“Virginia!” called a voice. “Virginia!”
She slowed. That wasn’t Theodore. It was—
“Penelope?” she asked in bewilderment.
Her friend stood at her open door and motioned Virginia to join her. “Get inside!”
Virginia wrapped her arms about her chest and dashed up the walk.
“Why are you walking around in this weather without a pelisse?” Penelope demanded.
Her coat.Virginia groaned. She hadn’t just left that behind; she’d left everything. Her hat, her gloves, her basket.
“It seemed warmer when I left,” she mumbled. A lot warmer.
“I’ll loan you one of mine,” Penelope said. “No arguments.”
Virginia frowned. “I thought you had already left for London.”
“Not yet.” Penelope’s eyes shone. “We were in Bristol visiting the best glassmakers in the country.”
Virginia presumed this had something to do with one of Penelope’s perfumes. She was a lady chemist, and one of the smartest women Virginia knew. Her debut cologne-water,Duke, had taken England by storm. So had Penelope. She was the opposite of Virginia in every way.
Penelope clasped her hands together and grinned. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Virginia blinked. “Without… me?”
“Your timely words to Nicholas were not only the inspiration for his marriage proposal.” Penelope lifted two glass bottles from a wooden crate upon the floor. “You also inspired the new packaging forDukeandDuchess.”
In amazement, Virginia accepted the fist-sized perfume bottles. “Turtledoves?”
“Turtledoves.” Penelope beamed at her. “Glassblowers are hard at work copying Nick’s designs, my perfumes are more popular than ever… The surge in sales is all thanks to you. That’s why we just signed a trust giving you one percent of dividends earned in perpetuity.”
“It was just a comment,” Virginia stammered. “I’m not a chemist or an artist. ‘Turtledoves’ were just… words.”
“Words matter, and no one is more creative with them than you.” Penelope touched Virginia’s shoulder. “Your ideas are important.Youare important.”
Virginia stared at the interlocking glass perfume bottles in awe. One percent of dividends earned in perpetuity. Because she’d had an idea that mattered.
“I want to open an animal sanatorium,” she blurted out.
“You should,” Penelope said without hesitation. “You are incredible with animals.”
“The castle just hired an expert veterinarian,” Virginia confessed. “He arrived today. He doesn’t care about my opinions.”
Penelope rolled her eyes. “That’s because he’s the sort of man who thinks women can’t be experts. Ignore him.”
Virginia’s shoulders hunched. “He’s had formal schooling at university. Years of paid experience.”
“And now he’s working in a two-bird aviary,” Penelope pointed out. “I’m not impressed.”
“Fifteen birds,” Virginia admitted. “I donated my collection.”
“Then he owes more to you than you do to him.” Penelope lifted her chin. “If you have a dream, you should follow it.”
Chapter 9
Virginia was at her writing desk drawing plans for her sanatorium when a knock came on her chamber door. She opened it to reveal a footman bearing a familiar wicker basket.
