Page 66 of The Rise of a Forsaken Lady
“When you were gone, I…” she dropped her head, “I took a ride…a gallop, and I asked Mr. Moore to stay with me. I knew you would be angry, Eddie so I swore him to secrecy.” Looking up at Heath, Penelope pressed him with her eyes to follow her lead. “I know it was not right of me, Mr. Moore, as Edward was the one to hire you and ultimately, you are under his authority. I am sorry for forcing you to keep my secret.”
Her voice had dipped to timid and her eyes flicked up to see Edward’s lips tighten. His eyes were still suspicious and a dubious eye lifted, “Is that right, Mr. Moore?”
Crossing her fingers behind her back, Penelope prayed he would take her lead.
“It is, My Lord,” Heath’s voice was apologetic. “I am thankful I can explain myself now. Lady Penelope did ask me to stay with her during the ride. We took advantage of your absence, and time strayed from us.”
“We?” Lord Hillbrook’s tone was acidic.
“Yes, we,” Penelope said staunchly, “I roped him into my deception, so yes, it is we, My Lord.”
Giving up on this ludicrous line of suspicion, Edward sagged. “You know, Russell, it could really have been a stray bullet, not an assassin. It can be a mix-up. It was a hunt after all.”
The Baron did not look pleased as Edward unknitted his brows.
An assassin? Is that what Hillbrook suggested? And that it was Heath who did it? How could he think such a thing? What a bounder in a coxcomb! I cannot believe I was about to think he had changed.She held in her bristle.
“Edward, are you saying that the man got shot while hunting?” She said tightly. “Whilehunting?”
“Yes, Penelope, while hunting,” Edward replied sourly. There was a line of fatigue deepening around his eyes.
He was stressed, and she could see it, but that did not let up for his lack of basic logic. Anyone was in danger of getting shot during a hunt.
“I would want to scold you about those rides but since you’re not going to stop, and I’ve wasted too much time and breath shouting at the wind, it makes no sense to. You are excused, Mr. Moore. I apologize for the mishap. You must understand the pressure I am under.”
“I do, My Lord,” Heath nodded and bowed, “My Lady?”
“Oh,” Penelope blinked, remembering the reason she had gone to Edward in the first place. “When are these men going to leave?”
“When they are good and ready,” Edward rolled his eyes.
Huffing, Penelope turned, “Good day, Eddie!”
She stalked out with Heath in step with her. Though wanting to look at him, Penelope stopped from doing so and strode from the house out into the back, heading toward the stables. She had to ask Heath why she had just lied to her brother for him and there was no safe place to do so except the stables.
As she got to the door, Heath reached around and opened one half of the large double-doors for her and she slipped inside with a thankful smile over her shoulder. “Ever the gentleman.”
Stopping at Duke’s stall, she spun to him and placed her hands akimbo. Leaning in she said, “Will you tell me why I had to lie to my brother?”
He came closer and rested his hands on her shoulders. “Penelope, I simply lost track of time.”
“Why do I feel that you are lying to me?” She asked while searching his eyes. “Are you lying to me, Heath?”
Mirthless, he slid his hands to her arms. “I have no reason to.”
Penelope stared at him, wishing she could believe him. Wanting to turn a blind eye to how mysterious Heath was and how he knew so much about her brother’s ignoble friends. Leaning forward to rest her head on his chest she sighed, “I know you’re keeping something from me, Heath. I just ask that you tell me the truth soon.”
His hand pressed on the small of her back and his lips brushed against her ear. “I forgot how perceptive you are.”
Nuzzling into his chest she smiled, “Shame on you.”
The rumbles in his chest made her laugh softly. “Can you dance, Heath?”
In answer, her hand was taken, and a large palm slipped to the small of her back, a more intimate hold than one used in formal dancing. She was also held much closer, with merely an inch of space between them. Gemstone eyes were lit with a smoldering fire in their depths, and Penelope was mesmerized.
The walkway was wide enough for her to be twirled but she did not want to part from his arms for the mere seconds it would take for him to do so. He tried but she stopped him and with a kiss to her forehead, he kept swirling them around only to hear a voice clearing a throat. Heath was about to lurch away when she stopped him, “It’s only Martha.”
Nevertheless, he still stepped away. Over his shoulder, she looked at the maid who had an arched eyebrow and said, “You are in an open space, My Lady. You’re lucky I was the one who walked in or you would have had hell to pay. You have to be more discreet from now on.”
