A Penny's Worth of Affection novel Chapter 77

"I hope so too," Penny replied. Just as he has forgotten me.

"Do you hear that?" Edward leaned on the window sill and peered out, his brow wrinkling in a puzzled frown.

Penny looked at him askance. "What is it? "

Edward shook his head and leaned out the window. "I hear hoof beats like someone is coming."

Her heart skipped a beat. Had Alasdair already come? She rose to join him at the window, and sure enough, she could hear a horse neighing in the distance though it was too dark to make out anything. "Is it, Mr. Lachlan?"

"I don't think so...It sounds as if there is only one horse, not a carriage. Who in their right mind would be riding at this hour?"

"A mad man most likely," Penny replied, still squinting into the darkness. She could now barely make out a lone rider galloping toward the cottage at a furious pace. "It is suicide to be riding that fast in the dark...The poor horse might break a leg or fall in a ditch."

Edward turned and hurried out the room, Penny following close behind, both overcome with curiosity. At the landing, they encountered a sleepy Jane looking about in confusion. "What is going on?" she demanded. "Is Mr. Lachlan here already?"

"I'm not certain it's him," Edward replied, sliding an arm around his wife's waist and leading her downstairs. "It appears we have an unknown visitor."

Penny had already reached the front door and emerged out onto the porch just as the rider pulled up the courtyard, his identity obscured by the great cloak he wore, but Penny's heart had already begun to hammer as her brain registered the familiar profile.

"Phillip?" she whispered in shock, standing transfixed as he dismounted and came towards her, pushing back the hood of his coat to reveal his thick, dark hair, unshaven jaw, and bloodshot eyes. He looked like hell as he stood close to her, and Penny felt the blood drain from her face as she stared at the face of the man she loved.

He came to stand before her, his eyes roving all over her. "Penny." "W–what are you doing here?"

"P–please say something..." Phillip prompted, his demeanour stiff with the anxiety that plagued him as he intently watched the play of emotions on his beloved's face. Her face had drained of colour, and she held on to the rails as though for dear life. Then as he watched, tears ran down her cheeks, the sight breaking him, rendering him helpless with the desire to take her in his arms and offer comfort. But he restrained himself, unsure if Penny would accept his comfort.

Finally, amidst the flood of tears that streamed down her cheeks, Penny cried out, "Why are you doing this, Phillip?" Her eyes levelled an accusing stare at him, even as she trembled from head to toe with the force of her emotions. "Why must you torment me so? Whatever have I done to deserve this misery?"

He stared at her, stunned by her outburst.

"I assure you I had no intentions of causing you further misery. I came here to make things right with you-"

"No!" she cut him off with a violent shake of her head. "You come here on the very morning I am to leave with my betrothed and tell me you have feelings for me. For three months, I have suffered your insults, your arrogance. I have borne everything because even then I was fool enough to hope you would change, but thank God; I finally saw the error in placing any sort of trust in you. Now you tell me you love me? Why?"

Phillip felt her words sear through him like a lance, each syllable piercing his soul as a thousand wounds. "I admit my actions in the past have been less than stellar, but I give you my word: I will spend every moment of the rest of my life making atonement to you. I beg your forgiveness, Penny, please."