Page 14 of The Spy and His Lady Love
Penelope didn’t careif Newbury could never dance. She was being polite. Because truthfully, she didn’t know what the extent of his injury to his knee was. For all she knew, he would heal in time and be swinging her around the dance floor in the future. As for Mr. Sinclair, she would hide in the retiring room for hours to avoid dancing… or waltzing…with him as she’d done at the masquerade ball. Her insides could not take any more guilt in being drawn to both cousins.
Would they ever exit the park? It felt as though she sat in the carriage for hours. Small talk wasn’t her forte, so if she had to start discussing the weather she would scream. And wouldn’t that cause quite the scandal.
Her mind wandered, not for the first time. For one moment she thought she sat next to Mr. Sinclair and had to remind herself it was Newbury. She had to keep reminding herself of his disfigurement. While sitting down driving the carriage, his perfect features facing her side, it was easy to forget who she was with. He resembled his cousin. They could be twins. Icy chills crawled up her spine. Perhaps Mr. Sinclair wasn’t a cousin at all, but a by-blow from Newbury’s father. That would explain the likeness between the two men.
“Mr. Sinclair needn’t dance with me. I’m perfectly content to sit and watch.” It wasn’t a lie. Dancing caused her undo stress. When Mr. Sinclair held her close during that one waltz, even before she knew his true identity, it caused her heart to speed up and her body to tingle. Guilt bothered her as well. And after what happened on the veranda, they needed to keep their distance from each other.
A big sighed escaped her lips as she realized they’d pulled up in front of Wentworth Manor.
“Are you attending the opera this evening? Wentworth invited me to his box.”
Her heart sank. She’d so been looking forward to her first opera. And it beingDon Giovannimade it more exciting. Now she’d be sitting next to Newbury and tense the entire evening. “Yes.”
“Splendid, I’m unfortunately unable to attend, but I accepted on behalf of Sinclair. I hope you enjoy the opera.”
A footman stood waiting for Penelope who had been rendered speechless at the idea of spending the night in a dark box with Mr. Sinclair.
“Please forgive me for not exiting the carriage and bowing properly, my dear.” He reached for her gloved hand. Her eyes widened and her heart accelerated. He raised her hand up to his full lips, turned her wrist over, and placed his warm lips on her pressure point. She inhaled and held her breath, totally captivated. If she closed one eye, which she did not, and concentrated on the good half of his face, he turned into the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Handsome as Mr. Sinclair. “Until I see you again.”
Once inside the house, Penelope entered the drawing room to find Emma sitting alone sipping tea and nibbling biscuits. “May I join you?”
“Yes. Please join me for refreshments as I recover from my day. I spent most of the afternoon with the children. We spent time running around the gardens and then playing in the nursery. I’m exhausted.”
Perhaps Emma would be too exhausted to attend the opera that evening. Tired enough that Wentworth would cancel their plans.
“I see your mind working.” Emma looked at her with compassion. “I’m not so tired I must stay home this evening. Besides, the more time you spend with the duke, the more comfortable you’ll become with him.” She poured tea for Penelope and handed her the delicate china cup and saucer. TheS, for Seabrook, not visible from the bottom of the cup. But Penelope knew it was there. A reminder of who her family was.
“That’s not it.” She reached for a cube of sugar and plopped it in her tea. She enjoyed her tea extra sweet. “When he dropped me off, just now, he said he wouldn’t be attending this evening and his cousin, would be taking his place. I don’t understand why? Besides taking a drive in the park, do you think he doesn’t want to be seen out in public with me again so soon?”
More compassion from Emma and for the first time Penelope realized how young she was. Because she was married to Wentworth and had two children, she forgot Emma was only one and twenty. “That is not why he’s not attending the opera. Since Wentworth only extended the invitation yesterday, perhaps he has another engagement?”
