Page 79 of Saved By the Rakish Duke

Penelope looked down at the page before her.

A small part of her had been looking forward to hearing Lord Gloushire’s thoughts on the classic work—similar to how His Grace had offered his thoughts, albeit unprompted, as she had read the Odyssey to him.

But she had already heard more than enough of his—somewhat disappointing—sentiments regarding this particular piece and doubted it would get any better than what he had already offered.

“I'll tell you what,” she began flipping through the volume, “why don’t we find a poem that we would both like? Something less... fanciful.”

“Goodness, how considerate you are today, dearest Lady Penelope,” the viscount chirped happily. “What is the next poem in the collection?”

“‘Death Be Not Proud’,” she answered.

“Ah!” His eyes lit up. “Nowthisis a most interesting piece. Please do read it for us, my beloved.”

Penelope did as she was told and began right away. He was right, of course, the poem itself was a rather thought-provoking piece.

And in fact, Penelope had happily discussed the work with party guests several times before. But for whatever reason, the usual eagerness that welled up inside her as she read each line was absent today.

When she had finished reading it, her suitor was quick to share his fascination regarding the very last line: “Death shall be no more; death, thou shall die.”

“Isn’t the first half of the line from a Bible verse?” the dowager duchess asked—like Penelope, she most certainly already knew the answer to her question, but asked it regardless to indulge the viscount.

Penelope made sure to interject with a comment or two of her own, lest Lord Gloushire notice her sudden surliness.

Once every possible discussion point regarding the poem had been exhausted, her suitor politely urged her to do another one.

“Forgive me...” Penelope flashed a sheepish smile, “but given the irresistible weather and the immaculate spot that you had chosen for us, Lord Gloushire, I have the sudden urge to sketch instead.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, dearest Lady Penelope.” He extended a hand toward her. “If you’d like, I can hold onto the volume and read to you instead while you work away?”

His kind offer elicited a pinch of guilt in Penelope’s chest as she was only using her painting as an excuse to avoid discussing the poems any further—lest she find herself disagreeing with more of his views.

But turning down his well-meaning offer would be far too cruel.

“Thank you, Lord Gloushire.” She nodded, passing the volume to him. “That would be quite lovely.”

“Oh, you two!” the dowager duchess beamed.

All Penelope could do was flash another sheepish smile as she retrieved her drawing materials.

Yes... us two.

CHAPTER26

“You’re doing it wrong!” Reggie whined, stomping his foot so hard that the splash almost reached Duncan on the river bank.

“That’s not a nice thing to say, Reggie!” his older sister tutted, already bending down into the coursing river for another smooth pebble. “Perhaps you should try it yourself instead of being so bossy!”

Duncan raised a hand hesitantly. “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you so, little Miss Lucy, but you can only skip stones across still water.”

“Are you sure, Your Grace?” Her shoulders drooped disappointedly, the river’s current coursing around her shins. “Haveyoutried it?”

“Many times, back when I was your age.” He smiled, absent-mindedly etching circles into the dirt with the stick he was holding. “It is with a heavy heart that I must report that all my valiant efforts ended in vain every time.”

“Let’s play tag!” the younger of the children suggested. “I want to be it!”

“No, I shall be ‘it’ first!” Lucy declared. “After all,I’mthe eldest.”

“No fair!” Reggie wailed.