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Lady Bridgerton coughed on her tea "I'm sorry, Hyacinth," she said, "but what did you just say?"wThink of the accolades one would receive for having finally caught Lady Whistledown," Hyacinth saidould be glorious"wAre you saying," Colin asked, a deceptively bland expression on his face, "that you don't care about the rin

It occurred to Penelope that of all the Bridgertons, Hyacinth and Colin were theColin was so often out of the country If he and Hyacinth ever joined forces in earnest, they could probably take over the worldwHyacinth," Lady Bridgerton said firmly, "you are not to make the search for Lady Whistledown your life's work"wBut--"wI' you cannot ponder the probleerton hastened to add, holding up one hand to ward off further interruptions "Good gracious, I would hope that after nearly forty years of motherhood I would know better than to try to stop you when you have your , nonsense as it ht her teacup to her mouth to cover her smile "It's just that you have been known to be rather"--Lady Bridgerton delicately cleared her throat--"single-erton continued as if Hyacinth had never spoken " and I do not want you to forget that your primary focus at this time must be to look for a husband"

Hyacinth uttered the word "Mother" again, but this tilance at Eloise, who had her eyes fixed on the ceiling and was clearly trying not to break out in a grin Eloise had endured years of relentlessat her mother's hands and did not iven up and moved on to Hyacinth

In truth, Penelope was surprised that Lady Bridgerton seemed to have finally accepted Eloise's unreatest aiht of her children happily married And she'd succeeded with four First Daphne had s The following year Anthony had married Kate There had been a bit of a lull after that, but both Benedict and Francesca had married within a year of each other, Benedict to Sophie, and Francesca to the Scottish Earl of Kilmartin

Francesca, unfortunately, had been ed only two years after her e She now divided her time between her late husband's family in Scotland and her own in London When in town, however, she insisted upon living at Kilerton House or Number Five Penelope didn't blame her If she were a , she'd want to enjoy all of her independence, too

Hyacinth generally bore her ood humor since, as she had told Penelope, it wasn't as if she didn't want to get ht as well lether mother do all the work and then she could choose a husband when the right one presented himself

And it ith this good humor that she stood, kissed her mother on the cheek, and dutifully promised that her main focus in life was to look for a husband--all the while directing a cheeky, sneaky smile at her brother and sister She was barely back in her seat when she said to the crowd at large, "So, do you think she'll be caught?"e still discussing that WhistledooroanedwHave you not heard Eloise's theory, then?"Penelope asked

All eyes turned to Penelope, then to Eloisehat is my theory?"Eloise askedas just, oh, I don't know,about Lady Whistledown, and I said that I didn't see how she could possibly go on forever, that eventually she would have to make a mistake Then Eloise said she wasn't so sure, that it had been over ten years and if she were going to make a mistake, wouldn't she have already done so? Then I said, no, she was only human

Eventually she would have to slip up, because no one could go on forever, and--"wOh, I remember now!" Eloise cut in "We were at your house, in your room I had the er that Lady Whistledown has already made a mistake, and it's just ere too stupid to have noticed it"wNot very complimentary for us, I must say," Colin murmuredwWell, I did intend we to ertons," EloisedemurredwSo maybe," Hyacinth mused, "all I need to do to catch Lady Whistledown is peruse backissues of her coluerton's eyes filled with a erton, I don't like the look on your face"

Hyacinth sreat deal of fun with one thousand pounds"wGod help us all," was hermother's replywPenelope," Colin said quite suddenly, "you never did finish telling us about Felicity Is it true that she is to be engaged?"

Penelope gulped down the tea she'd been in the process of sipping Colin had a way of looking at a person, his green eyes so focused and intent that you felt as if you must be the only two people in the universe Unfortunately for Penelope, it also see imbecile If they were in the enerally hold her own, but when he surprised her like that, turning his attention onto her just when she'd convinced herself she blended in perfectly with the wallpaper, she was completely and utterly lostwEr, yes, it is quite possible," she said "Mr Albansdale has been hinting at his intentions But if he does decide to propose, I ilia to ask my uncle for her hand"wYour uncle?" Kate askedwMy uncle Geoffrey He lives near Norwich He's our closest h truth be told, we don't see him very often But Mr Albansdale is rather traditional I don't think he would feel co my mother"wI hope he asks Felicity as well," Eloise said "I've often thought it foolish that a man asks a woman's father for her hand before he asks her The father doesn't have to live with him"wThis attitude," Colin said with an amused smile that was only partly hidden by his teacup, "may explain why you are as yet unmarried"