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Vanessa nodded, flushing sightly. “The Royal Crescent? Yes, of course. It is such a prominent landmark, how could I not visit it.”

Penelope smiled, pressing her hand to her lips. “Oh, goodness… how silly of me. I asked you about a landmark in Bath not York. But it was York where you were, right? Not Bath?”

Vanessa’s eyes widened in shock, crumbling under the weight of her sister’s polite yet pointed inquiries.

“Oh, there were so many places in so little time,” she smiled nervously. “Who could remember them all?”

“Who could indeed?” Penelope echoed with a nod.

Penelope’s parents didn’t seem to pay any attention to the actual conversation that just took place and were enchanted by Vanessa’s presence, continuing to shower her with praise and admiration, while commenting on her beauty and charisma. “Vanessa, my dear, you always find a way to light up a room,” her father said, his tone filled with genuine affection.

Penelope tried her best to maintain her composure, masking her feelings of insecurity behind a polite façade. She knew her sister’s return had shifted the dynamics of the evening. In fact, it would turn their entire world upside down. Penelope was absolutely certain of it. This evening was only the beginning of that monumental change.

And not only that, but Penelope noticed that James was focused on Vanessa as well. He was listening to her intently, smiling at her comments, and nodding. He hadn’t looked in Penelope’s direction once in the past half an hour. She wondered if he was perhaps wondering what it would be like to have married Vanessa instead?

Penelope’s heart froze. She always believed Vanessa to be more beautiful than herself. After all, Vanessa was the agreed upon bride. Penelope had only entered the play as a secondary character, substituting for the role of the female protagonist. She wondered, with much fear, if Vanessa was endeavoring to charm James into changing his mind and changing his wife as well?

Shuddering at the thought, Penelope pushed the chair behind her so loudly that the screeching noise made Vanessa stop talking, and all eyes were on her.

“I beg your pardon, everyone,” she said with a smile and a trembling voice, “but I feel a little lightheaded. I shall go and freshen up in the powder room.”

James immediately stood up as well. “Do you need any help? Are you all right?”

“I’ll be fine,” she replied, appreciating his concern. “I will be back shortly. You just continue having fun without me.”

Biting the inside of her cheek in an effort to displace the pain, she knew that they didn’t care whether she was there or not. Trying to suppress tears, Penelope rushed to the powder room, closing the door behind her. Breathing heavily, she glanced at herself in the looking glass, urging herself to calm down.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, willing herself to find calm amid the whirlwind of emotion swirling within her. She focused on the rhythmic sound of her own breathing, letting it anchor her in the present moment. Then, she opened her eyes, gazing into the ornate looking glass. She met her own reflection, her eyes revealing a kaleidoscope of emotions. Fear, uncertainty, longing. They were all there, omnipresent, gripping at her very throat, making it difficult to breathe. She willed herself to push aside the doubts and insecurities that threatened to overwhelm her, summoning a quiet strength from deep within.

“You can do this, Penelope,” she whispered to herself, her voice barely above a breath. “You will not let this moment define you.”

With renewed determination, Penelope straightened her posture and smoothed the folds of her gown, steeling herself for the challenges that still lay ahead. She knew that she couldn’t control the actions of others, but she could control how she chose to respond.

Just as she was mustering the courage to get back to the dining room, she heard a soft knock on the door.

“Who is it?” she asked, hoping it was Adeline or James.

“Penelope,” she heard from the other side of the door. “Please, let me in. I just want to see if you are all right.”

But it was Vanessa.

Penelope’s heart was beating inside her ears, drumming and drowning out any sounds that were attacking her from the outside world, such as the seemingly sweet and empathetic voice of her older sister. Penelope knew it would be better to just tell her to go away and leave her alone, but she couldn’t do that.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, and Vanessa immediately smiled at her, letting herself in. She closed the door behind her, staring at Penelope with concern.

“Are you feeling better?” Vanessa inquired sweetly. “We all miss you at the table.”

Penelope resisted frowning. “Yes, thank you for asking. I do feel somewhat better.”

Vanessa beamed, her eyes widening. “Oh, thank heavens. I was so worried when you left.”

Penelope was certain that wasn’t the truth. However, what she didn’t know was why did Vanessa, of all the people at the table, come after her. Penelope would have expected Adeline. In fact, she longed to have Adeline there by her side to tell her how it all made her feel. Adeline would listen. But Vanessa was here because she had a hidden agenda. Penelope was absolutely certain of that. And what frightened her was the fact that she still couldn’t figure out what that hidden agenda was.

Vanessa turned her attention to the looking glass, focusing on her own reflection. She smiled, revealing a row of pearly whites, then suddenly, she looked in Penelope’s direction with a sly smirk.

“It is such a shame, you know,” she said with a sigh.

Penelope frowned. “What is?”