Page 73 of Love in the Time of Scandal
After a long soak and two cups of hot tea, Abigail helped her out of the tub and into a thick nightgown. She combed Penelope’s hair and put her to bed, waving aside Penelope’s protest upon realizing it was Abigail’s own bed.
“Mama gave me the furniture from my room at Hart House so we have plenty of beds now.” She tucked the blankets securely around Penelope. “Sebastian and I will be down the hall.” She banked the fire and tidied the room, pausing at the door. “Shall I make up another bed for Benedict?”
“No,” she said at once. She could only hope he would want to come to her, once he’d recovered from being nearly drowned, thanks to her.
The door opened sometime later, startling her from a restless sleep. She’d been fighting to keep her eyes open, hoping he would come. “Ben,” she mumbled, trying to push herself up even though her body felt like it had been turned to lead.
“Yes.” He eased beneath the covers, curling himself around her body. His lips brushed her neck. “I’m here.”
She went limp again. “Thank goodness. I was so afraid...”
“I had a moment or two of alarm myself.” He kissed her again before drawing her snugly into his arms. “Who would have thought sneaking out to swim the river as a lad would prove so useful?”
She gave a wheezy laugh, which somehow turned into a sob. “I’m sorry, so sorry. It was my fault...”
“No.” His voice was fierce. “Don’t say that. It was Clary’s fault alone...”
Not quite. Benedict’s voice trailed off, and Penelope knew what he was thinking. It was also his father’s fault, even if Stratford had had no part in shoving her over the side. She swallowed hard. “But I urged you to go on the boat. You were right, we should have refused—”
“I wish we had,” he said with feeling, “but neither of us knew. Your arguments were logical; I agreed with them. If you’re at fault for innocently suggesting a false course, I am even more at fault for consenting, for I knew all along what my father is.”
“He wants to find Olivia,” she murmured. “Olivia Townsend is the woman Clary was abusing the night you saved me from him, and she’s the one who needed two hundred pounds so she could leave London. Clary demanded I tell him where she is, and he said your father wants to know as well.”
“Both of them may go to perdition, with my compliments.”
“He pushed me over because I wouldn’t tell him...” She turned her head, trying to meet his eye. “Clary was waiting in the cabin.”
“I know. Penelope, if I’d had any idea he was on board, we would never have set foot on that yacht, no matter what my father threatened.”
She shivered. “What will they do now?”
Benedict’s face hardened. “I don’t know, but neither will ever have another chance to hurt you.”
“What about your mother?”
He touched one finger to her lips. “Not even if it means I never see her again, either.”
“You saved my life,” she whispered.
“So surprised!” He smiled. “Did you think I wouldn’t?”
She closed her eyes. “I didn’t know.”
“I jumped over the side as soon as I realized you were in the water, praying it wasn’t too late. Thank heavens you can swim.”
Penelope thought of all the times she had thought badly of him, all the slights she had cast on his character. Things had improved between them, but he’d risked his life for her. Her throat closed up at how close they had both come to dying. Wordlessly she gripped a fold of his nightshirt.
He must have sensed what she couldn’t say. “I love you, Penelope.” His arms tightened around her, as warm and strong as ever. “Enough to die for you.”
She was motionless for a moment, then twisted to face him. “What?”
“I love you.” He rested his forehead against hers. “You once told me it was the most important thing in marriage, after all...”
“But you don’t believe in it.”
Slowly he shook his head. “I had never seen a marriage based on love and respect. Nor did I expect to.”
She avoided his gaze, and her hands braced against his chest as he tried to gather her closer. “You didn’t even want to. I’m not the sort of girl you wanted to marry at all.”
