The night's proceeds went to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Cheer up, friend. “Do not think I mean to criticize,” Portia said, suddenly all concern. “I didn’t realize you were here.”, “I’m sneaky as always,” Eloise said. “Is he?” Penelope asked, managing to feign (in her opinion) rather realistic indifference. The three Bridgerton men turned to face her with identical horrified faces, and Penelope knew that she had just entered into what would certainly be the most awful five minutes of her life. [2][6] She then went on to train in England at the Oxford School of Drama and Birmingham School of Acting. He would, of course, be furious with her, since she’d effectively knocked him off his horse and covered him with mud– two things guaranteed to put any gentleman in the foulest of moods. Bliss!”, Eloise smiled at her friend, whose complexion turned the loveliest peaches and cream whenever she wore cooler hues. It is difficult, however, to predict whether Mr. Bridgerton will succumb to matrimonial bliss this season; he is certainly of an age to marry (three-and-thirty), but he has never shown a decided interest in any lady of proper parentage, and to make matters even more complicated, he has an appalling tendency to leave London at the drop of a hat, bound for some exotic destination. “Oh, that’s rich.”, “That’s what I told her, but you know how she is once she gets an idea in her head.”, Eloise chuckled. It helped that she’d lost nearly two stone and could now call herself “pleasantly rounded” rather than “a hideous pudge.” She was still nowhere near the slender ideal of womanhood that ruled the day, but at least she’d changed enough to warrant the purchase of a completely new wardrobe. The Bridgertons were an important family indeed, and conversations with them were not to be ignored. “I must pay a call upon Violet,” she was saying. When it came right down to it, Eloise was a rather managing sort of person. “What, do you think, are the chances she won’t use the party as an opportunity to find me a wife?”, “I thought so.” Anthony leaned back in his chair. Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend’s brother from afar for forever—until she stumbles across Colin Bridgerton’s deepest secret and fears she doesn't know him at all. There was nothing more depressing than an ugly girl with no personality. She hated when someone –anyone– was aware of gossip before she was. But when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide… is she his biggest threat—or his promise of a happy ending? Portia’s query seemed to sum up all that was different between mother and daughter. First, Penelope Featherington was seen in the company of not one, not two, but THREE Bridgerton brothers, surely a heretofore impossible feat for the poor girl, who is rather infamous for her wallflower ways. And maybe, in the far reaches of her mind —in the furthest back corner, tucked away behind the French verb conjugations she’d never mastered and the arithmetic she never used— she still held out a tiny shred of hope. “And I finally got him to admit to me that yes, he thinks he will stay for at least a few months. I am not going to marry your brother Benedict.”. He was fairly certain Anthony had asked him a question, but somewhere in the meanderings of his mind, he’d forgotten what. This was love. “Both.”, They walked for a few moments, and then Penelope blurted out, “Colin should go away.”, Anthony eyed her curiously. “Here we are,” he said as he nodded his reply. Sadly (but perhaps predictably) for Miss Featherington, when she finally departed, it was on the arm of the viscount, the only married man in the bunch. “It doesn’t hurt his feelings when I announce that I am not going to marry him.” She turned to Benedict, forcing her eyes directly on his. But the damage had already been done. “Well, I’d best be off,” Eloise said, clearing her throat to cover a moment that was awkward to two of the three people in the hall. The paper had been delivered for free for two weeks —just long enough to addict the ton— and then suddenly there was no delivery, just paperboys charging the outrageous price of five pennies a paper. [3] She attended Scoil Mhuire for primary school and Calasanctius College for secondary school. “If nothing else,” Colin added, turning around and affixing his legendary crooked grin on his face, “someone has to spoil your children. He didn’t give her a stinging set-down, he didn’t yell, he didn’t even glare. “It was no trouble,” he said, giving her a somewhat amused smile. Even away from his family, who loved him unconditionally but had no clue that what he really wanted, deep down inside, was something to do. Her mother’s “compliments” had a habit of landing rather like wasps. Travel. “Will you all fit?” Penelope asked. “Why don’t you think Colin would marry Felicity?” Portia asked. “Mother,” she said, with the patience of, if not a saint, at least a very devout nun, “Felicity is practically engaged to Mr. Albansdale.”, Portia actually began rubbing her hands together. “Only fifty,” Anthony agreed in a deadpan voice. She did pluck a biscuit off the tea tray and pop it into her mouth. Then, in one of those inexplicable quirks of fate, the wind picked up quite suddenly and lifted her bonnet (which she had not tied properly, much to her mother’s chagrin, since the ribbon chafed under her chin) straight into the air and splat! Whatever it is you do that has you staring into space and daydreaming so often.”, “I’m just thinking,” Penelope said quietly. “It was apparent to all the moment you were allowed to choose your own clothing. “Colin Bridgerton is back!”