𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

"𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇𝒊𝒔𝒉."

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐘 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐓 and leave her dead and bloody on her bedroom floor, Eloise rushed about, throwing the last of Lady Whistledown's newsletters onto her bed with a sound of frustration.

While she was absolutely terrified that the Queen had a fate worse than death waiting for her, Eloise couldn't help but worry about Maria as well. Surely they had gone to that printing shop and questioned her thoroughly, and with her brother's illness on her hands as well, she just wanted to make sure the girl was quite alright.

Though, right now, she was out of ideas, which was rare for her, quite rare, and she fell backwards onto the pile of paper on her bed, putting her face into her hands.

With her eyes now covered, she did not see Penelope Featherington skip into the room, feeling quite pleasant. Her eyes widened at the sight of so many Lady Whistledown letters and she was quite impressed if anything.

"You saved them all?" Penelope asked, frightening Eloise out of her panic.

The brown-haired girl clutched at her chest with shock and sighed in relief, glad it had been Pen who had walked in and not one of her brothers or sisters, or worse her doting mother.

Pen picked up one of the letters and let out an air of humor. "You must have, what, every issue ever printed."

"Double that," Eloise corrected, feeling breathless. "There are two copies here of every one."

The Bridgerton sat herself upright, while Penelope stared at her, baffled. "Eloise, why ever--"

"The Queen thinks it is me," the girl announced, making Pen fall silent. "That I am Lady Whistledown."

"Are you being humorous?"

Eloise got up from her bed, looking to her friend with a terrified look. "She has given me three days to confess. She is threatening my family, Pen."

The Featherington only watched as the girl rushed around the other side of her bed and started to gather up all the newsletters in her arms. "I should get rid of these. If the Queen discovers I have all of these, it will only make me appear that much more guilty."

"But you are not guilty," Penelope stopped her, both of them sitting down on the side of the bed. "El, this is a terrible mistake. We will somehow arrange to see Her Majesty. We must implore her to listen to reason."

"Oh, yes, because Her Majesty has always been so reasonable," Eloise said bitterly.

"But why would the Queen think it is you?" the red-head asked, making Eloise let out a small, nervous sigh. "Yes, you are outspoken and opinionated and--"

"One of her footmen saw me visiting with Maria."

Their eyes met and Penelope felt herself curse Eloise in her mind. In reality, she merely scoffed and the other girl didn't blame her for it.

"I know. I should have listened to you," the Bridgerton confessed, though she never regretted a single moment she had spent with Maria, just the consquences of those actions. "I was selfish, and now I may have even put Maria into harm's way too."

She got up from her bed, leaving Penelope to panic herself.

"The Queen must think she has something to do with Whistledown," Eloise worried.

Penelope got up from the bed as well, lying through her teeth with as much guilt as always. "But she does not, and neither do you. El, this is madness."

"I should warn her," Eloise thought aloud, wanting only to see the girl's face one last time.

"No. No, you should not," Penelope disagreed. "You should stay as far away from Maria and that print shop as you can. You should wait for Lady Whistledown to print her next issue. Then, with any luck, you can use that in order to prove your innocence. And help Maria at the same time."

Hearing the idea involving keeping Maria out of harm's way, Eloise had to immediately agree. It was the only option she had, so Penelope was right, she would do something she had never done before in her life. Be patient and wait.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Penelope hurried down the dark streets of the other side of town, her cloak hood covering her face from any a view and she turned a corner into the print shop's courtyard.

She had reached it just in time after meeting with Madame Delacroix, and found Maria just putting away some loads of printing, though the girl looked tired and her clothes dirty and ripped.

"Miss Sharpe," Penelope called from behind her usual crates and she watched the other girl wince as she turned to her.

Immediately, Maria rushed over, needing to know of Eloise. She had been questioned by the Queen's guards, not haven given up a word, but that had not been to Her Majesty's liking.

"Penelope!" Maria whispered and ducked behind the crates with her.

"Maria, what has happened? Are you okay?" Penelope asked, her eyes roaming to the bruise that shone on the cheek of the girl.

"The Queen and her guards came through this morning," Maria said, eyes downcast as she remembered the painful events. "They didn't like my answers and decided to get violent."

"Oh, Maria. I am so sorry."

The brunette waved a hand, saying, "It's fine, Pen. It was my choice to help you... and to continue to speak with Miss Bridgerton."

"They believe Eloise is Lady Whistledown," the red-head informed quickly and Maria's eyes widened. "The Queen sent a footman to guard the store the day of Anthony Bridgerton's wedding. The day Eloise decided to come visit you."

Maria blushed at the reminder of that visit, it being the only thing that had helped her through the Queen's terrifying questioning.

"And because they found Eloise at the print shop, they believe she is Whistledown," Maria realised. "And I may have something to do with it."

"Exactly," Penelope nodded. "This is why I warned you that Eloise couldn't be seen here. Don't you see how much this could hurt her?"

"I did not intend to hurt her, Pen," Maria confessed. "I... I was just selfish. I only wished to see her every minute of the day and now my very wish has damned her."

"Not necessarily," the Featherington said, swallowing. "I have an idea."

Maria looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. She was a smart girl and she had an idea what the other girl could possibly be thinking. "Pen, no--"

"It's the only way, Maria. I am sorry."

And with her final words, Penelope rushed from the crates and into the night, leaving Maria to watch after her with horrified look.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*