@wallflowerswit gets a Cressida nearly-disinherited-au starter!
It was infuriating. It was, also, quite heartbreaking, but Cressida didn't like to focus on that. There she was, soon to be outed to the ton as rejected by her own family unless she found a prospect all by herself before the end of the season, taken in like a stray dog by the Bridgertons - well, by Violet Bridgerton, who was, in every possible way, a mother the way mothers were supposed to be, and by Eloise - having to live with their pity and charity, while Penelope Featherington, not satisfied with robbing her of Lord Debling's affection, has snatched Colin Bridgerton himself, had permanently made herself part of a great family ignoring the pain that would cause to Eloise, and was, one way or another, the biggest surprise of the season. She, obviously, didn't congratulate the happy couple, but after making sure that Eloise was relatively alright, left to sit outside alone; Penelope must have been informed of why she was clearly living there by now, since she was more or less a permanent guest and family, and had to be laughing. Cressida knew she had been cruel to her before, as Eloise would say, but so what? It was how society worked and clearly Penelope had won all.
And yet it wasn't true anger that she showed when Penelope came outside, only bitter resignation as she kept staring at the garden enveloped by darkness. "You are going to tell everyone, aren't you?" It was only fair, but it would truly, utterly, ruin her forever; no more chances to marry, just hide and wait for the season to be over so she could leave high society quietly. "You must be loving to see me like this... but I admit I can't fault you for it. Every fairy tale has its villain punished and destitute by the end, and this is certainly yours."
