Page 1 of My Cruel Duke

Chapter1

“Miss Hislop, I have received strict instructions from the lady of the housenotto let you in.”

“Oh Bernard, it would only be for a moment,” she tried to side step him but he blocked her with his arms opened wide.

“Miss Hislop, your request is beyond me!”

She smiled sweetly at him and went under his arms to the other side.

“Miss Hislop, you cannot–”

“Thank you, Bernard; I shall make sure to repay this kindness.”

The distressed butler sighed, but there was not much he could do to stop Penelope. She was a friend of the family, after all, and he had seen her pass through those doors since she was a little girl.

“I will just have a word with Eleanor, and I will be out of your hair.” Ironically, the older man had no hair, but Penelope, or Penny, as her friends called her, had always made such jokes with him, and he secretly loved it, despite the glare he passed her.

Penny, true to her word, wanted to have a word —or lots of words— with her childhood friend, who had been kind enough not to invite her to the ball her family hosted the night before. It had come as a shock to Penny when she found out that she had been left out without an explanation, or maybe therewasone, but she did not want to think that her friend wasthatfrail-minded.

No, Eleanor could never.

Penny stalked through the halls like she had done countless times. The Langley house was not as exciting to her anymore as it had been when she was but a little girl. Lord Langley loved traveling, and more than that, he loved returning home with souvenirs with which the house was adorned. There were incredibly made vases that sat in almost every angle in the house, and Penny’s favorite had been one Lord Langley claimed was from his travels to Africa. She loved it so much she would always stop by it whenever she was at the Langley house, but it was the least of her concerns now as she passed it, eyes locked on the pair of cream double doors she knew Eleanor sat behind.

She pushed the door open, and the sight before her felt like a direct blow to her face.

“What is going on here?” Penny demanded with a frown. She had earlier rehearsed her speech to Eleanor, but that was when she thought Eleanor would be alone. She should have suspected this much when Bernard told her Eleanor was in her drawing room and not her bedroom. Penny had merely thought Eleanor was overseeing the rearrangement of the room as she told her she would some weeks ago. But now, with the sight of all her friends, finely dressed and all sipping tea from the tiny teacups they all held, Penny knew that her lack of invitation to the ball was purposeful. Eleanor did not simplyforgetto send her an invitation.

All of her friends paused, but not one of them had the nerve to look her in the eye, even Eleanor, her supposed best friend. The room fell silent until Marina coughed. She might have thought that would help alleviate the awkwardness, but it only made it worse.

“Penny…” Eleanor dragged and dropped her teacup on the table with the saucer underneath. Penny watched her swallow and smoothed out her pastel pink dress.

“You called everyone for tea, and you did not think to invite me?” They were the first words at the tip of her tongue. The other four girls cleared their throats, still looking away.

“Penny, you must understand that—” Penny shook her head, disbelief flooding her sight.

“I was not invited to the ball last night. Isthatsomething I must understand, too?” Eleanor raised her hand to her head, fixing the little tendrils of red hair behind her ears.

“Penny, this matter is far more—” Eleanor started but was once again cut off by Cordelia.

“It is best if you tell her the truth, Eleanor. She needs to know,” her words were without venom; her voice was cool, calm, and collected like Cordelia always was, but it stung just the same. The black-haired girl had no expression on her face, but her words had a hint of annoyance, not at Penny, but at the situation. Penny averted her gaze to her. Eleanor stepped aside.

“Given the situation shrouding your family, I am sure you understand that it has become difficult for us to be seen with you… especially out in public…”

Penny bit down on her lower lip as tears threatened to fall.

“You are a smart girl, Penny, smarter than most of us. You should know how these things work.” Feeling defensive, Penelope took a step toward the oak table the girl sat around.

“My family is innocent!” Her face burned. “The duke should be blamed for this. He framed my father, and you all know it,” she was close to tears now, but she could not cry, not in front of these women who now stared at her as though she was less of a lady than they were.

“If that were true, your brother would not have fled the country and you know it,” Marina shrugged, and Penny’s chest caved. She bit harder on her lower lip until she tasted blood.

“Even if it were so, my sister and I have no ties to the matter. It is between my father and that… cruel duke!”

Gasps arose at the insult.

“Penny! You will not speak of His Grace in that manner in my home!” Eleanor rebuked. Penny could not believe her ears. She had watched Eleanor say less than nice things about the duke in question multiple times. He was theCruel Duke,after all. “We know you and Lydia are innocent, but it is just so unfortunate that you both have to suffer the burn of it.”

Penny had never felt such rage before. It held her by the neck, aching for release, but there was nothing she could do but suppress it. The ladies were right. Her family’s ruin was the talk of the town. Her brother had fled England, and her father was imprisoned. It was very bold of her to march into the Langley house as though she was not aware of the situation.

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