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Vanessa shrugged. “The duke is actually quite handsome and charming. Such a shame I was forced to leave and now, he is stuck with you.”

CHAPTER30

Forced to leave?

Penelope’s mind exploded upon those words.

“What do you mean forced to leave?” Penelope asked for clarification. “You left on your own accord.”

“Oh, well… not really,” Vanessa pretended that was not the case, waving her hand dismissively. “I was simply… not ready for that commitment, but I didn’t know that the duke was so dashing.”

“You and I both know that isn’t true,” Penelope replied. “I don’t know why you disappeared butthatis not the real reason.”

Vanessa frowned. “I made a mistake in choosing my future husband. Fortunately, the man who accompanied me showed his true colors before I became his wife.”

Penelope almost gasped. “You eloped?”

“Almost,” Vanessa corrected her. “It was a lapse in judgment, which I aim to rectify immediately and reclaim what is rightfully mine.”

Penelope had no idea what to say to that. So that had been Vanessa’s plan all along, to steal the duke from her?

“You know, I did come here to ask you something very important,” Vanessa continued, eyeing Penelope from the looking glass. “I do not mean to sound rude, but the duke has been sending me glances all evening, smiling at me in a way a gentleman is not supposed to be smiling at his wife’s sister.”

Penelope was furious. She couldn’t believe what Vanessa was saying.

“James was merely being polite,” Penelope growled.

“Was he now?” Vanessa grinned, finally turning to her sister. “I do believe I can tell the difference between instant attraction and mere politeness. But you… I doubt you can.”

Penelope felt as if she were on the verge of bursting into tears, but this was the last place where she wanted to be caught crying, and Vanessa was the last person she wanted to be crying in front of. She blinked heavily several times, deterring herself.

But then, a worm of doubt appeared from the deepest, darkest recesses of her troubled mind. What if Vanessa was right? After all, she was more attractive than Penelope. She was more charming. She was the one all eyes were aimed at whenever they went anywhere. Any man would be a fool not to want Vanessa as his wife. A storm of doubt started to form inside Penelope’s mind. Could it be true? Was her husband regretting marrying the wrong sister?

“Which brings me to a very important question,” Vanessa continued, taking a step closer to Penelope so that the two women were standing, facing each other. “I am wondering… Have you even consummated your marriage yet?”

Penelope’s eyes widened in shock, a tidal wave of poppy red washing over her cheeks. “How dare you ask such a question?” Penelope snarled at her sister. “That is none of your business!”

Vanessa smiled victoriously, a wicked gleam in her eyes. “That tells me all I need to know. If you had consummated it, you wouldn’t be so defensive about it. And more importantly, your husband wouldn’t be looking at me with such desire in his eyes.”

Penelope gasped, realizing that she couldn’t take any more of this. She pushed Vanessa side, barging out of the powder room, leaving her sister behind. Breathing heavily and feeling as if she might lose consciousness at any moment, she flew down the flight of stairs, hoping to catch some fresh air out in the garden, but before she could reach it, she heard James’ voice call out to her.

“Penelope?” he asked, coming down the stairs. “Is everything all right?”

She looked up at him, tears swelling in her eyes. Everything that Vanessa had just said came tumbling back, creating an avalanche of pain and anguish.

“No, nothing is all right,” she replied, her entire body trembling. “You’ve been cold to me without any explanation. And tonight… you seem to be having so much fun with Vanessa and my parents, I’m wondering why I even came!”

She had no idea where all that came from. She didn’t even mean all that, but Vanessa managed to fill her head with doubts and suspicions, and now, Penelope didn’t trust her own eyes, let alone someone else.

“Having fun?” he asked, incredulously. “I am merely being polite toyourfamily.”

“A little too polite if you ask me,” she snapped, still on the verge of tears.

“You are being unreasonable,” he shook his head at her.

“Unreasonable?” she scoffed, “I am done for tonight. I just want to go home. And you can stay here with Vanessa, seeing as it is her company you prefer.”

This time, she could see him get agitated at her words, but she couldn’t stop herself. She was hurt. She was in pain. She was afraid. She was filled with emotions, and she had no idea what to do with them, other than to let them spew out of her in any manner they themselves pleased. She couldn’t control herself.