rest well?” Penelope asked back. “Did you settle you in well?”

Mrs Selby’s cheeks flushed pink.

“I have nothing to complain about,” she affirmed emphatically. “The staff here is the most respectful. Lady Feathering did ask me some questions, but I assured her you were well and on your way.”

Penelope nodded, still a bit nervous.

“Thank you.”

Varley appeared at the door again just as Penelope started climbing the stairs, and Mrs Selby didn’t let go of her hand.

“Careful, ma’am,” she spoke gently. “I should have had someone clean those steps before you came.”

“It’s fine,” Penelope assured her. “I’m not that heavy, Mrs Selby.”

She scoffed.

“You’re still in a delicate condition,” she chastised her. “I must make sure you’re safe and cared for while Lord Debling is away. It’s my duty.”

Penelope wanted to correct her, but it was quite a nice feeling, having someone worry so much about her.

They reached the door together, and she was taking off her gloves when Mama finally arrived at the foyer.

“Penelope,” her mother exhaled, clenching her hands together, looking at her with soft eyes and a very tense smile. “I’m so glad to see you.”

Penelope tried not to look too tense as she smiled back.

“Hello, Mama,” she breathed out, squeezing her coat in her hands.

Her mother stepped up, and Penelope instinctively took a step back, earning a confused frown from her.

“Let me get your coat, ma’am,” Mrs Selby helped her.

Penelope looked down at herself. Well. That was it, wasn’t it?

As the coat slid off her shoulders, Mama’s eyes slowly travelled down to her body, the realisation dawning with an almost palpable weight. Her hands fell to her sides, and her lips turned down in a sad frown.

“Penelope,” she exhaled.

“Mama.”

Her mother’s gaze lingered on her body, her head shaking as if to dispel disbelief.

“You are… you’re expecting,” she said, bringing a hand to her lips. “How long have you been like this?”

“6 months,” she mumbled. “As of now.”

There was a long moment of staring and quiet as her mother seemed to process it.

“So when we last saw one another...” Mama realised. “And you didn’t tell me?”

Penelope swallowed down, unable to meet her eyes.

“I was going through enough on my own. The estate is very important to manage. I was under enough pressure without… you.”

“Without me?!” she echoed.

Penelope’s eyes filled with tears she couldn’t control. As if her mother didn’t know? As if she hadn’t been so terribly overbearing when she was being courted by Lord Debling, when she was about to marry him!

“The one time we saw one another in the last seven months had you spending every minute away from Lord Debling reminding me of my duty to bear an heir,” she defended herself.

“And you think I wouldn’t be happy to know you’re carrying a child?!”

“Happy? Yes!” Penelope confirmed, staring at her mother, feeling her throat knot up. “And then I would have spent every month since then hearing and reading about how much I need to have a boy and how I will be damned if anything happens to my husband and I’m left with a daughter!”

“Is that what you think of me?” she asked in the softest of voices. “That I would hear such wonderful news and would be so insensitive and vile that I was going to be pressuring you for something you can hardly control?”

Penelope looked away, the bitterness in her throat making her speak before her mind could stop her.

“You’ve been insensitive and vile plenty.”

Her mother’s face fell, and she shook her head, closing her eyes.

“What do you want me to say to you, now?” she asked, her voice full of shock. “After you... you words? You are my baby, Penelope! My last baby.”

Penelope sighed. That was her justification, then? She saw her as a baby.

“Yes, I was so content in knowing I would get to keep you forever!” her mother insisted. “I would have you by my side for the rest of our lives. How can you blame me for it? And then you found someone who’ll keep you secure, but I thought I would get to keep you for at least another three years before your husband was back and stole you from me.”

“Mama—”

“But he didn’t steal you, did he?” her mother interrupted, her face wet with tears. “You flew away the moment you had a chance. I know I might not have been the kindest, but… over half a year without hearing from you? Without a moment by your side. You refused our invitations, you refused to invite us, and now I learn you’ve done it to keep such wonderful news from me?”

“I was protecting myself,” Penelope defended herself.

Her mother’s lip trembled as she pressed them together, looking away.

“Would you ice me out for a year then? Not even tell me of my grandchild?” she asked.

Penelope lowered her eyes, blinking her tears away.

“I’m here now,” she said, swallowing down the lump in her throat.

Her mother took a shaky breath, wiping her eyes and looking at her face, smiling sadly.

“If he is a boy, we celebrate,” she affirmed. “Lord Debling has a son, he has someone to carry his name.”

Penelope looked away, but she wasn’t finished.

“If she is a girl, then we celebrate even more”

She turned to her mother, surprised and confused.

“A boy is his son, but a girl is your daughter,” she affirmed sadly. “She is always going to be your baby.”

Penelope breathed out, and Mama’s hand twitched for a moment, and she could see her reaching for her for the briefest of seconds before pulling back, and she looked away.

