A Penny's Worth of Affection novel Chapter 8

He nodded and hurried off to fetch the beverage, Lucy trailing after him. Penny took a deep breath and summoned a reassuring smile at Fiona.

"I must have eaten something that does not agree with me. But it is no matter." She looked towards the door. The crowd had thinned a bit as people streamed into the lit garden. To her horror, she saw him looking in her direction too, and a wicked smile curved his lips when their eyes met. She blushed and looked away quickly, suddenly struck with the need to go home.

"Oh my, he is quite handsome," Fiona murmured, stealing covert looks whilst hiding behind her fan. "That hair! Why it is as black as midnight."

"As black as his heart more like," Penny muttered under her breath, wondering where Lucy and Lord Westbrooke had disappeared to. She looked around but could not spot them at any of the refreshment tables. Rising, she adjusted her green shawl over her shoulders, smoothed out the creases in her simple evening dress, and went in search of her sister.

She was detained by Miss Rosebury just as she reached the door leading to the gardens. Jane Rosebury was pretty, tall with dark blue eyes that shone with innocence and worry, with the sort of pale, flawless skin and fragile disposition that seemed to attract men of the ton. Of course, any man foolish enough to try to woo her would find himself at the mercy of the Duke of Newbridge.

"Miss Inglewood, I must have a word with you." Jane pleaded softly, "That is if you are not busy now?"

Penny looked about for the Duke warily. It would not do for him to see her speaking with his betrothed. "I was just about to go in search of my sister. Perhaps..."

"Oh, I don't mind coming with you. Philip has gone into Lord Margrove's library so we can have a moment's privacy."

Penny sighed. She had been about to suggest putting off the discussion till tomorrow, but the girl was determined. "Very well, shall we?"

Jane waited till they were out of earshot. "I saw you leaving the drawing room yesterday, obviously distressed." She fiddled with a ribbon on her gown nervously before continuing. "I can only guess what might have upset you so, but I know Newbridge may have done or said something upsetting? I also presume that you k–know about Edward and I?"

"What occurred yesterday hardly matters now, Miss Rosebury...I came to see you because I wished to ask you for a favour." Penny stopped to look the girl squarely in the eye. "Edward swears he will stand by you unless you reject him. I implore you to do so if only to save the man you claim to love. We both know the Duke is ruthless and will stop at nothing to destroy my family. I ask that you discourage Edward in his intentions for the good of us all."

She did not wait for his reaction but simply gathered up her skirts and stormed back into the ballroom.

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Thoughts and Assumptions

In all his thirty years, no one had spoken to him that way, not even his mother. He stared at the minuscule woman who was walking-no, limping away with a sense that he had been soundly put in his place. Him! Bested by a mere slip of a woman who barely came up to his shoulder? He shook his head slowly as if to ascertain that he was not dreaming and glanced towards where she had disappeared into the ballroom, a fresh wave of boiling rage sweeping through his entire being. The wench would learn not to cross him in future; he would make sure of that soon enough. He rubbed absently at the spot where her tiny finger had jabbed at his chest, scowling at the lingering scent of her, a fragrant mix of jasmine and lemon that seemed to have embedded itself in his nostrils.

The annoying woman had gotten under his skin somehow, and he thoroughly disliked the feeling, yet something about her words rang true, and he knew she had meant every syllable of the threat. The thought made him grimace in distaste. He was hardly finished with her though. Not until he discovered exactly what her whelp of a sibling had to do with Jane.