Page 19 of The Guardian Duke (Wayward Dukes’ Alliance #21)

Henry stewed in his library as he weighed his options. Or, pretended to weigh them when there really was only one. Marry Penelope or let her be ruined. As he was a man of honor, it would be marriage.

Bloody hell!

She was everything that he did not want in a wife.

Well, not everything. He did admire her intelligence and he appreciated that she was independent, which meant that she wouldn’t be a wife who relied on him for answers to all her difficulties. In fact, she would likely not trouble him in the least and come to her own conclusions and decisions.

She was beautiful, and desirable, so not only would going about begetting an heir be pleasant, but likely beyond anything that he had ever experienced before. Their kiss in the carriage had proved that they were well matched in passion and desire.

Their conversations would certainly not be tedious either.

Except, she was also opinionated, and her views often differed from his. Did that mean they would spend much of their marriage arguing? They seemed to do so since she had taken his cousins under her wing.

Though, maybe intimacy would make her less objectionable.

He grinned and poured himself a glass of brandy. Yes, each time she wanted to argue with him, he would simply kiss her and take her off to bed. Not that he expected to get his way in the argument because he rarely did, but he would certainly enjoy how he went about trying to gain her capitulation.

His cousins adored her, and he could certainly use her assistance while they remained under his roof. She knew far more than he did when it came to ushering misses through a Season.

She’d already turned his household on its ear so she might as well move in anyway.

No, this was not how he intended to go about finding a wife that suited him, but it was not a horrible situation either. Unfortunately, he was just as certain that Penelope would not only reject his offer of marriage but voice many oppositions which would begin with her refusal to give up her independence.

“Your Grace, a Marquess Felding has come to call.”

Henry’s throat tightened. He should have expected this visit but had not.

“Please, show him in.”

Henry added more brandy to his glass then poured one for Felding and hoped that this visit was to discuss marriage settlements and not name seconds.

He turned just as Felding marched into the library and held out a glass of brandy. “Shall we discuss the happy future of your sister and myself?”

Felding grabbed the glass. “If only it were so easy,” Felding grumbled.

If he took the brandy then that certainly meant that Felding had no intention of shooting him. At least, Henry hoped that was the case.

“When I confronted Penelope, she did not deny that you were alone in the carriage and that you kissed her.”

“Nor will I deny the fact.”

“What were the two of you thinking?”

This was not the question that Henry had expected and he wasn’t certain how to answer. “I…um…”

Felding waved a hand in dismissal. “No doubt neither one of you were thinking, which is how you ended up in this predicament.” He tilted the glass and took a drink.

As Henry still was not certain as to Felding’s intentions, he remained silent.

“At least I know that you plan to wed Penelope, not that I could have forced you to anyway. As for Penelope, she is ready to flee to the country.”

Henry blew out a sigh and took a drink. He had anticipated rejection, objection and argument. What he had not expected was for her to run away. Did she dislike him so much or was it simply fear of losing her independence?

“There is no hope for it, Eldridge,” Felding said as he turned to face him. “You have already shown that you will do the honorable thing. Unfortunately, my sister is the one who will be difficult so it is up to you to win her.”

“You are her guardian. Can you not force the issue?”

Felding barked out laughter. “Yes, I could, but then she would make both of our lives miserable. Therefore, I wish you well and anticipate that you will have won her heart before the end of the Season.” He then tilted the glass back, drained the contents, set it on the table and left, leaving Henry staring after him.

Won her heart?

It would be easier to kidnap Penelope and take her off to Gretna Green.

She did not even like him very much so how the hell could he win her heart?

Bloody hell!

* * *

Penelope paced in the parlor as she awaited Noah’s return. All she could do was pray that both her brother and Eldridge were not set on doing the right thing because five people saw a kiss…that they went on to gossip about.

She was ruined and Penelope accepted her part, but that did not mean that she would bow to whatever Noah and Eldridge may decide was best for her.

She sighed and strolled to the sideboard and poured herself brandy. She did not care if anyone else would frown on her doing so. It was what men did in difficult and stressful situations and she was certainly experiencing anxiety.

