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She imagined what might occur if he had returned to apologise for all that had happened the night before, even imagined apologising herself for being so sharp with him, but then she quickly reminded herself not to swoon in such a manner. There was no way the duke would be the first to knock on her bedroom door that morning, especially not after how she had treated him.
Pushing herself up into a sitting position against the pillows, Penelope quickly cleared her throat and called, “Come in!”
Almost immediately the door was pushed open, and Holden, her new lady’s maid, wandered into the room with her head bowed, a silver tray in her hands. The young girl reminded Penelope so much of herself back when she had been a maid, and she couldn’t help smiling, hoping that it might ease the maid’s worry over what kind of mistress she now had to work beneath.
The only problem is, I am not truly the mistress of the house,she reminded herself. Still, she was adamant to at least give the servants some relief from the usual kinds of noblewomen they were forced to deal with daily. She had already messed things up enough; she wasn’t about to go upsetting the staff as well.
“Good morning.” She smiled at the maid. The young woman’s eyes flashed upward, and she looked positively shocked to hear the mistress of the house speak in such a kind and friendly manner.
I wonder if she has heard anything about Lady Clara,Penelope wondered though she was certain that was impossible. After all, the duke hadn’t recognised that she was not her, so why would a maid ever know what the real Lady Clara was like?
“Good morning, My Lady,” the maid greeted, her shock overwhelmed by a friendly smile as she skirted around the side of the bed to offer the tray to Penelope. “May I?”
“Yes, thank you,” Penelope responded, making sure to be as polite as possible, allowing the maid to place the tray upon her lap. It felt odd to have tea and biscuits brought to her in her bed, but it was even odder to find an envelope resting against the teapot atop the tray.
The words ‘Lady Rose’ were written upon the front of it, marking it for her. Her heart beat faster for a moment, wondering whether perhaps the letter might have come from the duke. Maybe he did not wish to face her or risk offending her after the night before and had instead chosen to offer his apologies in writing.
He has nothing to apologise for,Penelope thought most guiltily. After all she had done and allowed to happen, she was the one who most needed to apologise, and yet she couldn’t think of how she could even begin to fix all that had happened.
As if she saw the way that her mistress was gazing down at the envelope with such focus, the maid explained, “It is an invitation from the duke’s sisters, My Lady.”
Surprised, Penelope picked up the envelope, unable to hold back her curiosity any longer. She couldn’t possibly imagine what the duke’s sisters might have to say to her. Although they had been quite welcoming and friendly towards her, she wasn’t entirely sure they would remain that way. After all, she had just married their brother, and for all she knew, they might come to resent her for it.Of course, they will!she realised, feeling quite sick to her stomach,especially when they learn the truth too!
“Have they retired back to the country?” Penelope thought aloud, wondering whether the two women had merely wanted to wish her well before they departed. After all, she couldn’t imagine that the two would stick around if they believed their brother wished to be alone with his new bride.Me,Penelope thought with a deep gulp past the lump that was forming in her throat.
“Oh, no, Your Grace,” Holden responded as she crossed the room to open the drapes. Penelope found herself thinking for a moment that she missed Mrs Cartwright. For the first few days since she arrived in London, it was the housekeeper’s face she had first seen every morning.
It felt odd to have her own maid now, even odder still to be talking to her as though she were above her, especially when she knew deep down that she was no better than Holden. In fact, in some ways she was far beneath her.
At least the lady’s maid was not pretending to be something she wasn’t. “Lady Elizabeth and Lady Emily are downstairs having breakfast in the small dining room.”
Penelope couldn’t help looking at Holden in confusion. If the two young ladies were only downstairs, then why were they bothering to send a letter upstairs with her lady’s maid? Then again, Penelope knew better than to try to understand noblewomen's minds.
But they haven’t always been noblewomen,she reminded herself, thinking of the conversation she and the duke had shared before everything had gone wrong.
Deciding that it was better merely to find out what they wanted from them, she picked up the envelope and tore it open. Pulling out the paper as Holden opened the drapes, Penelope had to blink her eyes several times to grow used to the sunlight before she could read the words:
Dear sister,
We would wholeheartedly like to invite you to join us for breakfast this morning if our brother has not exhausted you too much.
Otherwise, we wish you to be well on the first morning of your marriage and would like to say again how wonderful we thought the ceremony was yesterday.
Yours Sincerely,
Your new sisters
Lady Elizabeth & Lady Emily
Penelope felt tears pricking the corners of her eyes as she read the words. If only these words were truly for her. Perhaps then she would not feel nearly so guilty. Maybe she would even be able to enjoy all that was happening around her.
“Are you well, My Lady?”
The question caught Penelope off guard, and she quickly realised that a tear had slipped from her right eye, rolling down her cheek in full view of the lady’s maid.
“Oh, yes,” Penelope said, quickly wiping it away with her hand. “I believe I have something in my eye.”
She made a show of trying to get something out, perhaps an eyelash, and tried her hardest not to sniffle. She was unable to understand why she was quite so emotional. Perhaps it was because in all the years she had lived in France, she had never received such a letter.