. Anthony said nothing, but Colin could well imagine the satisfied expression on his face. [3][9], In 2018, Coughlan began playing Clare Devlin, one of the main characters, in Derry Girls. Terribly sorry to cut my visit so short, but I just wanted to be sure that you knew Colin was home.”, “Right. “I shouldn’t like to be married to someone my mother didn’t like.” He shook his head in a gesture of great awe and respect. “Terribly smart of you,” Penelope murmured. Penelope sighed. His eldest brother made little attempt to disguise his impatience with Colin’s wanderlust. Introductions were made, but the rest of the conversation was unimportant, mostly because Colin quickly and accurately sized up Mrs. Featherington as a matchmaking mama. “She stopped choosing my clothing once she finally realized I was officially on the shelf. Penelope had never told her of her feelings for Colin, although she rather thought Eloise suspected the truth. Nice. I’m sure of it!”, Penelope groaned. On the sixth of April, in the year 1812 — precisely two days before her sixteenth birthday — Penelope Featherington fell in love. This sitcom is set in Derry, Northern Ireland, in the 1990s. [15][16][17] In the following year, she made headlines again for rebutting the Daily Mirror’s comment on her 2019 British Academy Television Awards look: "Not the most flattering". “I know you really do. ", "Derry Girls' Nicola Coughlan: 'It bothers me that we reduce women to the size of their body, "Derry Girls actress Nicola Coughlan gets apology after being branded 'overweight little girl' in scathing British Theatre Guide", "Critics, judge me for my work in Derry Girls and on the stage, not on my body", "Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan auctioning iconic BAFTA dress for a brilliant cause", "This Is Why The Cast Of Derry Girls Marched On Westminster Today", Shepherd Alison. 4 Read 'The Dating Plan' With Us in April. But when he finally rose to his feet, brushing off whatever mud could be dislodged from his clothing, he didn’t lash out at her. Colin Bridgerton,” and “Penelope Bridgerton” and “Colin Colin Colin.” (The paper went into the fire the moment Penelope heard footsteps in the hall.). Of course, it didn’t hurt that Colin possessed, as did all the Bridgerton men, fabulous good looks. Basada en las célebres novelas de Julia Quinn, la serie narra las vidas de los ocho hermanos Bridgerton mientras buscan amor y felicidad en la alta sociedad londinense. “I didn’t want her feelings to be hurt.”, Eloise blinked a few times before saying, “That was very kind of you, Penelope.”, “I have my moments of charity and grace.”, “One would think,” Eloise said with a snort, “that a vital component of charity and grace is the ability not to draw attention to one’s possession of them.”, Penelope pursed her lips as she pushed Eloise toward the door. and then the man fell off his horse, landing most inelegantly in a nearby mud puddle. “I assure you I am not averse to the idea of marriage.”. Matchmaking mamas are united in their glee–Colin Bridgerton has returned from Greece! “I just want to see you happy.”, “Hell, I’m the happiest man in London. Well, almost anything. If Miss Featherington were to somehow manage to drag a Bridgerton brother to the altar, it would surely mean the end of the world as we know it, and This Author, who freely admits she would not know heads from tails in such a world, would be forced to resign her post on the spot. But no, she had to go and fall in love with Colin Bridgerton when he fell off a horse and landed on his bottom in a mud puddle. [2][7] In the following years, she did various voice works in animated series. [3][8] She worked part-time at an optician in Galway. Why did her mother seem to think their charms so exceeded Penelope’s? The first performance was in September 2016 prior to a national tour. She knew Colin wasn’t going to marry her, but at least he danced with her at every ball, and he made her laugh, and every now and then she made him laugh, and she knew that that would have to be enough. When Eloise had her mind set on something, she was completely unable to let it go. “They’re not Catholics at all,” Penelope replied, giving up on the needlework and setting it aside. right onto the face of one of the riders. Her mother wasn’t paying much attention to her (her mother rarely did), so Penelope slipped away for a moment to see what was about. She hoped that didn’t make her a bad person. And in that first year on the marriage mart, that was exactly what Penelope was. “I don’t think I should want to find out.”, They both fell silent for a moment (a rare occurrence, indeed) and then Eloise quite suddenly jumped to her feet and said, “I must go.”, Penelope smiled. But Mrs. Featherington held high matrimonial hopes for her older girls. Penelope wouldn’t have wanted to cleave herself onto either of their husbands, but at least they were wives. . Perhaps you heard–”, “I heard you saying something. Colin wandered over to the window and pretended to look out. She stopped talking when she realized he hadn’t actually apologized, so there was little point in contradicting him. “I didn’t think you were,” Anthony demurred. Anthony nodded. Penelope’s first appearance in Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers went as follows: Miss Penelope Featherington’s unfortunate gown left the unfortunate girl