Page 77 of Five Nights with a Rakish Duke
“What is going on?” Lady Chambers cried. “It is as though they are staring at a circus act.” She reached for the wine on the table and began to pour them three glasses. “Something tells me we will need this.”
“I do not understand. Why are they staring in that way?” Penny asked, looking up at Asher. Seeing the worry in her eyes, he wished desperately to take it away from her, but he didn’t know how to do it.
“Ah…” he said, noticing how Dorian was across the room and hurrying to disentangle himself from a lady he was talking to. He practically pushed past other guests to try and reach Asher. “Something tells me Dorian might be able to give us a clue. He hardly looks happy either.”
“What on earth did you two tell people!?” Dorian hissed as he reached their side. They all bent their heads together, trying to hear him.
“What on earth do you mean?” Asher asked. “I haven’t yet announced our betrothal.”
“You have not heard the gossip?”
“We have only just arrived,” Lady Chambers explained, gesturing to their entrance. “What gossip, Lord Upperton?”
“It is all over the ballroom. There is not a soul here that is not talking about it,” Dorian said, shaking his head.
“Dorian, please stop being cryptic,” Asher pleaded. “What is going on?”
“Everyone knows of your tryst,” Dorian said in a whisper, gesturing between Asher and Penny.
“E-everyone?” Penny stammered.
“Everyone!” Dorian emphasized it. “And they are embellishing the tale with their own details too. You should hear the stories. Everyone is talking about a five-night affair. Lady Penelope, your reputation is being dragged through the mud here tonight. Asher… there are gentlemen cursing your name.”
“This is not possible,” Penny said, her hand beginning to tremble through Asher’s.
“How on earth did they find out?” Asher asked, lifting his other hand and placing it over Penny’s, trying his best to quell her shakes.
“Who knows!” Dorian cried. “Does that even matter now? This is awful. I have never heard such slander as I have heard tonight.”
Penny retracted her hand from Asher’s. He snapped his head toward her, desperate to have that touch back.
“I… I need to speak to my cousins,” she said, gesturing across the room.
“Not now, surely. Penny, we need to deal with this.”
“The best thing you two can do now is put distance between you this evening. You do not want to fuel this gossip,” Lady Chambers said and took Penny’s shoulder, steering her away from Asher. “Trust me, Your Grace. Penelope being on your arm at this moment only makes it worse for both of you.”
“Surely not. Let us just announce the betrothal. Surely it would quell the rumors?” Asher asked. Penelope looked back to him with clear hope in her eyes.
“But… I need to tell my cousins first.” He nodded, knowing she was right.
“For now, we must put distance between you.” Lady Chambers urged Penny forward another time.
“It is for the best, Asher,” Dorian said, trying to hold him back, but Asher wasn’t so sure. The more he saw Penny cross the room, the more he saw people turning to follow her with glowering gazes.
I will not let her suffer their gossip alone.He went to follow her, but someone stepped in his way, making him lose sight of just where Penny had gone.
“Asher, is there something you need to tell me?” His stepmother had appeared practically from nowhere with her hands on her hips.
“Well…” he trailed off, unsure what to say.
* * *
Penelope couldn’t find Adam, but she did find Margaret, standing at the side of the room, tipping a glass of sparkling wine toward her lips and smiling to herself.
“Margaret, I must speak to you,” Penelope said, hurrying to her side, with Veronica following closely behind.
“Perhaps we should go somewhere quieter for this conversation?” Veronica suggested, pointing to a nearby doorway, but Margaret merely laughed in response.
