Page 57 of His Wild Duchess
Staring at him with narrowed eyes, Fred waved his hand at him tiredly. “I ain’t ever gonna understand that ‘Ton’ nonsense.”
“Aristocratic baloney,” Winnifred said with a wave of her hand. “WhatI’mthinkin’ ‘bout is how that youngun’ we once knew has a Manor. Can you believe that, Freddie?”
Fred shook his head with a sigh. “I don’t think I can!”
“Look at ‘im now!” Winnifred laughed proudly, holding her glass up in the air boisterously, causing the maroon wine to spill and splosh over her hands. “A Duke, for Heaven’s sake!”
“A Duke with,” Fred motioned down the table at Penelope, “A lovely bride.”
“I wouldn’tdareforget the lovely Pen,” Winnifred said, giving her a wink. “Cheers, to the beautiful couple!”
As the trio raised their glasses, Penelope tried to meet George’s gaze, but it felt as though he tried his very best to avoid it. With a small smile, Penelope raised her glass alongside them as they cheered, unable to feel the same joy they so obviously reveled in.
Moments after the toast, they began to rise from the table, finishing with their meal. As the servants trickled in, Penelope hung back, giving Antony the patience and time to come out ofhis own accord. George eagerly took his old friends on a tour through the townhouse, already telling them the circumstances of his stallion, Vaun.
Vaun!
When the trio were at the dining room’s threshold, George turned on his heel, expecting for her to follow.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Penelope said instead, “I thought I might take a walk outside.”
George stepped towards her. “Let us accompany you, then.”
“There is no need. You have guests.”
He took another step forward, eyes widening with an expression she could not understand. “Wehave guests.”
“Is this a part of the deal?”
George retreated, obviously taken aback. “Of course not.”
“Then, please, excuse me for the rest of the evening. I believe fresh air might do me some good.”
He stared at her for a moment longer before turning back towards his company, gesturing towards the hall for their tour. Despair twinged at Penelope’s heart but she shoved it away assoon as it came. Why bother herself over a marriage that was all a sham in the first place?
Once Antony had clobbered out from underneath the dining table, making sure to stick close to her side, Penelope left the dining room, and made her way towards the back of the townhouse. The evening air was crisp and carried a chill as she left the house and towards the stable. There wouldn’t be a stablehand by that hour, leaving her to do as she pleased. With a newfound springin her step, Penelope slunk into the stable.
Inside, Fiona had come to her stall door at the sound of Penelope entering. The creamy white mare whickered and tossed her head. With a wide smile on her face, Penelope reached up, running her hands through the mare’s hair mane and along her neck. Just those simple moments gave her a sense of ease.
A rustle came from the opposite side of the stable. Looking over her shoulder, Penelope saw Vaun watching from afar, almost blending into the shadows with his dark coat. Leaving Fiona’s side, Penelope approached the stallion steadily, her hand raised for him to remember her scent. Before she had stepped within his stall, the steed already moved to meet her in the middle, recognizing her and ready to be touched.
As she scratched behind his ears, staring deeply into his warm, dark eyes, Penelope seemed to see someone else she knew in the stallion’s heart.
“You are a lot like your master, you know,” Penelope whispered. Vaun’s ears twitched at the sound of her voice. “Dark andstoic, covered with walls and…and thoughtsI cannot quite understand.” Leaning, she rested her head on Vaun’s side, feeling his heartbeat, gentle and even, against her skin. “But deep down, there’s only love, isn’t there?”
Vaun’s tail flicked and swished behind him.
Glancing over at the wall, Penelope caught a glimpse of a saddle. Without the slightest bit of convincing, she ran over to it, mischievously snatching the saddle and carrying it over her head back into the stallion’s stall. Vaun patiently waited as she saddled him up, careful not to push his boundaries too much. After a few slow minutes, Penelope managed to climb up, getting herself comfortable and situated. Reaching down, she ran her hand across his neck, feeling how calm he was, no stutter or nerves present.
“Thank you,” she whispered, before urging him to walk on.
Together, they made their way out of the stable and into the early evening air. Vaun threw his head about, obviously pleased to stretch his long legs and get out of the small stall. The pace was slow and gentleat first, just following the curved path that Penelope usually took with the dogs each afternoon. But soon, after a few rounds, Penelope leaned forward, feeling that Vaun’s energy was beginning to grow.
Within an instant, the stallion was blazing around the yard, his hair flowing majestically in the wind. Penelope held on tight but felt no semblance of fear. There was only the feeling of therushing wind, and how fast she forgot all her worries when upon the stallion.
As Vaun wore himself out, lowering back to a simple walk, Penelope’s eyes focused on a few figures approaching from the back of the townhouse. The closer they got, the quicker she was able to recognize George and Fred standing in front of the stable. Her gaze zeroed in on George instantly.
While the last time she had ridden Vaun resulted in a shouting match, but now George did not seem to have a traceof anger on his mind. It was an odd expression, with a tightly wound brow and the corner of his lip twitching into a frown. She couldn’t quite understand it. Penelope pulled her gaze away, the worry from the dinner returning to her heart once more.
