Page 88 of Saved By the Rakish Duke

He didn’t bother to answer her, save for a polite nod of acknowledgment. As the door began to close behind him, Penelope braced herself to stew in the awkward air that had gotten left behind even after his departure.

But the sound of more voices in the hallway told her otherwise.

She strained her ear to see if she could tell who they were. A part of her feared that Uncle Winston had somehow found his way into the house.

No,she told herself,the voices sound too calm for that to be the case.

Her curiosity was soon sated when the door swung open again, but this time to reveal Mother and the Earl of Graystone.

“Jerry Gray?” Penelope beamed, sitting up straighter against the pillows at the sight of her old friend. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Oh Penny!” he answered, pressing a chaste kiss to her hand. “I’ve been meaning to come to offer my congratulations the moment I heard that your wedding preparations had already begun. And I finally had some time today but...”

His voice trailed off as his concerned eyes quickly ran over her form.

“Uncle Winston came by,” Penelope explained despite knowing that Mother had most likely already done so, “but I’m all right.”

Once again, Mother excused herself, again allowing the same footman from earlier to take over as chaperone. He took up his usual post, just outside the open doorway to afford them sufficient privacy.

Unlike her fiancé, Graystone decided to pace around the room rather than confine himself to the chair by her bedside. The silence between them was companionable and familiarly comfortable.

“I just realized...” her old friend let out a husky chuckle, “I’ve been engaged for longer, yet you'll somehow manage to get married first.”

Penelope chuckled along with him. “Come Jerry, surely by now you should know full well that I always have—and always shall—outdo you.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t,” he bit back playfully. “Just look at howwellit’s working out for you so far.” He nodded towards her.

Although she knew he didn’t mean anything by it, Penelope felt the smile she had been wearing practically fall off her face, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by her companion.

“What is it?” he frowned.

“Do you think I’m making a mistake?” she asked him directly, seeing no point in tiptoeing around the subject.

Graystone’s absent-minded pacing ground to a halt upon hearing her question. Frustratingly, however, instead of providing an answer he simply tossed her question back at her.

“Do you?”

Penelope raised a hand to gently massage her temple. “Lord Gloushire’s a wonderful ma-”

“But not wonderful enough for you to be sure about him?” Jerry interjected.

Penelope bit her lip, pausing before she finally admitted—both to him and herself, “Yes...”

Graystone’s eyebrows shot up in what appeared to be a mix of amusement and confusion. Approaching her bed, he finally decided to take a seat. Leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, Grayston sucked in a deep breath before assuring her,

“It is only natural for you to not be as... enthralled by him. After all, your courtship has been somewhat rushed—a fact that I believe we should all be grateful for given your original predicament with your uncle.”

Penelope fidgeted with the edge of the blanket that came up to her waist. “Yes, I just- I don’t know what has gotten into me these days,” she mumbled tiredly. “My initial plan was to marry whoever was willing as long as he wasn’t Uncle Winston. But now—for some inexplicable reason—a part of me wishes to marry someone who I actually...”

“-who you actually care for?” Graystone finished her thought for her when she trailed off.

He studied her expression as he spoke, familiar eyes not allowing her a single moment of respite. “Penny...” he exhaled her pet name softly almost as though she were a small animal that he did not wish to startle.

“Yes?”

“The primary reason I can think of for one in your shoes to suddenly become dissatisfied with marryinganyoneis because one has developed an interest in marryingsomeonein particular.”

Her heart crashed against her ribs, a guilty blush spreading up her cheeks. She wanted to deny the charge brought against her, but Graystone knew her well enough to see right through her if she did.

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