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“ I do not care for picnics.”

Odette’s voice was flat, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Penelope had invited her to her chambers to extend an invitation, but the young girl seemed to have made up her mind already.

Nancy offered a small smile. “But Lady Odette, it’s such a fine day. There’ll be sunshine, and a little lemon cake that is especially prepared…”

“I do not care for lemon cakes.”, Odette cut in rudely.

Penelope noticed the subtle manner in which Nancy flinched from the rebuke. She pursed her lips together.

“Odette,” she warned.

The girl looked at her, but did not apologize. Instead, she shrugged, already moving on from the topic.

“I know you’re not fond of being told what to do and I know you dislike new things,” Penelope said firmly. “But speaking to Nancy like that is unbecoming.”

Odette said nothing once again.

“If anything, she is trying to make this easier for you. You could be a little kinder,” Penelope said. “I will not have you speaking to her like this again.”

There was a lot of work to be done on Odette. It seemed that she lived her life with little regard for anyone else, and that was something that needed to be changed.

“I am perfectly polite,” Odette argued. “Besides, I do not need convincing. This is a futile effort.”

Stubborn, as always. Penelope pretended as though she had not heard her.

“The picnic is set to happen this afternoon. I had intended it to be a pleasant afternoon for all of us. I even asked your father to come.”

“Father is coming, too?” That caught her attention.

“Yes, he promised that he will be there,” Penelope nodded. “It is an opportunity for the three of us to spend some time together.”

The girl’s shoulders tensed, but she didn’t respond immediately with a no. That was promising, at least.

But Penelope had one ace still left up her sleeve.

“Besides… I thought you might want another book.”

“Another one?” Odette said, instantly. “I am only halfway through the one you gave me earlier.”

Penelope smiled, having discovered the secret to her acquiescence.

“I found one just yesterday. It involves a governess and a lord who doesn’t realize he’s in love with her until he’s utterly ruined.”

“Can I have it?”

“Of course you can. I’ll be handing it over,” Penelope went on, “after a successful picnic.”

“That’s blackmail,” Odette’s brows drew together.

“Bribery,” Penelope corrected. “A classic act. It is a theme in the book I have for you, as well. You’ll love it.”

Odette rolled her eyes, but her arms dropped from their folded position.

“Fine, I will come, then. But you cannot always get me to do things I do not wish to in promise for a book.”

“Why not?” Penelope smiled. “It seems to work better than anything else.”

Odette narrowed her eyes at her, but did not argue further. “I will be in my room till then.”

Without another word, she dramatically stormed out of the room. Nancy clapped her hands together slowly as she did.

“Bravo, Your Grace,” she smiled. “I have never seen her agree so easily to anything.”

“I have my methods,” Penelope nodded, and then her mind drifted to the duke. “Or miracles, as some might say.”

“It is nothing short of one,” Nancy nodded.

“That was only one part of it,” Penelope said. “Now to get her to actually enjoy herself while she is there.”

Odette barely sat in one place. Penelope had expected her to sulk for the entirety of the picnic, but she was acting the exact opposite.

She was on her feet, already kicking off her shoes to chase a ball across the lawn. Penelope was in awe of the transformation.

Gone was the guarded, brooding girl who had sat stiffly at breakfast. This Odette was carefree, as she darted forward to intercept the ball Alexander had casually tossed her way.

“Again!” Odette shouted.

“You lost the last round, if I recall,” Alexander smirked.

“I let you win!”

Penelope could hardly tear her gaze away from the scene. Both father and daughter were so different in each other's company.

If Penelope did not know any better, she would think they were father and son. Odette certainly did not dress like a girl, nor did she behave like one.

She was loud, rambunctious, and entirely unladylike.

When Alexander tossed the ball again, Odette lunged to catch it and fell into the grass, laughing as she did.

There was no question that this was where she was happiest. Moments when she was allowed to be carefree, and to act like a child without a care in the world.

The realization was sobering.

Penelope watched as Alexander knelt beside his daughter, murmuring something she couldn’t hear. Odette rolled her eyes but smiled up at him anyway.

“Come on now,” Alexander said. “I beat you, fairly.”

Penelope glanced at the ruined trousers that Odette had on, stained with grass and dirt. The picnic that she had set out lay forgotten amongst the action.

“Perhaps it is a good idea to take a break now,” she called out, holding up a basket of baked good for the duo. Slowly, they wandered back to the blanket. “Would you like a sandwich, Odette? All that running must have tired you out.”

“No,” Odette said, flopping down beside her and wiping her face on her sleeve. “I’m not hungry.”

Penelope held out a plate anyway. “You need strength if you plan to keep up with His Grace.”

“I’m winning,” Odette replied quickly, glancing at her father.

“I let her win,” Alexander said flatly.

“He cheats,” Odette glared.

