A Penny’s Worth Of Affection: A Novel (5 page)

Her words seemed to calm him. he sighed and reached for her hand once more. "Come, I will see you home safely. We will resolve this matter on the way home."

"You cannot be seen with her Edward!" Penny protested.

"We will not take the main roads, there is a path through the woods." he replied coolly, leading Jane outside.

Penny opened her mouth to protest, but he shut the door firmly. She sighed and sank down on the couch. "What am I to do Lucy?" she moaned, "I do not believe he knows just how much danger he is getting himself into and Lady Jane is no help. She says they should cease their relationship, but it is quite clear she does not want it to end."

Lucy sat down beside her sister and leaned against her shoulder. "I have never seen him act so violent."

"Indeed. It was most frightening, but do not worry, he will come to his senses soon enough. Will you make some tea, I am gasping for a cup."

Lucy nodded and went into the kitchen, leaving Penny to her thoughts. Something must be done to prevent disaster, she mused silently. But what? Papa will not be here till a fortnight and things are getting out of hand. She needed help, and she needed it quickly.

Penny picked the last egg and closed the coop, smiling in satisfaction as she counted the eggs in her basket. The hens had laid quite a substantial amount of eggs and with the sale of this batch, she would be able to make quite a tidy sum, enough to buy that new hat Lucy was in raptures about. A gust of wind blew strands of hair across her face and she brushed the hair out of her face, realizing too late that her hands were muddied from mucking about in the sty. Now she probably had mud smeared across her cheeks. No matter, she intended to take a bath once she was done with the chores anyway. As she passed the pig sty, Betsy snorted, causing her to wander over to check on the piglets.

"Hello old girl," she whispered to the huge pink sow, smiling when it butted its nose through the wooded bars that ran around the sty. "How's your little 'uns doing."

She set the basket of eggs down and rubbed at the sow's cold snort, her first real smile playing across her lips as the little piglets wandered close, also seeking affection. The smile faded just as quickly as it had come as the events of the past weeks came crashing back to her mind. She sighed and folded her arms across the top of the fence, green eyes troubled and dark. For three nights, she had lain awake, pondering what to do, but solution had evaded her still, every sound of hoof beats stirring up an intense dread within her that the duke had come to kill Edward. Then yesterday, a liveried footman had arrived at the farm and handed her a note from Lord Farnsworth, requesting-no, summoning- her to his house. Fear and trepidation had lanced through her at first, then she had taken umbrage at the imperious way he had written the note. She was certainly not one of his servants to jump at his every bidding and so had ignored him.

"What am I to do Betsy?" she sighed, "If I go to him, he will certainly try to lord it over me in that despicable way of his. But if I do not... I fear what he will do."

Betsy merely replied with a grunt and Penny rested her head on her folded arms with a groan. "Papa you have to come home, this is so difficult to handle on my own and Eddie is being mulish. I am at a loss on who to turn to for help, even doubtful if anyone will even come to my aid. You have to come."

She felt exhaustion sweep over her in waves. If only Eddie would get over this infatuation, for that was what she believed it was- a mere infatuation-they would not be in this situation. Perhaps what she had to do was try to steer his attentions away from Jane Rosebury and focus them on some nice, safe girl who would be good for him. She began a mental count of all the young ladies she could think off. There was Mary, Lucy's childhood friend, but Mary and Edward never seemed to get along, and besides, she knew her brother preferred petite fair-haired women whereas Mary was dark and rather plump. Then there was Kate Ingram...perhaps, but Eddie had never given the pretty blonde a second look, even though it was quite clear the girl was madly in love with him. Perhaps there could be some way to draw his attention to her? She could invite Kate over for tea next Sunday and try to play matchmaker. She would recruit Lucy's help of course, the plan would not work without her younger sibling's cooperation.

Eager to get on with her plan, she pushed off the fence and grinned at Betsy. "I believe there may be hope yet Betsy, I can only pray everything works the way it is supposed to. But it is a good plan isn't it?"

"Have you taken leave of your senses?"

