Page 31 of The Rise of a Forsaken Lady
Righteous anger, burning red for the sake of Lady Penelope was dancing at the edges of his vision. The audacity of these men, planning to pander the lady of the show horses like a trained pony. These men did not deserve to have the lady’s name in their mouth much less have her around them.
“But even if we even tried, we’d be on the last leg,” one said. “I believe Hillbrook is the first runner for her hand, and no one might even match up soon enough. I heard that his business ventures might take him to the top of the new-money ladder. There are whispers about new openings in trade with colonies…and possibly France.” the last came out hushed.
“France!” the second’s voice was strangled in fear. “Is he mad?”
“It’s just a rumor,” the first speaker said. “Gossip, my good man. It is not final, just pure speculation.”
“Speculation might get him killed,” the first said in an unimpressed tone. “But then again, with him gone, some of us might have a chance with the lady.”
The conversation went back to Lady Penelope, but Heath’s mind was still replaying how Lord Hillbrook might have a connection with the seeder side of France even considering the embargo Napoleon himself had declared against England seven years ago in 1806. Then again, the restriction was being waived as the despot was incarcerated in Elba, and merchants were using the loophole to get as much as they could. Smuggled goods from France were a goldmine.
Heath realized they were possibly speaking of Swanville, the Bonapartist and not Hillbrook. Since the two were close, they might have mistaken one for the other. Hillbrook would never be so foolish to endanger his best friend, business partner, and his sister with such a risky business.
God forbid that Lady Penelope got in the middle of it. He moved off just before the two Lords came out. He went back to the ballroom, active seeking out Lady Penelope and sighed in relief to see her sitting with Miss Bell.
His calm evaporated when Lord Hillbrook came over to her, and knowing what he then knew about the lord, began to see the Lord in with a new set of eyes. A set of watchful eyes.
It had to be Swanville,Heath declared.It must be.
Whichever it was, speculation or the uncertainty of who was doing what and what might come after, it felt like a lit mortar bomb waiting to explode, and he hated it. Thank god, Lady Penelope was ignorant of it all, and he hoped to keep it that way as she stood for another dance.
She leaned in to hear something her partner was saying and pulled back with a smile to the lord. She looked so innocent, so…pure. She did not need to be involved in her brother’s friends’ mess.
Let her ignorance be bliss as long as it can be, he prayed.
Chapter 12
Balls are certainly not for me, Penelope mused while covering a yawn.
She was in the middle of a midday breakfast but her late night—or early morning rather—at the Blackwoods was catching up with her. Her toast was only half-eaten, but she already drank three cups of tea. Edward, on the other hand, was as bright as a lark and she was getting sour with every spirited look he gave her.
“I’m telling you again, Penelope,” her brother said with infuriatingly chipper. “Have a cup of coffee and you will wake up.”
“Not if you paid me to,” Penelope grumbled. “That smells make me nauseous. I will stick to tea, thank you.”
Mr. Moore came in with a knock and a silver tray with a card on it, “Pardon me My Lord and Lady, but Lord Hillbrook has arrived. He is requesting a visit with Lady Penelope.”
Her head snapped to that. “Beg your pardon?”
“Russell’s here?” Edward said with a delighted tone.
“For Lady Penelope,” Mr. Moore deadpanned which earned a frown from the lady in question. Mr. Moore did not show many emotions, but she had a distinct impression that he did not like the Baron much. It was not by his expression—or lack of it—or even his words. It was just a peripheral feeling she got, one more spiritual than physical.
Shifting her eyes from Mr. Moore to her brother, who was looking frankly put out, she cleared her throat, “I suppose I’ll see him in…five minutes in the sitting room. I need to get a tad more presentable. Don’t tell him that though.” The last words came out in a rush as her nerves had made a sudden appearance. Mr. Moore nodded and left the room toward the foyer while she took toward the staircase to her rooms.
What does Lord Hillbrook want from me now?
She did not need Martha to help as she only needed to change into a better dress and found a soft lilac one. She fussed with her hair and ran a bush over the top. Ready, she left to the sitting room to see Lord Hillbrook standing at the window, staring out at the side yards.
“Lord Hillbrook,” she greeted, with Martha a step behind her. “What a perplexing surprise.”
The Lord spun and smiled at her. His eyes flickered to Martha and dismissed her before going back to Penelope. “I hope not too perplexing, please. I need to speak to you.”
Now, the anxiety from before grew stronger as she smoothed her skirts and sat. She did not speak as her curious look said it all. Lord Hillbrook sat near her and reached over to take her hands. She flinched a little at the sudden touch but did not tug her hand away instantly. His blue eyes were soft and somewhat apologetic.
“I need to apologize to you, Lady Penelope,” he said. “I realize that I have been bewildering to you for many years and a bit of an irritant in trying to sway you to me, but I swear on my life that I only meant well in a bumbling sort of way. I truly am sorry. I only wanted—and still want—for you to understand that I only wanted to gain your enchanting affection.”
She blinked once, twice, then thrice. That was not what she had expected from Hillbrook at all. Flabbergasted for a moment, she sat and let the silence drag on until it was edging into awkward.
