hardly seems a fit match for you.” Penelope felt herself color, for surely the same could be said of her own husband.
Kate pushed open a door. “This is the blue suite. You have your choice of rooms, I suppose, though this is the more feminine of the two. I suspect…” She opened a cupboard. “Yes, your things have already been unpacked.”
“Already? The duchess has very efficient housemaids.”
“And you have very few possessions,” Kate said. She sounded curious.
The bedroom was spacious, with a high ceiling and two huge windows overlooking the drive and park at the front of the house. A pair of upholstered chairs were drawn up near the fireplace, and Penelope tried to focus on them. But she could not ignore the enormous bed with its tall posts, puffy mattress, and deep blue silk hangings.
If things had gone just a tiny bit differently…
They’re newlyweds , the elderly lady had said—and for just an instant the duchess had looked at Penelope as if seeking confirmation.
If at that moment Penelope had simply smiled happily, laid her head against her husband’s shoulder, and looked up at him adoringly… then they would be sharing this room. And as of tonight, everything would change.
But she had done nothing of the sort. Though she had felt a tinge of regret for letting an opportunity slip away, she could not deny the wave of relief that had followed. She knew she hadn’t imagined the way the earl’s body had gone rigid at the very idea of sharing her bedroom—and she was glad not to have to face his wrath, as she surely would have done had she manipulated him into such a public display.
“Are you all right, Penny?” Kate walked across to the washstand. “Shall I ring for a maid to bring you hot water? This pitcher is barely warm.”
“A cool rinse will be refreshing. We had a long drive, and I think I’ll rest for a while.” She took off her hat and set it atop a cabinet. “Besides, aren’t you supposed to be fetching Lady Daphne?”
Kate made a face. “She’s not going to want to be fetched—but yes, I must go and make the effort. Perhaps we can talk later? I want to hear all about your wedding.”
Penelope did not settle down to rest, however. As soon as Kate was gone, she began to explore the room. Her meager wardrobe occupied less than a tenth of the cupboard Kate had opened, and two more cabinets stood entirely empty. But the cupboards and dressing table—even the huge, high bed—did not call to Penelope. She couldn’t keep herself from looking at the door on the far side of the room, and she was drawn to look beyond.
Tentatively, she turned the handle and peeked into another blue bedroom, almost the twin of her own. If anything, the bed was even larger, draped with silk in a slightly darker shade of blue—or did the color seem different only because the drapes were closed here and the light was dimmer?
There was no evidence of occupation except for a pitcher on the washstand that felt warm against her hand. She tiptoed across the carpet and opened a cabinet. Several coats, a pile of shirts, a heap of neckcloths… Somehow, she thought, the earl’s valet had fit a great deal more into a small portmanteau than Etta had managed. Even though his manservant had been left behind to come with Etta and the baggage wagon, the earl would have no difficulty in turning himself out well. But then, he never did look anything other than cool and elegant.
Penelope could feel her hair, relieved of the weight of her hat, springing into random curls that must stick out in all directions.
The door leading into the main hallway creaked open and Penelope tensed—too nervous to run. The earl came in very quietly, and she turned to face him, biting her lip and waiting.
He glanced around the room, perhaps making certain there was no servant to overhear.
“To what do I owe the honor of this visit, ma’am?”
Why had she come to his bedroom? And having been discovered there, why hadn’t she
Kate pushed open a door. “This is the blue suite. You have your choice of rooms, I suppose, though this is the more feminine of the two. I suspect…” She opened a cupboard. “Yes, your things have already been unpacked.”
“Already? The duchess has very efficient housemaids.”
“And you have very few possessions,” Kate said. She sounded curious.
The bedroom was spacious, with a high ceiling and two huge windows overlooking the drive and park at the front of the house. A pair of upholstered chairs were drawn up near the fireplace, and Penelope tried to focus on them. But she could not ignore the enormous bed with its tall posts, puffy mattress, and deep blue silk hangings.
If things had gone just a tiny bit differently…
They’re newlyweds , the elderly lady had said—and for just an instant the duchess had looked at Penelope as if seeking confirmation.
If at that moment Penelope had simply smiled happily, laid her head against her husband’s shoulder, and looked up at him adoringly… then they would be sharing this room. And as of tonight, everything would change.
But she had done nothing of the sort. Though she had felt a tinge of regret for letting an opportunity slip away, she could not deny the wave of relief that had followed. She knew she hadn’t imagined the way the earl’s body had gone rigid at the very idea of sharing her bedroom—and she was glad not to have to face his wrath, as she surely would have done had she manipulated him into such a public display.
“Are you all right, Penny?” Kate walked across to the washstand. “Shall I ring for a maid to bring you hot water? This pitcher is barely warm.”
“A cool rinse will be refreshing. We had a long drive, and I think I’ll rest for a while.” She took off her hat and set it atop a cabinet. “Besides, aren’t you supposed to be fetching Lady Daphne?”
Kate made a face. “She’s not going to want to be fetched—but yes, I must go and make the effort. Perhaps we can talk later? I want to hear all about your wedding.”
Penelope did not settle down to rest, however. As soon as Kate was gone, she began to explore the room. Her meager wardrobe occupied less than a tenth of the cupboard Kate had opened, and two more cabinets stood entirely empty. But the cupboards and dressing table—even the huge, high bed—did not call to Penelope. She couldn’t keep herself from looking at the door on the far side of the room, and she was drawn to look beyond.
Tentatively, she turned the handle and peeked into another blue bedroom, almost the twin of her own. If anything, the bed was even larger, draped with silk in a slightly darker shade of blue—or did the color seem different only because the drapes were closed here and the light was dimmer?
There was no evidence of occupation except for a pitcher on the washstand that felt warm against her hand. She tiptoed across the carpet and opened a cabinet. Several coats, a pile of shirts, a heap of neckcloths… Somehow, she thought, the earl’s valet had fit a great deal more into a small portmanteau than Etta had managed. Even though his manservant had been left behind to come with Etta and the baggage wagon, the earl would have no difficulty in turning himself out well. But then, he never did look anything other than cool and elegant.
Penelope could feel her hair, relieved of the weight of her hat, springing into random curls that must stick out in all directions.
The door leading into the main hallway creaked open and Penelope tensed—too nervous to run. The earl came in very quietly, and she turned to face him, biting her lip and waiting.
He glanced around the room, perhaps making certain there was no servant to overhear.
“To what do I owe the honor of this visit, ma’am?”
Why had she come to his bedroom? And having been discovered there, why hadn’t she
Similar Books
