#dankerton

It was a sunny afternoon and all was going well when the most grating voice to have ever existed suddenly filled Colin’s ears.

“Miss Featherington what a joy to have found you here!” Captain Danksmirth, or whatever his name is, called out from across the lawn. Colin could barely contain his distaste for the Captain. On the other hand, Penelope somehow found him charming and pleasing to the eyes (her words not Colin’s).

By the time Colin took notice of what was happening, the Captain held out an overwhelming bouquet of red blossoms to Penelope.

Roses. Penelope hates roses; Colin’s inner thoughts chanted at him. It was simply not right. If Penelope was going to be pursued, she must be pursued with Tulips. There was no exception.

Before Colin could stop his mouth from betraying him, he interrupted the current conversation between Captain Dankerson and Penelope with an abnormally loud, “Penelope hates Roses.”

The two paused to look at Colin with varying expressions of confusion and frustration.

“No, I don’t Colin.” She slid him an annoyed look before turning with a polite smile towards the Captain. “The roses are just fine Captain Dankworth.”

“Truly she would prefer Tulips.” Colin interrupted once more. “You know where you could find the best tulips?” He asked Captain Dankworth (apparently that was his name). Before the captain could answer, Colin did so for him. “In Holland! Perhaps you should visit and bring Penelope back some of the finest tulips in the world. That would be a much better gift.”

Penelope shot him an annoyed glare before delicately grabbing Captain Dankworth’s arm and asking him to promenade. The Captain seemed blissfully unaware of Colin’s distaste for him, which only made Colin dislike him even more.

Colin watched as Penelope, the brightest woman in the entire ton, taught the dim-witted Captain about what a tulip is. Colin’s heart ached.