Penny shrieked in surprise and turned hastily to see Lord Phillip leaning indolently against the wall of the stable, a mocking smile playing across his lips. She turned beet red in embarrassment, wondering just how much of her foolish conversation he had overheard.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, planting her hands on her hips and glaring at him to cover her mortification. Leaning there, she could not help but notice how out of place he looked in his immaculate outfit set against the farmyard.

He merely lifted an eyebrow at her tone. "I believe I asked a question first. Don't you know it is insufferably rude to reply a question with another?"

She felt her face heat up, but kept her glare. "What I do in the privacy of my own home is none of your business. And it matters nothing to you if I have taken leave of my senses or not. Now what are you doing here? I do not recall extending an invitation."

He pushed off from the wall and strolled towards her, hands clasped behind his back, regarding her with an unreadable gaze. "No, but I sent you an invitation. One which you have obviously chosen to ignore. Now, I am not in the habit of being ignored Miss Inglewood, so I am here to offer you the chance to explain yourself."

Penny stared at him for a moment in utter disbelief. Surely the man was joking? He had to be in jest. "Invitation?" she repeated with a derisive snort. "I beg your pardon, if you are referring to the message you sent over, that was not an invitation. It was a summons, more like an imperial order and if you know me quite well, which you don't of course, you would have come to realize I do not answer to summons from arrogant, supercilious men, whether they be dukes or no."

He threw back his head and laughed heartily, infuriating her even more. "My dear Miss Inglewood, I consider being called arrogant and supercilious quite the compliment. I have been called far worse, much worse. I could even teach you a few choice words to use if you find yourself at a loss of what to say."

Penny shook her head, and picked up her basket, turning to walk away from him. "Please leave, I don't want you here."

She heard the crunch of his boots as he came up beside her. "And why not?"

She simply cast a glance at him, taking in the immaculate black morning suit he was wearing, cursing her heart for speeding up the way it did at his proximity. "As you can see Your Grace, I am quite busy with chores. I have no time for idle chit chat."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her to a halt beside him. The touch of his fingers burned through the thin sleeves of her blouse, searing her with a strange pleasant feeling. Her emotion must have been visible on her face because he smirked in satisfaction and released the arm. She resisted the urge to run her fingers over where his touch had burned her, unwilling to let him see how much the contact had affected her. She simply carried on walking, willing him to go away and leave her alone. She could not deal with him, not today,
certainly not in addition to Lucy being miserable because the Earl had failed to visit as promised, Eddie keeping a stony silence and thinking about Mr. Barstow's ill-timed proposal.

To her dismay, he simply carried on walking beside her, steadily unnerving her with his silence. She could feel his gaze on her adding to her discomfort even further.

Finally she could bear it no longer. "Well? Are you simply going to be silent?"

"I do not expect to carry on a conversation whilst you are supposedly working." he replied. "You just said you had no time to chat so I am content to wait till you are finished with your chores."

"Hah!" she scoffed, "The great duke of Newbridge waits patiently for a mere peasant. Why do I find that doubtful?"

His lips twisted in a something close to a smile. "I see you are prepared to think the worst of me. I assure you Miss Inglewood, I am not here to argue with you."

She stopped again, tilting her head back so she could look up at him, distrust written clearly on her face. He stared down at her in amusement, enjoying the conversation immensely. "Why are you here then. Why did you send for me in the first place?"

"After giving the matter some careful consideration, I eventually reached the conclusion that perhaps I was too hasty in assuming you were somehow in cahoots with my errant fiancee. I 'requested' your presence because I believe we can come to some sort of arrangement on how to deal with the current nuisance."

Penny's mouth fell open in astonishment as she doubted if she had heard his words correctly. Oh dear lord, could this be an answer to her prayers? If what he said was true, then perhaps he would not be so willing to bring harm to her brother after all, and they could sort out how to keep those two lovers apart. But despite all these thoughts, a part of her still doubted. He was obviously not aware of the tryst on Sunday, for she was certain that he would not be here offering to make peace if he knew his betrothed had spent the afternoon wrapped in another man's arms. She prayed he would never discover the truth.

