Page 18 of A Duke's Wicked Secret
When Penelope and Henry began dancing and continued on the second one, Theo was drowning in jealousy. Theo felt his jaw muscles flexing and his fists tightening in an attempt to deal with his emotions. Seeing Henry’s hands on Penelope was just too much for him to stand by and watch for another entire dance, so Theo made his way to the punch table and took his sweet time choosing a glass.
Finally, the dance was done, and Theo covertly listened to their conversation from about seven feet away, where they both sat on a large, cushioned bench. As he listened, he heard …
“Dear Penelope, I have never enjoyed any two dances more than I did those ones. I just had the immense pleasure of dancing with you! You are such a graceful dance partner,” Henry stated.
Penelope looked so uncomfortable with the way Henry constantly tried to flatter her. Why could he not just act as he did when they were young and be a good jolly friend?
“Thank you, Henry. You are a proficient dancer as well. What did you think of the opera that you attended last …” asked Penelope hoping to change the subject, but Henry interrupted her before she could finish her question.
“Ohh, Penelope, forgive my rudeness for interrupting you, but I cannot bear to speak of the opera at this moment. Not when my heart is bursting with passion and excitement,” Henry exclaimed.
“Whatever is it, Henry?” asked Penelope, who was a bit startled.
“My sweet, wonderful, perfect Penelope, can you truly not know? Surely you must! I am madly in love with you, and I would dare say I have always been. Will you not acquiesce to marry me? If your father will agree, of course,” declared Henry with extreme intensity as though his life depended on Penelope’s answer.
At this outburst, Penelope was utterly shocked; although she had been aware that Henry might consider someday asking something like this, she had always thought that she had made it clear enough that to do so would be useless.
“Henry, although I am very flattered and honoured that you think of me so highly and would consider me to be your wife, my feelings for you do not go beyond friendship,” Penelope stated as gently as she could.
“Penelope, that cannot be the truth. I have seen the way you look and smile at me. Perhaps you need some time to think this over and know your true feelings on the matter. I am certain we are perfect for each other!” implored Henry.
“Henry, I do not need any time to reflect on this. I am positive on this; my heart and mind agree that we are only ever going to be friends and nothing more,” answered Penelope with a slight tone of frustration.
“But my dearest Penelope, surely you will reconsider I–”
Now it was Penelope’s turn to interrupt. “Henry, please stop calling me by such terms of endearment. It is not appropriate or wanted. I will not reconsider, so please let us drop this subject.” At this moment, Theo chose to make his presence known and walked the distance that separated him from Penelope and did something he had not done in years.
“Ms Ainsworth, might I have this dance?” asked Theo as he bowed as if completely unaware of the proposal he had just intruded in on.
“I would love to, Your Grace, thank you.” And with that, Penelope stood up, handed Henry her glass of punch, and took Theo’s hand as he led her to the dance floor. The music began shortly after all the couples had arrived at their places. A lovely waltz began, Theo expertly guided Penelope through the dance, and she felt like she was gliding across a still shimmering lake on a sunny summer day.
“Are you quite all right, Penelope?” enquired Theo in a quiet tone so that the other dancers would not hear him address her so informally.
Before answering, Penelope gave Theo a grateful smile, secretly squeezed his hand that held hers a bit tighter, and replied just as quietly, “Yes, Theo, I am all right, although a bit unnerved. I know you do not prefer to dance, so if you would rather stop, we could now.”
“I would rather be dragged away by wild horses than let you leave my arms, Ms Penelope,” Theo stated as he pulled her into him slightly. Penelope looked up into his deep blue eyes and saw that he was not toying with her in the slightest, and her cheeks flushed in pleasure and surprise.
“I have missed our time together in the past few days. We shall have to come up with a better method of meeting than leaving it to chance,” said Penelope.
“Shhh, not here, we will do so, but there are too many listening ears and watchful eyes to discuss such things now. After this dance, I will leave you and then in fifteen minutes tell your father that you have a terrible headache and ask if you may leave the party early. Go home and make yourself ready for bed, and wait for my signal,” whispered Theo so quietly that Penelope struggled to hear everything he said, or was that from her pounding heart?
After the dance ended, Penelope did exactly as Theo had instructed, and when her father asked if she wanted him to accompany her home, she assured him that it was nothing that a good night’s sleep could not cure and kissed his cheek good night. The entire ride home seemed to last an eternity even though in reality it was less than ten minutes.
Once Penelope arrived home, she found it quiet as a pub on Sunday morning because all the servants were given the rest of the night off since the entire household was expected to be gone until late into the night. Therefore, the servants would not return for their duties until the next morning.
Shortly after Penelope was ready for bed, and just moments after laying her head onto her feather pillow, she heard a tapping on her window. Penelope looked up and found Theo in the old tree outside her room. She jumped out of bed, wrapped her shawl around her, and quickly went to open the window.
“Theo, oh my goodness. I would have never guessed that you would climb up this tree. Come in before you fall to your death!” remarked Penelope with a huge grin as she helped Theo climb into her window.
Theo stood there for a moment, just taking the sight of her in. Penelope looked so enchanting with her hair cascading down around her in such magnificent locks of brown almost reaching her waist.
In the moonlight from the windows, her skin looked a milky white, and her shawl barely served to conceal her perky breasts. After the moment passed, it seemed as though time sped to twice its normal pace as the hungry couple rushed into each other’s embrace and drank ardently from each other’s kiss.
Penelope wove her arms through his and clung to his strong back tightly as Theo ran his hands along the course of her body down to her round bottom and grabbed each cheek in each of his hands. Then he moved his right hand up to her head and filled it with her ample chestnut curls.
Finally, he gently pulled her head back and looked down into Penelope’s pools of blue eyes, softly kissed each of her plump red cheeks, and then one more on the centre of her forehead.
“Oh, Penelope, you cannot know how you make me feel. I have never felt as alive and content as when you are in my arms. I know I should not behave this way, but my heart aches when I am away from you,” sighed Theo.
