Page 21 of His Wild Duchess
“T-The animals, I could not work aroundthem.”
“Oh, dear,” Penelope muttered, reaching to grab the girl’s shaking hands. “Few ever can. Are you frightened?”
“I-I was,” she replied in a whisper. “Are they angry?”
“No, no, they are rarely angry. But they are excitable, especially when it looks like there is someone new to play with.”
Clarissa smiled slightly at that. “Very well.”
With Penelope’s hand tight around her, she led the maid off the bed and introduced her to the dogs. Above them, perched on a bookshelf, was the tabby cat Butternut, who watched with narrowed green eyes. Clarissa, who was positively petite in comparison to Penelope, gave each animal a reserved scratch behind the ear, growing more comfortable with them all by the end.
“I never met a group of pleasant dogs before,” Clarissa mused as she rubbed the foxhound Priory’s belly. “I suppose this is rather uncouth of me. I apologize, your Grace.”
“Please, call me Penelope.” Squatting down on the floor beside the dogs, Penelope avoided looking the lady’s maid in the eye. “Don’t think me peculiar, but I’ve never had a lady’s maid and I’m truthfully not sure what to do with one.”
Clarissa looked up at her. “Really?”
“I’ve never considered myself a lady, much less in need of a maid.”
Clarissa glanced around dejectedly. “Shall I leave then?”
“Heavens, no,” Penelope quickly said, giving the girl a wide grin. “Who else would look after the dogs?”
“Oh, I couldn’t possibly -”
“Are you paid well?”
Clarissa gaped. “Y-your Grace, is that… proper?”
“I’ll pay you more, just for your company.”
The maid stared at her with wide eyes. “That feels too kind.”
Penelope sighed. “I only wish for a friend, Clarissa. Do whatever duties you please. Report back to stuck-up Mrs. Howard that the animals refuse to behave. All I ask is -”
“Friendship,” Clarissa finished with a small smile. “I’ve never made so many friends in one day.” She glanced around the room at the settled dogs, two of them resting their heads in the girl’s small lap. “I feel quite accomplished.”
“You are!”
“Mrs. Howard did mention a need for a dress,” Clarissa said. “I pulled one out of your wardrobe.”
Penelope climbed to her feet, crossing the room to inspect the gown that hung off the side of the wardrobe’s door. It was a green gown, much like the color of leaves when the sun hits it just right. All of it was dreadfully simple and light, with a pair of white gloves to match. Penelope dragged her fingers across the material, nerves again filling her chest. While it was a beautiful thing, the idea of wearing it around the Ton was frightening.
“It’s perfect,” she murmured.
“Are you sure? You look sad.”
“Most balls end up quite glum for me, Clarissa.” Penelope left the gown hanging outside the wardrobe and went to the door. “Look after the pack, won’t you?”
Before the girl could reply, Penelope slipped out of the bedroom. Despite trying to use Clarissa’s presence as a distraction, both Titus and Brutus slipped out the crack in the door behind Penelope, their large feet smacking loudly against the floor.
Going down the stairs, Penelope caught a glimpse of George crossing the foyer, a few envelopes stuck beneath his arm.
“Your Grace!”
George paused, looking up at her. His face twisted almost immediately with tension and agitation. “Well, well,” he drawled, “Mother Nature herself blesses me with her presence.”
Penelope slowed as she descended the stairs, no longer paying attention to where the dogs went. “What the devil is that supposed to mean?”