He took a step closer, the move startling her out of her reverie. She stared at him in alarm as she watched him lift a hand towards her face. What was he doing? Had he gone mad?

"What do you think you are doing?" she shrieked, attempting to take a step back only to find herself up against the walls of the house. She had not realized they had come so close. He leaned closer, much to her mortification, then rather than kiss her as she had feared merely brushed his hand over her cheek.

"You have got mud on your face." he took a step back, holding out his stained hand for her to see. She gasped and her hands flew to her face. He chuckled and shook his head. "Now you have simply rubbed more of it. Hold still."

He reached into the pocket of his coat for a pristine white handkerchief and applied himself to the task of cleaning her face. Penny forced herself to stand still, even though shivers raced up and down her spine with every brush of his fingers on her skin. Her nostrils were inundated by the scent of him, so familiar from the other night in his arms. For several moments, the torture continued until she could stand it no longer. With a small cry, she took a step back, her entire being shaking at the overload of desire that ran through her.

He appeared unperturbed by the contact, a discovery that caused her to flush in shame. He simply stared down at her, an impassive look on his dark features as he dropped his hand back to his sides.

"Are you all right?" he asked brusquely.

Penny simply nodded, not trusting herself to speak for fear of stuttering her words. She cursed her traitorous body for its reaction to his mere touch. The man was engaged to be married for heaven's sake. What was wrong with her?

"You will need to wash your face if you hope to get the rest of the slime off" he continued, casting a disgusted look at his soiled handkerchief. "There is much more dirt than can be cleaned off with this."

Penny found her voice finally. "Well, I certainly did not ask you to offer up your handkerchief." she snapped, still angry over her silly reaction and at the way he was looking at the piece of material as though he regretted using it to clean her face. "I have been working all morning, something I know must seem strange to you, never having worked a day in your life. The grime is something that comes with the task."

He frowned down at her. "Must you always let go of the very first thought that comes to your little head?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I was referring to your shrewish tongue. Did you fail to learn some decorum whilst growing up? Perhaps this is a reason why you have not found yourself a husband yet."

"I BEG YOUR PARDON?" Penny gaped at him. Had he just...had he actually just insulted her?

He merely studied the sleeves of his jacket, brushing idly at a piece of lint that had settled there. "Ah! I see I have hit a nerve. Perhaps I spoke the truth?"

"You are the meanest, most uncouth man I have ever encountered. How dare you speak to me in such a manner. You...you..."

"Cad? Devil? Bastard?" He cut in coldly, "Spare your breath Miss Inglewood, I have already heard every single insult you can think of."

Penny forced herself to take a calming breath, closing her eyes to block out the sight of him. A part of her felt guilty for her rudeness, after all, he had been trying to help, had even offered a truce rather than unleashing his fury as was expected and all she had done was behave in a most abominable manner. She sighed, worrying her lower lip between her teeth as she pondered how to tender an apology. She opened her eyes once more and found him watching her intently, all traces of coldness gone to be replaced by a fiery heat in his eyes
that seared right through the fabric of her dress to pierce her skin. Her breath caught in awe. No man had ever looked at her quite in that way before, as though she were an object of desire.

He continued to stare at her, the fire in those blue eyes drawing her close as though it were a magnet and she found herself taking a step towards him, then another until she stood so close to him her bosom brushed against his shirt. His head began to descend towards her upturned mouth, their eyes locked, smoldering blue with fiery green and everything else ceased to exist.

"PENNY!" Lucy's voice called out from somewhere within the house and the moment was shattered. His eyes became shuttered and cold once more and he took a step back before whirling around and striding away without a word leaving Penny standing there immobile with shock.

The back door opened and Lucy came barreling through the opening, looking excited. "He's here! Henry. He finally came, oh you must come quickly...why on earth are you standing there staring at the empty air for?"

Penny shook her head to clear it and turned to face Lucy, though her mind was in turmoil over what had just happened. Would he have truly kissed her if they had not been interrupted? What on earth was going on?