I loved watching how the “neighbor boy,” Portia Featherington assumed was a typical rakish gentleman, out of reach and unrealistic for Penelope to like:
Declared his love for her daughter assuredly, fervently and loudly to make sure nobody dared question that he wanted to marry her.
Discovered Penelope was Lady Whistledown (after he himself said no one would ever marry LW because she would bring ruin on her family) but not only did he not end the engagement despite being upset with Penelope about it, he married her anyway and his vows were undeniably heartfelt and sincere, he gave her a wedding ring which was not necessary or common practice at the time apparently (Daphne just got the one ring from Simon), and he danced with her in broad daylight at their wedding breakfast (rather romantically).
He was immediately furious the second he heard that someone would dare blackmail his wife, and not only would he not stand for it, he immediately acted (however misguidedly he did so) intending to protect Penelope and when the situation escalated, he was willing to lie to his family and pay a fortune to keep her safe.
When Penelope offered him an annulment to free himself of association with Lady Whistledown, he insisted he was lucky just to be with her because he loved her.
Then Colin danced with Penelope, clearly sending the message to the ton that he loved and supported his wife. Lady Whistledown did not trap him nor would he be turning his back on her. This was our first glimpse of Colin “My Wife” Bridgerton.
Colin gave Penelope a son, and the Featherington estate the heir they so desperately needed, and Colin will no doubt raise her grandson to be a man of honor, elevating the formerly mocked and disrespected Featherington family to a level of respectability on par with the Bridgertons.
I’m falling asleep. But when I’m not I need to come back to this scene and the intimacy of it. There’s a lot a lot a lot happening. But it’s so subtle.
And I mean Colin is still smug and hazy in his afterglow - he’s all : hey I just got to fuck my favorite person in the whole world and I get to marry her and spend my life with her and we get to fuck again and hey remember last time we were in a carriage…
But Pen - she’s somewhere else. She’s still in disbelief. Is this really happening? Did that just happen? But that caress? That holding of his arm? It’s everything. Kisses and sex are one thing. But that casual intimacy? That ability to be able to show and express your love in such a small way? The fact that she gets to be connected to him and is allowed to be and he wants her to be and this simple touch is a reminder of all of that?? On top of everything that has happened to her in the past 24 hours? No wonder the girl is overwhelmed.
It’s such a beautiful moment and I love it so much.
“I simply cannot believe that a woman with such bravery loves me. How lucky I am to stand by your side and soak up even a little bit of your light. If my only purpose in life is to love a woman as great as you, then I will be a very fulfilled man indeed.”
