Babes. My love. Sweetheart.

Daphne was fake courted for weeks and then compromised and then denied a proposal.

Kate was all tension, turmoil and heartbreak and then compromised further.

Pen got:

- two stags locking horns over her affections,

- chased down in a carriage,

- a man on his knees for her begging her to see him as a prospect,

- the best (imo) “I have feelings for you and have no idea if you feel the same but I just need you to know it” speech since 2005 P&P,

- a very sexy and consensual, if compromising, romp in a carriage,

- FULL AND IMMEDIATE COMMITMENT WITH ZERO BULLSHIT because this man could not live one more second without her being his,

- defended to her mother,

- paraded around the ton and in front of her worst enemy’s face,

- the most utterly reverent sex scene in the history of the show,

- an engagement ring that matched his mother’s because of the parallel friends to lovers love story,

- and him constantly worried out of his mind that he wasn’t good enough for her

✨ AS ✨ SHE ✨ DESERVED ✨

I mean, maybe I’m a little too modern but that beats a promenade and flavored ice dates and calling hours by literal lightyears. That angel girl was thoroughly — damn nearly aggressively — romanced.

Daphne and Simon just sort of slowly come together until Daphne tentatively, tenderly moves her hand into his and he lets her. She chips away at his wall a little more and he allows it, even participates in it, like he knows it's what he needs.

With Kate and Anthony we don't actually get the holding part. Their story is all about wanting but not having, reaching but not meeting. It's painful to watch.

And with Colin and Penelope, we see them bump and fumble their way together until they both commit to it with equal strength and certainty, holding each other steady. A shaky start that leads to perfect harmony.