Thinking about that, Penelope still wasn’t convinced. It felt as though he were throwing Mr. Sinclair and her together. The question was why? “I tried to explain he need not always send his cousin in his place. But he didn’t seem to take my words under advisement. Also, after the other night I don’t trust Mr. Sinclair.” Tingles danced up her spine, and she shivered. “He looks at me as though I’m his dessert. Like he wants to consume me. Most improper since I’m affianced to his cousin.”
Emma gasped. “Indeed, most improper. If you don’t mind me prying, how does the duke look at you?”
She had to fight not to laugh. Since the duke only had one eye, at times it was difficult to get a glimpse into his feelings. Except today, when he kissed her bare wrist, she witnessed the same hungry look in his one eye that she’d seen in Mr. Sinclair’s two eyes. “Until today, I never noticed how he looked at me. Today he looked very much like his cousin. He looked at me with interest and want.” Thinking about interest and want, she said, “I heard the duke has a mistress? Will he keep her after we wed?”
The feel of Emma’s small, warm hand touching hers calmed her thoughts. “I don’t know the answer to either of those questions, however, he appears to be an honorable man. Wentworth would hardly marry you off to a gentleman who wasn’t. Perhaps after you wed, you can broach the subject of his mistress with him.”
Now Penelope laughed. “I would never bring that up. How embarrassing. I can just imagine his reply. ‘Yes, my dear, I have a mistress. Men have needs. Who is to fill those needs when a man is single? A mistress. And after a man weds, he has certain desires he can’t ask his wife to perform for him. So, yes, Penelope, I have a mistress.’”
Emma joined her in laughter. “I can’t imagine Newbury saying such nonsense. Which brings up something else. Do you need the night before your wedding speech about what happens between a husband and wife beneath the sheets? Bella, Amelia, and myself would be happy to enlighten you?”
Did she? Certainly not. She’d witnessed firsthand people procreating while living under the viscount’s roof. Had nearly lost her virginity to the viscount. Servants partook in matters of the flesh often and not always in private. “I believe I’m well versed on that subject.”
“I thought so.” Emma frowned and looked thoughtful. “I’m sorry for what you and your mother went through. I believe if Thomas knew of you sooner, he would’ve sent for you and your mother. Once he found out my papa died and left me under his guardianship, he, along with Myles, traveled to Massachusetts to meet me. He waited until I finished Miss Beauregard’s Finishing School before sailing back to England with me in tow. Between the travel time and the months in New Bedford running Hamilton Whaling Industries, nearly a year transpired. All because he felt obligated to honor my papa’s wishes. Traveling to Northern England would have been nothing to Thomas.”
“I’m grateful he came.” Thinking back on her predicament, after her mother passed, had Penelope’s insides knotting up tightly. She’d fled the viscount's house and found shelter with the local midwife, never expecting Wentworth would come for her or even respond to her missive. To her shock and dismay, he came with Mr. Stuart Spencer. Sebastian had traveled to her first but had been attacked by thieves and left for dead. Thankfully, his now wife, Teagan and her brother Lachlan Murray, had found him and nursed him back to health. Not a day went by that she didn’t wonder how she got so lucky. How a duke could welcome into his family his dead father’s natural born daughter. Dared anyone in polite society to contradict him when he introduced her as his sister. Even stood up for her with his own servants when they were less than respectful to her.
Those servants quickly found themselves with letters of recommendations, payment of wages owed, and an escort out the door. Tears pooled in her eyes at the length the Seabrook family had gone for her. Even the Dowager Duchess treated her kindly and with respect. If anyone had a right to treat her with contempt and distain the Dowager had.
“Perhaps you would like to rest before the evening meal and the opera. It will be a late evening again tonight,” Emma suggested as she stood. “It’s what I plan to do.”
Sighing deeply, Penelope replied, “A rest sounds wonderful. Thank you, Your Grace.”
“None of this, Your Grace, you must remember to call me Emma. At least when in the privacy of our home.”
Penelope’s maid helped her undress down to her chemise and tucked her into bed. “Please wake me in plenty of time to dress for this evening, Clarisse.”
