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P enelope did not wish for the picnic to end yet, though she could see Odette growing more distracted as the time passed.

“Odette,” she called out carefully. Keeping the attention of a fourteen year old took work. “Would you come here for a moment?”

Odette narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but listened. Apollo followed behind her, wagging his tail. All the while, Alexander monitored their interactions closely. He still seemed to be amazed by the fact that Odette was listening to what Penelope was saying.

“What is it?” Odette asked, jutting out her bottom lip and putting her hands on her hips.

Penelope looked at her, and then Alexander. “What do you think about going for a walk outside the estate?”

Odette immediately brightened up at the idea, but tried to downplay her excitement. “Um, sure, I suppose. Apollo might enjoy the exercise.”

“And you might as well,” Penelope laughed. “We will not venture out too far. What do you think, Your Grace?”

Alexander hesitated for a moment. Penelope perceived he was caught in some internal conflict . “I will not be able to accompany you, but you may take Fergus and Lewis along with you.”

“Fergus and Lewis?” Penelope repeated, knitting her eyebrows together.

“You’ll meet them,” Odette said, smiling coyly. “They’re quite… important to Father.”

“They’ll escort you to wherever it is that you wish to go,” Alexander conceded. “I shall inform them that they are to meet you by the gates.”

“Right, sure,” Penelope nodded, still not entirely sure of who they were talking about. “We shall try to be back within the hour.”

“No,” Alexander interrupted and then glanced over at Odette, “Take your time. Odette does not get to go out to the town too often. You can make a day out of it, and take her to the dressmaker’s shop.”

“Oh, I have no interest in buying a dress,” Odette huffed, folding her arms in front of her. “I have plenty of clothes already.”

“Your father is right,” Penelope jumped in. “You are a growing young lady, and a wardrobe refresh might do you wonders.”

Odette snarled at the idea. For a moment, Penelope wondered if she had pushed her too far and that she would decline altogether. But just the next moment, she grumbled a short agreement.

“Fine.”

Alexander and Penelope exchanged a look, relieved.

“Perfect,” Penelope clapped her hands together. “Let’s get you changed out of these clothes first, and then head out.”

Odette stomped off the field, already making her way inside the estate.

Alexander paused, lingering around Penelope for a moment before finally speaking. “I expect you to be very responsible around her.”

“You do not need to tell me that,” Penelope said, mildly offended. “I will make sure that she does not land into trouble.”

“In any case, you will have assistance,” Alexander nodded. “Report back to me when the day ends.”

A while later, Penelope finally found what Alexander had meant by assistance. As she reached the estate gates with Odette, who was now dressed in a simple high- waisted gown, she noticed two rather burly gentlemen waiting for them.

“Good evening, Your Grace, Lady Odette,” they said in unison.

“Are you…” Penelope squinted up warily. They towered over her and had to be nearly seven feet tall. One of their biceps was nearly the size of her thighs. “Fergus and Lewis?”

“Aye,” one of them nodded, “Fergus.”

“Lewis,” the other one repeated in the same tone.

“Right,” Penelope pursed her lips.

“We report directly to the duke,” Lewis grinned, seeming pleased at the thought. “Been many years now, we’re by his side.”

“They’re Father’s personal bodyguards,” Odette explained to a still confused Penelope.

“Oh,” Penelope exclaimed. Looking at their size, the two gentlemen could easily pass for assassins. “I did not know His Grace needed such protections.”

“Aye, best be safe,” Lewis drawled. “It’s a harsh world out there, Your Grace. His Grace ordered us to keep a strict eye on you today.”

“We are only going into the town,” Penelope argued. She had done the same many times before, and never once did she require being guarded like this.

“We won’t bother ya,” Fergus chimed in. “Don’t you worry.”

His lips curled upwards into a smile, which was an unsettling sight when paired with his large physique and otherwise dangerous demeanor. Something about seeing so many teeth on a man that large made Penelope inch back involuntarily.

“Please stop doing that,” Odette said, taking notice of her discomfort. “You’ll scare someone.”

“Odette!” Penelope gasped softly.

“What?” the girl shrugged, unapologetic. “It’s true. And I know you agree with me, as well.”

It was hard to argue. They were frightening, but she would never tell that to their face.

Fergus let out a booming laugh, seeming amused rather than offended. Penelope wondered if he was used to such reactions.

“The little lady is not wrong,” he admitted, still chuckling. “It’s been ages since we’ve met anyone new. We forget we’re not exactly easy on the eyes.”

