Page 78 of Five Nights with a Rakish Duke
“Quiet? What need have we for that?” She still giggled as she turned her eyes on Penelope. “Everyone knows your business, cousin, all the details of yoursordidaffair. Why need we whisper now?”
“Margaret please,” Penelope said in desperation, stepping closer to her cousin. “Things are not quite as they appear. The Duke of Kendall has asked me to marry him.”
“To marry you?” Margaret said, lowering the glass from her lips. “Good god, you work quickly, do you not? Five nights, and you have ensnared the man I was courting in your clutches.”
“It was never meant to be like that, please, believe me.”
“It is no matter,” Margaret said, lifting her chin high and looking down at Penelope, like she was a bug on a leaf, far beneath her. “Consider I may have my justice here tonight.” Penelope flinched at the words, feeling the way Veronica placed a hand on her shoulder, restraining her.
“You… you started this rumor?” Penelope asked, realizing just what her cousin meant. “How did you…?”
“How did I know? Ha! I do not need to share every detail with you,” Margaret said, still giggling. “Consider it justice. You marred my life; I marred yours.”
“This isn’t marring,” Veronica said with vigor, stepping forward. “It is ruining someone. You have cast your cousin out of all good society, forever more!”
“Does she not deserve it?” Margaret said, widening her eyes. “Well, she deserves one other thing for what she did.” She swiveled back in Penelope’s direction and tipped the glass toward her.
Penelope veered backward, but she was not fast enough. The entire contents of the wine glass splattered onto her face, running into her eyes and stinging the very corners.
“Lady Margaret!” Veronica declared in reprimand, taking Penelope’s arm and pulling her backward.
“Oh, I say; people are looking again,” Margaret said, ready to walk away. “I rather think based on the rumor here tonight, they’ll side with me. Do excuse me, it seems I need another drink.”
As she walked off, Penelope had to blink many times, not just because of the sting of the wine, but because of the threat of tears.
“Please, Veronica,” she whispered. “Get me out of here.”
“You do not need to ask again, dear,” Veronica said, quickly steering her out of the room and toward the nearest door. Penelope was aware of people glaring at her as she went, but she held it together until they were through the first door; that’s when the tears came.
* * *
Asher couldn’t find Penny. After he had disentangled himself from his stepmother, Dorian had urged him that the best thing he could do now was to go home and wait for the gossip to die down.
I cannot do that.He wasn’t going to leave Penny alone. He searched the ballroom for her, repeatedly, but all he found were strangers and people he had once called friends glaring at him, some with clear hatred in their eyes and others with disapproval.
So much for being discreet!Even Lady Hamilton, his widowed friend, was looking at him with disapproval although he suspected that was because he had found another woman. One he had fallen in love with.
Unable to find Penny, he did find someone he needed to speak to. Lady Margaret was standing at the side of the room with what appeared to be a very self-satisfied smile on her face. Asher knew he owed her an apology and crossed the room toward her, but someone stepped between them, blocking off his access.
“Lord Larson!” he said in surprise. The Earl was standing before him with such darkness in his brow that it left little to the imagination. “I can explain, if you have heard this gossip –”
“I require no explanation from you.” Lord Larson practically spat the words, making Asher stand a little taller in defense. “You have ruined my cousin. Do you have any idea what damage you have done to my family? I should beg recompense and challenge you to a duel for what you have done.”
“A duel will not be required,” Asher said as quickly as he could, holding out a hand. “I wish to marry your cousin, My Lord. Truly, I do. I asked Lady Penelope to marry me, and she said yes.”
“She said yes?” Lord Larson looked horrified as he repeated the words, stumbling back.
“She did,” Asher said, following him and not letting him part. “This can all be repaired.”
“You mistake yourself.” Lord Larson darted his head back to Asher. The usually kindly-looking man had fire in his eyes so strong that Asher was startled by them. “You forget that I am my cousin’s guardian. To marry her, you would need my blessing.”
“Would you refuse?” Asher asked in surprise. “I can offer your cousin a comfortable life and quite a wealthy home. She would be a Duchess. She would have her estates back.”
“She would be wed to a man that would willfully ruin her honor so.” Lord Larson stepped toward him, threateningly, but Asher did not back down. He held his ground, aware they were drawing something of an audience from the crowd with gossiping witnesses looking their way.
“You need my blessing to marry her, and you can rest assured, you do not have it. In fact, you will never have it. Any illusion you had of marrying my cousin is gone.”
Lord Larson turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Asher staring after him.