Well, they may think they could decide her fate but nobody could force her to stand before a vicar and recite the vows. If she was shunned from Society for rejecting His Grace, assuming Eldridge would even offer for her, then so be it. She did not have to live in London. She could return to the country. Or she could travel.

Edinburgh was very pleasant and she did have friends there.

She also had not visited the Continent and had always longed to see Paris. Now that Napoleon had long been disposed of, well, three years was not so very long, but he was gone and it was now safe to travel the countries and grand cities on the Continent so that was what she would do. By the time she returned to England, everyone would have forgotten all about her transgression in the carriage.

“What do you intend to do?”

She turned to find Patience standing in the entry. No doubt her sister had already heard the embellished gossip and rumors. Not that Penelope wanted to know what everyone believed. Being seen while caught in a passionate embrace was bad enough.

“Would you like a glass of brandy? We can be miserable together.”

“I am not miserable,” Patience said as she walked to the sideboard. “My concern is with you, but I will happily join you in a brandy.” She poured a glass and then settled into a chair. “Where is Noah?”

“He has gone to call on His Grace.”

“I would have thought he would have done so earlier.”

“He had his reasons,” Penelope said not wishing to explain.

“What do you intend to do?” she asked again.

“Travel,” she said with confidence. Then brightened. “You should join me. Haven’t you ever wanted to see Paris or Rome, or Brussels?”

The corner of her mouth quirked. “I never thought I would see the day that my sister, Lady Penelope Johansen, would run away from a problem.”

“I am not running away. I simply do not wish to remain in London and suffer the gossip.”

“You could avoid that if you married His Grace.”

“Certainly, you understand why I cannot.”

“Explain it to me.”

“He does not love me.” That was really all that mattered. She would not wed without love. It truly was as simple as that.

“Are you certain?”

Penelope snorted. “Until Eldridge kissed me, we had spent much of our time arguing.”

“You have spent nearly every day at his home since you took his cousins under your wing.”

“It was for them, not him,” Penelope insisted then sucked in a breath. If she left, what would become of the Simpson sisters?

She quickly took a seat across from her sister. “You must take my place.”

Patience drew back. “As Eldridge’s betrothed? I think not, nor would it solve your problem.”

“No, or course not,” Penelope snorted. “You must step in for me in seeing that the sisters are prepared for the ball. They have already acquired a new wardrobe, their hair has been styled, they have learned how to dance and…blast, I have not yet taught them the popular card games, but you can do that. The ball is in a few days and most preparations are complete or in the competent hands of the servants.”

Patience simply stared at her, lips parted as if Penelope had lost her mind.

“What?”

“I will assist, but I am not taking over what you started.”

“But you must! I cannot return there. No doubt they are wondering why I claimed an illness today for not being at tea.”

“Why have you been having tea with them daily and inviting all manner of misses and ladies.”

“The sisters hope to find someone for Eldridge to court so he will not be concerned with them courting anyone that could lead to betrothal of his making.”

She chuckled. “Well, that is no longer a problem.”

“It is!” Penelope insisted.

“I am certain Noah will have something to say about your future,” Patience reminded her.

Yes, Noah could be difficult, but so could she.

“What are you afraid of?”

“Afraid? I am not afraid,” Penelope insisted.

“You are or you would not be thinking about running away.”

“I am not escaping, I simply do not intend to be present while others try to force me into a miserable marriage and lose my freedom,” she added. “Nor do I want to listen to the gossip. It is a choice, not shame.”

“How are you so certain that you will be unhappy?” Patience asked quietly.

“Because he does not love me.”

Since both sisters insisted that they would only wed for love, Penelope knew that Patience could offer no further argument.

She lifted her glass of brandy in a toast. “Paris it is.”

Penelope clicked her glass against Patience’s glass.

“If I am in Paris with you, who is going to help the Simpson Sisters.”

Penelope frowned before she brightened. “Rosalind. They are distant cousins after all.” She lifted her glass and once again clinked it with Patience.

“Ah, a celebration of your pending nuptials. I feared that you making the correct decision would be more difficult.”

Penelope’s stomach tightened and she turned in her seat to face her brother.

“You are mistaken.” Then horror struck. “Please tell me that you did not harm Eldridge or do anything equally as stupid such as shoot him.”