“We don’t mean to frighten you,” Lewis added helpfully. “Though, I suspect it will take you some time getting used to us.”

“I’ve known them since I was a baby,” Odette chimed in. “You’ll find that they’re quite friendly, once you learn to look past their outward appearance.”

“Right,” Penelope straightened her back, “well, we better get going then.”

Penelope began to walk outside with Odette and Apollo by her side.

Fergus and Lewis trailed them, like a shadow.

As they walked, Penelope noticed the odd glances thrown her way by passersby.

They are e qually frightened, she thought to herself, and felt oddly assured that she was not the only one with that reaction.

“Apollo is happy to walk,” Odette chimed. “He gets quite bored of the gardens at times.”

Penelope looked back at the guards, and then to Odette. “Do you step out of the estate much?”

“I wish,” the young girl sighed. “Father does not like it if I go out, and whenever I do, he insists that I’m accompanied by those two,” she threw a glance back at the guards.

“But that day when we met for the first time,” Penelope said, biting down on her lip. “You were at the Gentleman’s Club.”

Considering how protective Alexander was, it was a wonder he had let her roam so freely in his establishment.

“Ah, well Father lets me visit sometimes,” Odette shrugged. “Especially when there is not much for me to do at home. But it does not happen nearly as much as I would like to. He says that it’s too dangerous for me to go out often.”

Odette rolled her eyes as she said the words, but Penelope could sense the latent disappointment in her voice.

“Well,” she said in an assuring tone, “Now that I am here, I will try to keep you occupied as much as I can. You’ll enjoy yourself today, I can tell already.”

The bell above the shop door chimed softly as Penelope and Odette stepped inside one of the shops. Penelope looked behind her shoulder, watching as Fergus and Lewis lingered outside the entrance.

“Do not worry about them,” Odette grinned, “They will stay outside until we are done.”

“I’m not worried,” Penelope clarified. “It is just… I suppose it is just a bit odd that they have to wait for us like us.”

Odette snorted out a laugh. “You will get used to it.”

Penelope shot one last glance at the two gentlemen outside, before fully stepping into the shop. Immediately, she was met with rows upon rows of every fabric that one could think of. Odette looked around the shop, her own eyes widening in amazement.

“This place is…” she sighed, bringing a hand to settle at the base of her chest.

“Incredible, isn’t it?” Penelope smiled. It was a beautiful sight to witness – a young girl coming into a proper dress shop. “Surely, you must have been to a dress shop before?”

Odette bit down on her lip, still looking around. “Nothing like this before. This shop is bigger than all the other ones I have been to before, which have not been that many to begin with.”

Penelope bit back a laugh and tried to imagine Alexander taking Odette shopping for a dress. It was no surprise to her that he would not know where to take Odette.

“It’s one of the oldest dress makers in town,” Penelope explained. “My sister and I would come here, and I would spend hours looking at all the different designs.”

Before Odette could respond, the heavy velvet curtain at the back of the shop was pulled aside, and a woman swept in. Her gaze landed on the pair, and a look of realization washed her features.

“Ah, Lady Penelope,” she said, delighted. “Or shall I rather say, Your Grace now. It is so good to see you again, and congratulations on the wedding. It really has been the talk of the town.”

“Madame Bellamy. It’s good to see you again,” Penelope said, making no acknowledgement of the fact that the ton had been gossiping about her. It was best to ignore these things, she thought to herself.

Madame Bellamy advanced with a slight curtsy, and did not press for more information.

“You’ve brought someone with you, I see.” Her eyes flicked to Odette with open curiosity. “And who is this charming creature?”

“This,” Penelope said proudly, resting a hand on Odette’s shoulder, “is Lady Odette. The Duke’s daughter.”

“Ah,” Madame Bellamy’s lips curved upwards into a cat-like smile. “I must say, she is quite a lovely young lady.”

“She is,” Penelope continued, though she noticed Odette blushing and trying to hide behind the curtains. “Odette, no need to be shy. I have known Madame Bellamy for many years now. In fact, she was the one who designed the dress for my debut.”

“And Her Grace looked like a vision in it,” Madame Bellamy smiled.

“You truly do magic with your work,” Penelope nodded, “and I expect you to do the same today. We are visiting to find Odette’s first proper dress.”

Odette groaned softly, “You need not make such a big fuss about it.”

“And why not?” Madame Bellamy answered instead. “It sounds like a special occasion, indeed. An important stepping stone in a young lady’s life.”