Page 10 of A Duke's Wicked Secret
“Pen, you know how nervous I get playing in front of people. Why would you ever suggest such a thing?” asked Georgina.
“You play in front of me all the time and have practiced so diligently with me for this musicale. You will be amazing, Georgina. Now go up there; they are all waiting.”
“OK, I will do this … but if it goes poorly, I shall never be able to face your mother again. You know how she takes pride in hosting flawless events.”
“Hush, you are incredible, and they will be basking in your talents, my dearest friend,” Penelope encouraged.
A few of the other guests asked Penelope as she passed them by if she was alright, and she assured them all that she was perfectly well. Just then, Penelope noticed that Mr Davenport was about to take a seat in the middle back, and she beckoned him over to her and said, “Mr Davenport, please come and sit here in the front. Georgina truly is a magnificent pianist; you will surely want the best seat to take it all in.”
Not only from this seat could he get a better position to listen to Georgina play, but more importantly, he would be able to relish in the sight of her sweet figure and watch her lovely small lips as she sang her sonnets and her fingers danced across the keys of the grand piano.
Shortly after the music had begun, Penelope made her way inconspicuously from the room in search of a way to ease the pain in her wrist. It felt as though it had started to swell already. After Penelope left the room, she noticed the duke soon followed her.
“That does not look good, Ms Ainsworth. Will you please allow me to take a closer look at it so that I can be sure it is not broken?” Theo asked. Penelope considered declining his offer but honestly enjoyed being at the centre of his attention, so she agreed.
Theo took Penelope’s small hand into both of his, and with his right hand, he pulled her silk glove off to see the state of her injury. He looked at her hand and gently moved it into various positions to test for any problems. This was the first time Theo had ever touched Penelope’s bare skin, and she struggled not to get caught up in the feel of his skin on hers or thoughts of what it would be like to feel those fingertips brushing over her body.
At that same moment, Penelope felt a surge of pleasure that caused her to lose track of the pain in her wrist. His hands made hers appear so small in comparison, and their toughness made her feel excited and secure. Then he moved her wrist a certain angle, and Penelope inhaled quickly, and her face winced in pain. Theo seemed to see this and let go of her hand instantly.
“I am not a doctor obviously, but I would wager that it is not broken, or your pain level would be much higher. I would just think it is slightly twisted and will be a bit sore and tender for the next few days,” Theo assessed.
All this took place with Penelope and Theo completely oblivious to the fact that they had been watched by such a furious peeper who had just stormed out of the house.
“Thank you so much for your help and consideration. I sincerely am very pleased you decided to come today. Although you are now missing the entire event due to my clumsiness,” Penelope said.
“I am perfectly happy. If I am permitted to be just as frank, you are the only reason I chose to make an appearance today. It had not a thing to do with the music, although I am sure you are a great talent, but I am sure you must be disappointed not to be able to show this to Mr Davenport,” responded Theo.
At this declaration, Penelope’s heart soured to the highest heights, but with the second part of his statement, she was entirely confused.
“Mr Davenport … No, honestly my intention was for him to hear my friend, Ms Georgina play, definitely not myself. He seems very nice, but I do not wish to have his attention by any means,” answered Penelope with clarity.
“Oh … Then why did you make a point of him being here today and coming to my estate to deliver the invitation personally?”
“Well, I cannot share secrets that are not mine to tell, but I will say that it was for someone dear to me that I did all this for,” Penelope stated coyly and looked pointedly at Georgina and then Alexander, who at this moment seemed as though he were lost in a trance by her playing.
vTheo followed Penelope’s gaze and understood completely, as is typical of a man finally becoming enlightened to what a woman would have seen as obvious from the start. The realization that Penelope was not interested in his best friend for herself but for Ms Georgina washed over him like a soothing wave, and he relished it.
“I must say I have been disappointed to have not run into you out on my morning rides in the past few days. You missed so many opportunities to admonish my rash choices,” Penelope mentioned with a smirk.
“Well, I would have liked to, but unfortunately, business has forced me to stay up long into the young hours of the morning, and I have not retired until almost daybreak. Hence, I have had to forgo the pleasure of my morning rides,” answered Theo.
“I hope your business concludes soon so you may resume your rides. I know how trapped I feel on the days I don’t ride Phoenix.”
“Yes, it will soon. Another reason I lectured you so when we first met about your riding alone is that I have had first-hand experience of the things that can go awry when riding,” Theo said.
“Oh, is that so? What happened to you, Your Grace?”
“This scar you see here on my chin is from a bad fall I had off my pony when I was but a lad. It is but one of many. I was terribly reckless as a child. I about killed my mother in the process.”
“I am quite shocked to hear that is how you got that scar!” declared Penelope.
“Humph, you thought I got it in a lapse of my sanity, correct?” Theo laughed.
“No, I did not ever think that, though I had been told something of the sort. What I meant, Your Grace, was that I would never have seen you as someone that would have been reckless even as a child,” Penelope answered with passion. This was a pleasant change for Theo and served to soften him all the more towards her.
“Will you please do me the great honour of calling me Theo? Please, Ms Ainsworth. I thought you had said we were to be friends, did you not?”
“Yes, I can do that. And Theo, let me start this friendship off on the correct path by stating once and for all I know you are not mad. So please do not hold that same defensiveness around me,” Penelope stated.