Penelope chuckled, more to herself than them. Watching the two of them like this was endearing, yes. But it also explained so much.

Odette didn’t know how to play gently. She had been taught to fight. Even with her father, whom she clearly loved, everything was a contest.

“You’re very alike,” Penelope observed.

“We are?” Alexander turned to her.

She nodded, though Odette suddenly pretended not to listen.

“You both like to win. And neither of you has much patience for politeness.”

“I’m plenty polite,” Odette protested rudely. The irony seemed lost on her.

“It’s all right,” Penelope said kindly. “It is something we can work on.”

Odette narrowed her eyes and then leaned over to whisper to Penelope.

“I haven’t forgotten about the book.”

“You’ll have it after the picnic. But only after you eat something,” Penelope smiled.

“You keep changing the terms,” Odette gasped, crossing her arms in front of her. “That is not fair.”

“I’m adapting them to suit your stubbornness,” Penelope replied, laughing now.

“What are you two whispering about?” Alexander looked at her curiously.

“Nothing,” they both said in unison.

Alexander looked between them with a narrowed gaze, clearly unconvinced.

“Besides, it does not concern you,” Odette stressed, “you should not interfere.”

Alexander raised an eyebrow, but let it go.

Penelope reached for a sandwich and handed it to Odette again, “Eat now.”

“Fine,” the girl begrudgingly took the bread from her hands, and began feasting.

Extortion, it seemed, was working incredibly well for Penelope. Odetta was behaving as nicely as Penelope wanted her to.

It occurred to her then that she had different sides to her personality. One that enjoyed reading romance in secret, but wouldn't be caught dead doing so in public as it did not match her tom-boyish persona.

Growing pains, Penelope thought with a smile. She remembered what it was like growing up. Conflicting identities, and the struggle to choose one.

Suddenly, Penelope found herself relating to Odette. And that in itself was endearing.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, irked.

“Only because you are so pretty,” Penelope leaned forward and pinched her cheeks softly. A bold move, but one that did not go unnoticed by Alexander, who seemed to be watching the exchange with great fascination.

“Pretty?” she echoed, wrinkling her nose. “No, I am not. I am strong.”

Penelope chuckled, and exchanged a knowing look with Alexander. It occurred to her that Odette had never known what actual girlhood could look like, having grown up around men for most of her life.

“You could be both,” she asserted. “There is no need to pick and choose.”

“But people only ever say one or the other.”

“Well, they’re wrong,” Penelope said, matter-of-fact. “You can climb trees and read romance stories. You can be brave and still want someone to braid your hair. There’s no rulebook, darling.”

The darling was surely testing the limits of their connection, but Penelope was in a good mood. She did not mind taking the risk.

Alexander seemed just as surprised by Penelope’s assertion as Odette was. Though he did not interrupt.

“But being a girl means being quiet. And neat. And… polite all the time,” Odette rolled her eyes.

“That’s not being a girl,” Penelope laughed, “That’s being what the world thinks a girl ought to be.”

“I don’t want to sit around with other girls and talk about hair ribbons,” Odette asserted stubbornly, as usual.

“Good,” Penelope replied evenly. “Because I don’t want to either.”

Odette did not seem to have a response to that immediately.

“I do want you to know that there’s more than one way to be a girl. You don’t have to become someone else.”

“Let us not get carried away here,” Alexander interjected, alarmed. “She still needs to brush up on her etiquette lessons, and fix her manners.”

Penelope realized that Odette was not the only one with warped notions of what it meant to be a woman. Alexander was equally confused, if not worse.

“Your Grace,” she turned to him, “didn’t we just agree there’s more than one way to be a girl?”

“You had an opinion on it, yes,” he said dismissively.

“An opinion based out of experience,” Penelope asserted.

Alexander gestured toward his daughter with a faint scowl. “You’ve just told her she doesn’t need to change a thing. ”

“That’s not what I said,” Penelope replied. “I said she doesn’t need to become someone else. That doesn’t mean she can’t grow.”

“Children need discipline,” Alexander replied.

“Children need understanding.”

Odette watched the two of them bicker, looking oddly amused. For once, it seemed that she was not the one arguing in a conversation.

“Odette, dear,” Penelope turned to her, “why don’t you go play with Apollo? I have to speak to your father.”

Odette mumbled something under her breath, but did as told.

“Will you please refrain from saying things like that in front of her?” Penelope brought her hands to her hips once she was out of earshot. “She is too impressionable, and absorbs these things.”

Alexander opened his mouth to protest, but then seemed to relent.

“I do not think I agree with you entirely,” he exhaled. “But I cannot fault you for your methods. She is actually listening to you. Even now, you asked her to go and she did.”

“A miracle,” she smirked. She did not know validation could be this fulfilling until it came from Alexander himself.

“Whatever this is,” he said, with a vague wave of his hand, “keep doing it.”

.”