Page 5 of The Rise of a Forsaken Lady
“They can wait until after dinner,” Edward grasped the bag and handed it off to Mr. Gastrell. “Tell us about your trip.”
Following behind them, Penelope entered the dining room where instead of a chandelier being lit above, the room was bright with enough candlelight to keep the room adequately lit, but was just a touch too intimate, in Penelope’s opinion.
The long table was set with the cloths for each course, and before Penelope could sit, Lord Hillbrook was pulling the chair out for her. “Here you go, My Lady.”
His lips were too close to her ear, but she did not say a word. Edward had not noticed because Stephen’s words were timed perfectly to Edward’s head twisting over his shoulder while directing the waiting footman.
As they sat, the servants poured the wine and set fragrant bowls of white soup before them. Penelope would have wanted something more unconventional like rabbit stew but Lord Hillbrook was more traditional, and her brother would never relent for her in favor of his friend.
“America is amazing, a little backwater to be honest, but I did like the city of New York,” Lord Hillbrook said. “You should come, Dawson. The American social seasons are much more lax than ours.”
Edward’s brows lifted, “Are you that ready to sell me off, Russell?”
The Baron shrugged, “You have not had any luck with these debutantes; why not choose something out of the norm? You look like you could do well with some spice.”
“Russell!” Edward gaped. “For shame, man! My sister is here!”
Penelope gently sat her spoon down and wiped her mouth, “Brother, do you really think I am that naïve?”
“You are not experienced either,” Edward glared.
“And you, Lady Penelope,” Lord Hillbrook turned his benign but somehow predatory eyes on her. “How are you on that front?”
“Unattached,” Penelope replied simply.
“And not seeking either,” Edward said in retaliation.
Now it was her turn to glare, “Thank you, Eddie, I had not noticed.”
Stephen’s delightful laugh broke up the siblings near-squabble, “I am glad to see that nothing between you have changed. I think both of you could benefit from going to New York, Dawson you can get a lady, and Penelope can marry me.”
It was said in a tease, but her stomach still twisted.
“I have to decline,” Edward sighed while sitting back. Servants removed the bowls and set down the food for the next course. While her brother chose roasted beef and Stephen chose fish, she opted for a beef pie.
The conversation meandered between safe topics until dessert came along. Stephen called for his bag to be brought over, and while the table was being set, he pulled out a box and handed it to Penelope.
“My gift to you, Lady Penelope,” Stephen smiled.
Swallowing over the lump in her throat, Penelope took it and opened it. Inside were lines of tiny finger-shaped wafers that had the intoxicating scent of chocolate and spice.
“Er…” Penelope asked, “Pardon me, what are these?”
“Biscotti,” Stephen replied, “An old Italian treat that is normally baked twice to get it hard, but I asked my friend’s contact to make them softer than that, more cake like.”
“Thank you…?” Penelope said as she shifted the box in her hands.
“Try one,” the Baron encouraged, and she looked up to see Edward giving her a permissive nod.
She took the nearest wafer and bit into it. The cake melted into the mouth and the sweetness erupted over her tongue. She swallowed, “It is divine.”
“Wonderful,” Stephen grinned and leaned forward. “Now that you’re bitten it, I do hope the love potion will begin to work.”
Penelope nearly hacked up a lung. “Excuse me? What love potion?”
Chapter 3
The one-bedroom home Heath arrived to was as empty as he had left it. It was the home he rarely used whenever he was not employed with various Lords. Thankfully, he was moving into Dawson’s home on the morrow.