looking like nothing more than an overripe citrus fruit. PENELOPE FEATHERINGTON. It was obvious to Penelope that neither Prudence, Philippa, nor even Felicity had ever had a chance with a Bridgerton. Penelope hadn’t much experience with the laughter of men, and what little she had known had not been kind. Penelope felt her heart quicken (it would have been difficult to maintain a sedate pulse as a witness to such excitement, and besides, this allowed her to say that her heart leaped when she fell in love). “Well, yes, actually, parts of it. Evening Standard named her as "one of the Rising Stars of 2018". Penelope snatched up her needlework again. Anthony raised a brow, and Colin had the distinct impression that he was trying to decide if Colin had truly rushed home for their mother’s birthday, or if he were simply taking advantage of some very good timing. But by then, no one could live without the almost-daily dose of gossip, and everyone paid their pennies. If your mother thinks his time here is limited, she will redouble her efforts to see him married. You’re like another sister to him.”. “You’re not listening to me.”, “No,” Penelope admitted. Her mother was nothing if not tenacious. A girl with no marriage prospects isn’t worth the time and energy it takes her to offer fashion advice. Portia tapped her finger against the side of her chin, as she always did when she was plotting or scheming. I– Oh! But while he knew that he would not relish being in their shoes –never knowing if a loved one was dead or alive, constantly waiting for the knock of the messenger at the front door– that just wasn’t enough to keep his feet firmly planted in England. Really.”, Eloise put up a hand. “I never said to anyone that I wanted you to ask me.”, “Penelope,” Colin finally managed, “I’m so sorry.”. Penelope decided then and there that it was best not to try to understand the workings of her mother’s mind. He goes gallivanting about, the good Lord only knows where, to countries that are positively unheathen–”. So he went to Cyprus instead.”, “My, my,” Penelope said with a smile. After a year or so of unsuccessful attempts to name Lady Bridgerton’s new home, the family had taken to calling it simply Number Five. Cast, plot and latest news", "Taskmaster's New Year Treat line-up revealed", "Review: Chapel Street and Bitch Boxer, TakeOver Festival 2013, York Theatre Royal", "Rehearsed readings and discussions - Duck", "Orange Tree TheatreJess and Joe Forever | Whats On | Orange Tree Theatre", "Birmingham School of Acting Red Company Showcase review at Ambassadors Theatre London | Review | Student showcase", https://variety.com/2021/awards/news/2021-sag-nominations-list-nominees-screen-actors-guild-awards-1234897816/, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nicola_Coughlan&oldid=1011520213, Articles with short description added by PearBOT 5, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 11 March 2021, at 09:35. The poor girl appeared to have drowned amidst the ruffles of her dress. Do you know what I think?”. “This is your house, is it not?”, “Yes. Anyone can see that Colin Bridgerton is a better catch.”, Portia deflated into her perfectly upholstered chair. As usual, Eloise had not been announced. It seemed even Lady Whistledown understood the futility of Penelope’s feelings for Colin. Eloise sat down in Penelope’s desk chair. I am out in society. “He’s not the sort to be cruel. She nodded, and the two of them took off down the street. She begged her mother to let her wait a year. And in a testament to the bad timing that had plagued her throughout her life, the first voice she heard was Colin’s, and the words were not kind. Character Age: 17 Actor’s Current Age: 34. My bonnet came right off my head, and…”. Penelope started to reach out to take the last biscuit for herself, then decided to let her mother have it. I don’t think Charlotte has nearly enough dolls.”. “You are thirty-three now, Colin…”, Colin stared at him in disbelief. But Penelope wasn’t the only one singled out by the acerbic gossip columnist. She is known for her roles as Clare Devlin in the Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls and Penelope Featherington in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton. “Indeed, and he’s very tanned. Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother for . “Colin Bridgerton is not going to marry Felicity!”, Portia gave a little shrug. I take Tea with Violet Bridgerton, and Other Mugs, Ebook Bridgerton Collection Vol. “Eventually, she’ll make a mistake. Better to save the windswept-moor introductions for people who might actually have a future together. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Never mind that both Prudence and Philippa had married well-heeled men and possessed ample funds to see to their mother’s every comfort. Of course she did set A Brief History of Greece down behind Mathilda, the novel by S.R. “Do you know what?” Eloise demanded. Years, maybe.”. “No,” he insisted, “I do. Anyway, she was walking through the front hall, listening to her feet tap along the marble tile as she saw herself out. “Someone will eventually figure out who she is, don’t you think?”, “I don’t know.” Eloise put her hand on the doorknob, twisted, and pulled. It was just that sometimes she didn’t much like her mother. It was quite strange, actually, how he loved returning home just as much as he did the departure. Thank you for accompanying me home.”