“Your governess has prepared your room for you,” she spoke suddenly. “You should go up and rest. The travel mustn’t have been comfortable in your state.”

Penelope nodded, feeling a mix of relief and lingering tension.

“Thank you, Mama.”

Mrs Selby cleared her throat, and Penelope turned to look at her.

“Come, ma’am,” she called. “Let’s get you settled.”

As they made their way up, Penelope glanced back at her mother, who just stood there, watching her with an unreadable face.

She was just half-way up the stairs when Mama walked off.

“I spoke to Mrs Varley and your bath is coming up already,” Mrs Selby told her, clearly trying to light up the subject. “I made sure to tell them not to heat up the water too much, but they are experienced with Mrs Finch and Mrs Dankworth’s baths.”

Penelope nodded quietly.

“Thank you, Mrs Selby.”

They got into her bedroom, and everything looked just like it always was, which was quite comforting, to be fair.

“Forgive me for the room, ma’am,” her governess spoke, sounding displeased. “I did ask them if they had a bigger room, but since Lord Debling hasn’t come with you, it is believed you will not need much more space than you did previous.”

Penelope smiled softly to her, squeezing her hand.

“I like my old room, Mrs Selby, don’t worry,” she assured her. “Can you help me undress for my bath? I need to get out of these heavy clothes.”

“Of course,” Mrs Selby agreed. “Let me close the door properly.”

. . .

Starting this August, "Correspondência" is getting Early Access on my Patreon. To read up to chapter 12 now, and up to chapter 16 by the end of the month, consider subscribing! It's just $2 a month and I promise you won't regret it!

[polinated]

colin, watching penelope and debling court and get along, knowing very well he willingly helped design this match:

[hiyyihrts]

They really had us fooled with these promos acting like Debling was almost a romantic of a man going to stop at nothing to pursue Penelope but he really wasn’t meant for Pen bc that man folded at the mere sight of another person pursuing Penelope and showing interest in her. Colin comes barging in one (1) singular time and Debling was like “alright bitch you can have her damn 😭”

[dailybridgerton]

BRIDGERTON — S3E4: Old Friends

[greeneyessmize]

Debling is not a bad man. He is not a "bad" option. He's forthright, shows attraction to Pen, has interest in her intelligence, and has a sense of humor that compliments her own. Yes, he also has oodles of money and a title.

But, he isn't giving her even the slightest promise to try for love. He's going to be gone 3 years at a time. And Penelope is the richest woman in London, per the books and likely the show as well.

These last three things mean he is also not a good option for Penelope.

She wants love. She is very clear with him about this, both when they discuss romance books and in their final dance. His replies are that he is happy she has a passion for her reading and then that she is beautiful.

While Pen says she values her privacy, what she actually values is her independence. Privacy allows you to keep a secret. Independence allows you to openly be yourself.

Pen. Does. Not. Need. Money. She needs an escape from her overbearing mother and petty sisters. She is choosing to marry in society so that she can still participate in it, and thus continue LW, but she has more than enough money to leave England entirely should she wish.

Colin is entirely in step with Pen as soon as he understands that he loves her. They were already best friends with all the humor, warmth, and affection that comes with that bond. He adores that she is so smart and witty. He is seriously so very attracted to her as evidenced by him going feral not long after their kiss.

He's not going to leave her behind. Even book Colin is very clear, Penelope is his home. And he will not be parted from her willingly. They would travel together, never apart.

He has money of his own, but no title. Penelope doesn't need either of those things as mentioned above. But he is a part of society, which is a nice bonus for her LW work.

Colin loves Penelope with all of his heart and soul. He gave it to her on a platter without her even needing to ask. He just had to know he loved her to give her all of him.

I think it's inevitable that Penelope will have independence to be herself with Colin, too. It's their destiny. Will it be a struggle? Yes. Will it hurt? Undoubtedly. But Colin and Pen are meant to be equals. That is what friends to lovers has to contain. Friends to lovers is balance, harmony, a dance.

Picking between Debling and Colin is like picking between a beautiful maze like mansion with too many rooms where sighs echo off of gorgeous furnishings but is so, so empty and cold and the small cottage that fits just right and is filled with cozy warm fuzzy feelings with a blooming garden outside and an always warm hearth and a sweet little sofa with your favorite comfy blanket and it is always Sunday morning with no chores to do.

Even if Penelope had been presented both options side by side, which she wasn't, she always would have picked Colin. Pen was only picking Debling when she felt to her very bones that Colin was not an option. Then Debling removed himself as an option which made Penelope believe she had no options at all until the carriage scene.

To Pen her choices were: haunted maze mansion or nothing then cottage of her dreams or nothing. Of course she was going to reluctantly accept the mansion over nothing and of course she was going to leap at her dream cottage as soon as she knew it existed.