Page 21 of A Duke's Wicked Secret
As soon as Penelope got home and rushed to change so that no one would see her damp clothes, she headed down to the breakfast table. On her way down, Georgina caught her in the corridor and pulled her into an empty sitting room.
“Georgina, what are you doing?”
“That is my question! Pen, I know something is going on with you. Please talk to me and tell me! Why are you being so distant now; we have never had any secrets; please do not start now,” pleaded Georgina.
“I am sorry, Georgie; I did not mean to make you feel this way. You know that I trust you implicitly. It is just that I have not been sure of how to share this with you.” Penelope paused before continuing and checked the adjoining rooms to ensure no one was within earshot of their conversation.
“Whatever can it be that you must be so secretive about it?” asked Georgina impatiently.
“Hush! Lower your voice, Georgie, and come over here so we can speak without being overheard,” stated Penelope as she sat on a sofa in the centre of the room. Georgina sat beside her, and Penelope quietly told her all about her secret affair with the duke.
Georgina was very quiet for a long time after Penelope had finished telling her everything, and Penelope grew more anxious by the minute. Finally, she could no longer take it and broke the painful silence between them.
“Georgina, please speak and tell me what you are thinking; I beg of you, do not leave me in suspense any longer! Tell me if you think I am the most wicked and uncouth woman you know if you must, but just tell me.”
“Penelope, I am not silent because I judge you but rather because I am in such a state of shock. You have always been so reserved and uninterested in suitors that, in truth, at times, I have wondered if you wished to marry a man. You simply seemed so picky. I thought you may not ever find one to suit your fancy,” Georgina revealed.
At the realization of Georgina’s meaning, Penelope threw her head back and laughed heartily.
“Oh, Georgina, how I love you, my dear friend. To think that you have thought this of me and yet continued to be my closest friend with no regard to how it would reflect on your reputation to have an old maid as your best friend.”
“Well, it would not have mattered to me. I honestly feel that what one likes to do in their bed chambers is their business and no one else’s, but I am glad to know you are not, for I have always wanted us to be mothers together someday!”
“So do I, Georgina; it is something I look forward to eagerly.”
“Now, back to you and the duke. This is absolutely marvellous! I am so happy that you have found yourself a love match. Mr Alexander has long since made it evident that he is perfectly sane and good, so I have no worries about that. I mean, how could he be anything other than perfect, seeing as he is the best and oldest friend of my Alex, I mean, Mr Davenport.”
Georgina blushed.
Penelope smiled and ensured Georgina that she was correct in this regard; Theo was perfect.
“Now, we simply have to find a way to make your father see that the duke is worthy of you and not umm ... well, mad, you know. For now, though, let us go down to the breakfast table. I am terribly famished!”
With that, both girls giggled and walked down to breakfast arm in arm as they had done so many times before. At the breakfast table, Penelope’s mother reminded them to be on their best behaviour at the dinner party they were hosting at home tonight and that she expected both of them to be prepared to each play at least two sonnets for their guests before the night was through.
Penelope and Georgina ate their breakfast and then dutifully went up to the music room in the east wing to practice their music pieces for the night ahead.
“I do not see why I have to play again,” protested Georgina when they were alone in the music room.
“Well, I would not want to do it with anyone but you, Georgie,” remarked Penelope as she smirked.
“That is quite true. We do make quite the entertaining pair, do we not?” As Georgina said this, she danced around the room, inviting Penelope to join her.
The hours of the day passed slowly, and Penelope often thought of Theo and wondered what he was doing or if he was also thinking of her at that exact moment. How she wished that he were going to be in attendance at this droll dinner party! Then it would suddenly be something to look forward to rather than dread.
Georgina’s mention of motherhood had her wondering what Theo would be like as a father. Amid her daydream about him holding their first-born son, she was startled by Bessie entering the parlour to inform her that her bath was prepared and ready.
This was a small dinner party of just five and twenty; most were older and spoke of nothing of interest. Only when Penelope heard mention of Mr Rupert Lancaster and his return from France did Penelope’s interest peak.
“Ahh, yes, that is right. I also heard that he was involved in multiple business ventures there, and not one ended profitably for him. Now he has returned to see what grift he can sell here,” Lady Willcox gossiped.
“I despise that man and pity the poor woman that had the ill luck of being his wife. I would wager she died just to finally escape the wretched old bastard!” stated another lord in the party.
“Well, what can be expected of a man that worked for the Mad Duke for years?” Lady Willcox responded. “He now tries to convince everyone that he did so under duress and only because he could not leave until the old duke’s death. Once he had passed, Mr Lancaster told the young duke he refused to continue working for an insane family.”
“I do not blame him for that choice. Who would do so? Why it is downright dangerous! The other day, I heard him and the young Carlton lad talking about seeing the duke being given what he rightfully deserves. Whatever that means,” added the lord.
Penelope had heard enough and went to her mother.
