Page 8 of Persuading Penny (Jane Austen Association #4)

“I was hoping you’d change your mind and join us, if not for dinner, at least for dessert.”

I hesitated. Could I face Aunt Sally? Could I look at her without recalling every word she had me write to end it with Cliff?”

“Well, dear? It’s rude to keep her waiting.”

“Yes, Mum. I’ll be right down. Give me a minute to change for dinner.”

She looked me up and down. “You look perfectly fine, dear, but... as you wish.”

She backed away as I closed the door.

She was right. My clothes were amply appropriate for dinner with Aunt Sally. But I felt the need to shed them all the same. I put on a simple white V-neck sweater and tan pants. I looked in the mirror and decided to quickly pull my hair back into a bun.

“Penny!” Mum called from downstairs.

“Yes,” I called back on opening my door. “I’m coming.”

Aunt Sally was quick to greet me as my foot touched the last step.

“Oh, Penny. I’m so happy to see you.” She pulled me in for a tight hug. “I’ve barely seen you since you’ve moved out here.”

Together we walked back to the dining room.

“Your mother tells me that you’ve started working on a movie,” she said with much interest. “It must be so fascinating. You must tell me all about it.”

Dad, seated at the head of the table, glanced up at us and grunted as we took our seats on either side of him.

“There really isn’t much to tell,” I said. “I’m at the financial end of the project. Nothing very fascinating there. Just a lot of numbers.”

Mum joined us and we enjoyed a pleasant dinner of roasted chicken. Aunt Sally caught us up on all the latest gossip, while Mum lamented how much she missed Copperfield Corner. Dad, as per usual, complained about the restrictive nature of the small cottage.

As for me, I said little. A ‘yes’ here and there, and an ‘oh my’ elsewhere.

“Dessert anyone?”

Dad simply grunted as he got up and left us. It was hard to tell if his sour mood was due to his ailing health, the departure from Copperfield Corner or Aunt Sally’s endless chatter.

“Nothing for me,” Aunt Sally said. “I ate far too much as it is.” She looked at me as she lightly patted her belly. “A little walk would do me good.”

“What a good idea,” Mum said. “Penny, dear. Why don’t you take Aunt Sally for a short stroll up the lane while I clear up here. Then we can sit together for a good coffee.”

I had no desire to take a stroll with Aunt Sally. I had no desire at all. But I dutifully got up and smiled.

“That would be nice,” I forced myself to say. “Let me go up to get a jacket. I’m sure the chill of evening has set in.”

“I’ll wait for you out front.”

Nodding, I headed to my room, pulled on a quilted jacket and headed back down to join Aunt Sally on the front porch.

“You’ve always been a quiet and introspective girl, Penny,” she said as soon as we took our first steps. “But I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you quite so silent.”

I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t very well deny that I lacked all desire to converse.

“Is it this new job on this movie that has you so distracted? Are these Hollywood types bullying you?”

“No,” I finally said. “First off, most of them are not Hollywood types. They’re from right here in England and they are all really great. My boss, Keely Lee, is a wonderful woman. I think she really appreciates my quiet solicitude.”

“Well, we all appreciate that of you, dear.”

I pressed a dry smile.

“Are you stressed out with all the money you are now to manage? I mean, it must be millions and millions.”

“Yes, it’s a lot of money, but... No. No. I’m quite comfortable dealing with all that.”

“Are you just homesick for Copperfield Corner?”

On that question it would have been all too easy to lie. Just a simple ‘yes’ and the matter would be put to rest. But I couldn’t bring myself to mislead her so.

I looked at the ground, watching one foot go in front of the other, touching the pebbled path. “I was very surprised to see someone today; someone I hadn’t seen for a long while.”

“Oh. How nice.” She looked at me then frowned. “Or not?”

I shrugged. “I saw Cliff.” His name was a barely audibly croak.

“Come again, dear.”

“I saw Cliff,” I said more plainly.

“Cliff? Cliff who?” she said, without an ounce of recognition.

I stopped walking and turned to face her, the answer plain on my face.

“Oh,” she let out softly. “ That Cliff.”

“Yes. That Cliff.”

“Has he come to Bath to try to win you over?”

I snorted and shook my head. “Not quite. He is now a very successful and award-winning cinematographer, and he just so happens to have been hired to work on Keely’s movie.”

“Oh, my. What are the chances?” she said with a touch of disdain. Then her eyes widened with shock. “Did he worm his way to this job just to get close to you?”

“He didn’t worm his way to this job. Keely very much wanted him as her cinematographer. Like I said, he’s an award-winner. Everyone wants to work with him. Keely got lucky because her husband, Hugh, works with Cliff’s brother, Richard. They made some sort of arrangement.”

“Oh,” she said, unconvinced. “Still... honey. Surely, he is harassing you. Is he trying to get you back?”

Hardly.

“No, Aunt Sally. He’s not harassing me at all. He’s quite professional.” If professional can mean cold and uncommunicative.

“Well, then why are you so upset?”

Stunned by her inability to comprehend my emotions, I looked at her. Was she truly that ignorant of my intense feelings for Cliff?