. The period drama television series is set in 18th-century London. By the end of the season, Penelope judged that Colin Bridgerton was the only man with whom she’d managed an entire conversation. “Oh, Eloise,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes. “I do love you.”, Eloise grinned. Eloise was far too tactful to mention it, though, which only validated Penelope’s certainty that Colin would never love her. No, don’t tell me,” she said with a dramatic flourish. I expect your mother has been hounding him to get married.”. “I believe they practice Christianity in Greece,” Penelope murmured, her eyes back down on her needlework. But he made me promise not to tell Mother.”, “Now, that’s not” –Penelope cleared her throat– “terribly intelligent of him. “I know you do,” Eloise said, in a rather placating sort of voice. “Lady Whistledown got something wrong.”. Surely you don’t expect him to marry someone your age.”. I’m afraid she’s convinced that Felicity will catch a duke if she’s wearing the right gown.”, “Isn’t she practically engaged to Mr. Albansdale?”, “I imagine he’ll make a formal offer next week. She’d gone to the Bridgerton household, as she frequently did, to take tea with Eloise and her mother and sisters. Penelope smiled, but she sighed at the same time. “Cheeky, even.”, Portia gave her an indulgent smile. “No feelings were hurt. Albansdale is in possession of a perfectly respectable fortune.”, Portia tapped her index finger against her cheek. Penelope looked up from her book —A Brief History of Greece— to see Eloise Bridgerton bursting into her room. Thankfully, however, Portia’s mind had already moved on to greener pastures. On the tenth of April, in the year 1813 — precisely two days after her seventeenth birthday, Penelope Featherington made her debut into London society. You needn’t actively look for a wife, but there’s no harm in remaining open to the possibility.”, Colin eyed the doorway, intending to pass through it very shortly. At the age of 10, in 1997, Nicola Coughlan had an uncredited role in action thriller film My Brother’s War. So no one would have blinked an eye at the difference in age between Daphne and the Duke of Hastings. “In truth, I am glad for your spinsterhood. Although Mr. Bridgerton holds no noble title and is unlikely ever to do so (he is seventh in line for the title of Viscount Bridgerton, behind the two sons of the current viscount, his elder brother Benedict, and his three sons) he is still considered one of the prime catches of the season, due to his fortune, his face, his form, and most of all, his charm. [12] The same year, she competed against some of her Derry Girls co-stars in an episode of The Great British Bake Off show. “I used to think so. If Penelope had thought she loved him before, that was nothing compared to what she felt after actually getting to know him. Eloise sighed. But this man’s eyes –a rather intense shade of green– were filled with mirth as he wiped a rather embarrassingly placed spot of mud off his cheek and said, “Well, that wasn’t very well done of me, was it?”. Penelope shook her head. She had her third season, then her fourth. She said nothing for what seemed like an eternity, and then, finally, with a dignity she never dreamed she possessed, she looked straight at Colin and said, “I never asked you to marry me.”. How wonderful it was to feel love —even the one-sided sort— for a nice person. [7] At some point, due to financial difficulties, Coughlan had to go back to Ireland. “There’s never a reason to rush,” Anthony returned. Penelope felt her lips tightening. Lady Danbury is Simon's mentor, who took over his care when his father rejected him. “If he lulled her into thinking that there was no rush, perhaps she might not badger him quite so much.”, “An interesting idea,” Eloise said, “but probably more true in theory than in practice. Many ton weddings –maybe even most of them– saw men marrying girls a dozen or more years their junior. “Not that I’ve ever seen,” Penelope muttered. “Well, they’re not Church of England,” Portia said with a sniff. But she needed to put something in her mouth to keep her from saying something horrible and horribly spiteful. Colin nodded. “Felicity is going mad with all the fittings, but she’s Mother’s only hope for a truly grand match. But if Mrs. Featherington intended to scold her any further, she was unable to do so, because that would have required that she remove her attention from the all-important Bridgertons, whose ranks, Penelope was quickly figuring out, included the man presently covered in mud. Besides, Penelope wasn’t even “out” in society yet. “I probably could have married you off years ago if you had concentrated more on the social graces and less on… less on…”, “I don’t know. and thank heavens I listened. A little sister.”. “How did you get to Whistledown before I did? And while Penelope spent her afternoons in the green-and-cream drawing room at Bridgerton House (or, more often, up in Eloise’s bedchamber where the two girls laughed and giggled and discussed everything under the sun with great earnestness) she found herself coming into occasional contact with Colin, who at two-and-twenty had not yet moved out of the family home and into bachelor lodgings. There was really no other way to describe it. “Did he enjoy Cyprus?” Penelope inquired. I would be the talk of London for weeks. She hadn’t wanted to do it. She’ll tell you so.”. “There is nothing wrong with that. How I should love to travel. No, when Portia talked about being “cared for,” she wasn’t referring to money.