Page 73 of Five Nights with a Rakish Duke
“You are a shockingly bad liar, dear.”
* * *
Penelope stepped out of the carriage with the help of the footman and followed Veronica up the steps of the house. They had dressed finely for the evening of cards, though not too grandly as it was supposed to be a small gathering with just a few people.
“What a magnificent house!” Veronica said as they stood by the door, waiting for it to be answered. The white-pillared frontage reminded Penelope of her own home, but it was not as fine or as grand as Asher’s house was. “Do you not think?”
“Of course,” Penelope said hurriedly.
“Dear, from the look on your face, you are thinking of one thing, and one thing only at this moment. That thing is a person.”
“And?” Penelope said, shrugging as though it were no big deal.
“Do you want to torture yourself with what could have been forever more? Or do you wish to try and be happy?”
“That sounds like a trick question,” Penelope said with a sigh. Veronica could not reprimand her anymore though as the door was opened by a butler who welcomed them into the house.
“Lord Upperton is waiting for you both in the glasshouse, My Lady.”
“At this time of night? How intriguing!” Veronica said with interest as they followed behind the butler. “It must be quite magical so late at night, I shouldn’t wonder, surrounded by such beautiful plants. Do you not think, Penelope?”
“I am sorry?” she asked distractedly.
“Oh dear, you really must start paying attention to conversation.”
“My apologies,” Penelope said, chewing her lip in thought. She was beginning to wonder why she had come at all. She couldn’t escape her future forever, and now that she had agreed to court Adam, she should be moving forward with her life. She shouldn’t be hiding with her godmother playing card games at the house of a man she barely knew.
“This way,” the butler said and encouraged them to follow him down a pristine white corridor. Long, narrow, and with a vaulted ceiling, it felt like they were truly walking away from the main part of the house. At the far end, the butler opened a thick oak door, revealing the glasshouse beyond. They stepped through where instant heat filled the air.
“Oh my, is it not warm?” Veronica declared, picking up the fan that hung around her wrist and fluttering her face with it. “Is it not beautiful, Penelope?”
Around the glasshouse, candles were lit everywhere, nestled between palm trees, ferns with feathery leaves, and poinsettias with deep red flowers blooming.
“Lord Upperton,” the butler said, moving toward a man that was setting up a card table in the center of the glasshouse. “Lady Chambers and Lady Penelope, My Lord.” The butler bowed and left the glasshouse as Lord Upperton turned and clapped his hands together with delight.
“I am so pleased you could both come,” he said, bowing to them both. “Did I mention who else would be joining us this evening?”
He stepped to the side and revealed someone who sat on the other side of the card table between two ferns with his eyes going wide and a brandy glass perched in his fingers. Penelope felt her body go numb at the sight.
Asher!
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Dorian, I believe you tricked me about who your guests were this evening.” Asher hurried to place the brandy glass down on the corner of the card table and stood to his feet. By the look on Penny’s face, she was as shocked to find him there as he was her.
I will not subject myself to this agony.She was as beautiful as ever, but seeing her there only reminded him of the cold words in her letter.
“Well, maybe I tricked you a little,” Dorian said, lifting his fingers to illustrate just how little, “but I believed it was time you and Lady Penelope talked between you. Lady Chambers, I pray you will forgive my subterfuge,” he said, walking toward Lady Chambers and bowing to her.
Lady Chambers chuckled instantly, looking around at them all as though they were the greatest amusement she had ever seen. Asher snapped his gaze to Penny, only to see her trying to look at anyone but him.
“You have me intrigued indeed as to the purpose of this evening, My Lord,” Lady Veronica said.
“I take it you are aware of the connection between your goddaughter and my friend?” Dorian asked.
“You could say that,” Lady Chambers agreed with a nod.
“Excellent, then I hope it will not take much persuasion to ask you to leave with me for a few minutes, so that they may talk in private.” Dorian offered his arm to Lady Chambers.
