In the other's shoes

Epilogue. 20 years later. 3rd part

Colin was pacing in his office, in his robe, sipping sherry.
Penelope came in already fully dressed.
"Are you still in your dressing gown? And are you drinking?"
"It's just sherry ... pity me Penelope I'm very nervous. Did you call Agatha? Do you want to corner me so you can be sure she doesn't attack that ... that .."
"Lord Barnett .... no I didn't call her ... she said she had to tell us something important ... fasten your necklace on her."
Penelope turned to her husband winking and pulling her hair up to one side.
Colin approached her more than necessary, with the back of her hand he caressed Penelope's neck and began to close the carabiner of her necklace given to him right at Agatha's birth.  Then he didn't resist he kissed Penelope's pearly neck holding them there in the corner that he loved when they made love.  Where he felt her heartbeat.
"Remind me....did we ever do that here?..."
"If you don't remember it must not have been memorable...." she said trying to pull away from him.
"Maybe.." squeezing against her "a reminder would be great..."
"Well here we conceived Jane and I find it fantastic that you want to do it again here maybe who knows we can conceive again..." Penelope laughed
"Ohh holy clouds and reliving all the pain of childbirth again and then cruel as you are you would give me another daughter and in 20 years I would relive the same trauma of abandoning her to another man!!"
Penelope turned to face him.
"It was I who suffered the pains of hell not you, Colin Bridgerton"
"And I suffered to see you suffer" he said kissing her on the nose.
"Colin… you haven't lost Agatha and you won't lose Jane. They adore you and you've spoiled them beyond belief."
"I know but I miss Agatha so much...and I'm sure Lord...what's his name will take Jane away from me too..."
"Barnett!! Please tell me you'll remember him when you see him! They are very important in high society, please"
"I'll try.." she said she smiling "I'm going to get ready"
“Well” said Penelope “ahh one thing….” she said she leaned against the door “the porch…we never did that on the porch..” she said she winked.
Colin spat out the last of the sherry…he didn't even know his wife could wink.

Two hours later Agatha and Albert entered the Bridgerton house complete with valets and suitcases, Colin and Penelope looked at each other blankly.
"Dad dad!"  yelled Agatha jumping into Colin's arms.  Penelope accepted Albert's quiet kiss more calmly, Agatha doted on her father and Penelope wasn't jealous at all.
Penelope saw Colin excited as he held her daughter in his arms.
Agatha Eloise Bridgerton Webber was a miniature Penelope, she reached to Colin's sternum with ruby ​​red hair and sparkling green eyes.  She blushed easily, just like her mother but she had the irony and traveler's soul like her father.
"Honey you are beautiful, it means Albert treats you well ... Jeffrey can you put my sword back" she said she joked to the butler
"He'll be done sir, tea and refreshments is the drawing room, Miss Agatha it's a pleasure to have you back with us"
"Thanks Feffi ..." using the misspelled name with which she called the butler as a child.
"Are you going to stay long?"  Colin said looking bewildered at the 8 suitcases.
Albert smiled at his wife.
"You see, puppy, we had to warn them before arriving, don't worry, Colin, we won't invade your house."
"I warned Uncle Anthony he'll keep us out of town until we find a house, let's go back to London!"
Penelope could not hold back a cry of joy, he had never liked having a daughter in Scotland, but Albert's lands were there.
"Why are you coming back to London?" Colin asked
"Come let's talk about it over a cup of tea, Jane will arrive soon with a surprise."
Once seated Agatha looked at Albert who nodded his head.
"Dad, mom I have to tell you some news...I'm expecting a baby...you will become grandparents"
Penelope looked at Colin and then burst into tears running to her daughter.
"I become a grandfather but ... but I'm only 50 ... now I feel old" she said as she stood up giving an awkward hug to Albert and they embraced her daughter.
"I thought Agatha needed her family more than anything, so I left some of the chores to my brother and I think I'll take up my law degree here in London"
"You know Albert...I'm glad I didn't put my rapier on you," Colin said with his arm around his son-in-law's shoulders.
"Me too sir"
"If you're willing to support me for something?"
"Certainly"