Page 52 of Snapdragons
“We want to return in time to change for supper,” Lord Aldric said. “So, we had best be on our way.”
Lord Jonquil snapped a salute. “As you command, General!”
The gentlemen were soon on their way, clearly looking forward to their outing. Penelope suspected she would have enjoyed going with them. But she also knew she would enjoy spending the afternoon with the ladies. All her life, she’d imagined finding friends with whom she could simply be the person she was and be liked and appreciated for it. She got along well with the people in Dublin but had nothing beyond a friendly acquaintance with any of them. Her neighbors thought her odd. To have a group such as this—friends who were family to each other and who liked each other as they were—would be a dream come true.
“Though we like to joke about their tendency toward the ridiculous,” Violet said, “they are good men, every last one of them.”
“Why did they give you the nickname of Lily?” Penelope asked.
“Because they can’t spellViolet.” Violet offered the answer with perfect seriousness, but that lasted only a moment before being replaced by laughter. “I acquired the nickname during an evening parlor game. My sweet Kester, not realizing how much of his heart he was revealing, compared me to a lily-of-the-valley flower and waxed long and eloquent about how delightful he thought I was. I have been Lily ever since.”
Penelope turned to Nicolette. “Niles told me you are called Le Capitaine.”
Nicolette nodded. “A name also acquired during a game.”
“What name do you suppose they would give Penelope?” Violet asked Nicolette.
Penelope answered. “Whatever they are able to spell, I’d wager.”
Violet’s smile grew. “Perhaps they would choose to call you Kitty.”
“Kitty?” Penelope repeated, unsure of the reason for the guess.
“On account of your connection to Puppy.”
“He said we weren’t to be enemies,” Penelope objected. “Cats and dogs generally are.”
“I didn’t mean it that way,” Violet said. “Cats and dogs don’t get along. But kittens and puppies, when brought together while still young, can actually be very good friends.”
“I am hopeful that we can find a friendly connection.”
“Would it surprise you, Penelope,” Nicolette asked, “to hear that we are increasingly hopeful of the same thing?”
“It would, a little.” Her mind and heart were heavy where Niles was concerned. “I should have been more sincere with him.”
“Posh.” Violet shook her head. “I’ve watched the two of you interact the last two days, and everything I saw appeared entirely genuine.”
“It didn’t feel genuine, not on my part.” Penelope wasembarrassed to admit as much, but she felt she owed it to her integrity to be honest about her behavior.
“You’ll not convince me that the look on your face when Niles laughed a moment ago was anything butgenuinetenderness.”
“I have come to realize what a lovely person he is,” Penelope said. “He is kind and considerate. Just being in company with him makes me happy in a way so few people do. But the feeling is not mutual. He is content to call our connection a potentialfriendship. I’ve only two days left here as it is. Nothing more could come of my increasingly tender feelings, so I think it best not to impose upon him further.”
“Why only two days?” Nicolette asked.
“My brother has said that Niles’s continued disinterest is embarrassing and we are to depart for Ireland the day after tomorrow.” Penelope released a tense breath. “I ran out of time.”
“And if you don’t wish to leave?” Violet asked.
Penelope shrugged. “I don’t have a choice.”
Her new friends both leaned forward.
“If Julia has taught us anything,” Violet said conspiratorially, “it is that wealwayshave a choice. Let’s sort out what choices you actually have.”
“Earlier this year, I found myself in a similar situation to yours now,” Nicolette said. “I had fallen entirely in love with my Henri when my brother declared that I was to leave England, and he would hear no objections. Leaving Henri was impossible for my heart to accept, but like you, I was very much at the mercy of my brother’s whims.”
“What did you do?”
