Page 57 of Her Sinful Duke

Penelope smiled, her eyes glistening. “I am so glad you like it.”

James felt a lump in his throat as he looked at her. He gently placed the watch back in its box and set it on the desk. Then, he reached out and took her hands in his, pulling her close. He was still afraid of his feelings, much more than before, but he also knew that he couldn’t hide from himself any longer.

“Having you here, Penelope… it has been a dream,” he admitted with a smile.

She smiled back then her smile turned bleak.

“What happened?” he asked, worried. “Did I say something?”

“No, no,” she shook her head quickly. “It’s not that. I just remembered a letter I received this morning.”

“From whom?”

“My father,” she replied. “Vanessa is back, and they are inviting us to dinner to uhm… celebrate her return.”

He frowned. He didn’t really want to go there, but they were still her family, and he was her husband — he had to accompany her. More importantly, he would not let her go there alone. He could sense an underlying hostility in those people, and he didn’t want them around Penelope without him.

“Well, we shall go, of course,” he stated reassuringly.

He could see in her eyes that she was as reluctant to go as he was, but she didn’t want him to notice that, so he remained silent and comforting.

“When is the dinner?” he asked.

“I wrote back telling them to inform us,” she explained, “but I suppose within the next couple of days.”

That will give us time to prepare mentally,he thought to himself.

“Good,” he nodded, letting go of her hand, but instantly, he regretted doing it. “We shall go and… celebrate.”

He wasn’t sure what they would be celebrating, but he was adamant to be by his wife’s side no matter what.

“Thank you,” she replied, withdrawing from him. “I shall leave you to your work.”

“All right,” he agreed, walking around the writing table and remaining standing until she left his study, closing the door behind her.

He glanced at the watch one more time, and a sense of tenderness washed over him. He had to admit that he wasn’t expecting any such thing and to have his grandfather involved…

He smiled to himself, realizing that, without even noticing, they had become a little family of their own. The thought frightened him, but at the same time, it brought him comfort.

Perhaps he could open his heart to someone and not have it broken. Was such a thing possible?

CHAPTER28

“Your Grace, are you all right?” Charlotte inquired worriedly the moment she entered Penelope’s chamber.

Penelope was standing in front of the looking glass, not even dressed. She was still in her robe, feeling frozen in time and space. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t bring herself to start doing anything. Her long hair was flowing down her back. She looked as if she had just gotten up from bed although it was late in the afternoon, and she was supposed to get ready for the dinner party at her parents’ place, the same dinner party that was to celebrate her sister’s return.

Celebrate.

The word brought her so much distress that she felt her entire stomach tie up into a knot. Everything about this evening was wrong. It was offensive, almost.

“I’m fine, Lottie,” she said, not wishing to dwell on it. She couldn’t escape the maelstrom of her own thoughts, but she didn’t want to trouble her lady’s maid with it.

Charlotte closed the door behind her, walking slowly over to her and standing behind her so that they had their gazes locked in the reflection of the looking glass.

“You aren’t fine, Your Grace.” Charlotte refused to believe any such lie, speaking with tenderness as well as reverence as always. “You are far from it. If you do not wish to discuss it, that is fine, but I want you to know that I do not believe a single word of that, Your Grace. You will have to be much more convincing than this if you do not wish His Grace to notice anything.”

Penelope sighed. Charlotte was right. She could see her own face in the reflection, looking back at her, revealing frustration, anger, concern, and a myriad of other negative emotions. Perhaps if she opened up to Charlotte about Vanessa, she would endure this dinner party better?

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