“I was unscathed,” Penelope gestured to herself. “In fact, I am now convinced that even if you were to leave me in the street , and go home, I would be fine.”
Isadora scrunched up her nose. “Why would I ever do that?”
“No,” Penelope shook her head. “I would be completely fine. Because once again, someone is watching over me.”
“You are talking crazy,” Isadora’s voice dropped down to a whisper.
“I am finally making sense,” a smile formed on her lips. “Please, now drop me at the estate. I need to deal with something extremely important and I cannot wait, even for a moment.”
“I think it is best we listen to her,” Evan chimed in.
Isadora was not convinced. But she knew how stubborn her sister could be, so finally, she agreed. As they walked back to the streets, Penelope felt a strange, fleeting sensation of freedom.
It was no coincidence that she had felt watched for the last few days. If anything, it was a sign from someone who would never communicate properly.
She had to go back to the estate if she was to get any proper answers.
CHAPTER 26
“You sent Fergus to follow me around?”
Penelope burst into Alexander’s study without so much as a word in advance, or even a knock. She had not even bothered to return to Isadora’s estate, and instead insisted that she be dropped off directly at Alexander’s estate.
To his credit, Alexander only looked at Penelope in surprise. He rubbed his eyes like he could not believe she was here in the flesh. He stood up once he realized his mind was not playing tricks on him.
“Penelope?”
“Oh, do notPenelopeme,” she walked further into the room. “You sent your man after me? Is that truly what you’ve stooped to, Your Grace?”
“I have not sent any of my bodyguards to your aid,” Alexander replied, straightening his back. He was so nonchalant that Penelope would have almost believed it if she was not so sure of what she had seen.
“So you have decided to not admit it,” Penelope said. “See, this is the thing I do not understand about you. You were the only who asked me to leave this estate, and then you have me followed around. In what world does that make the least bit of sense?”
“You have no proof,” Alexander responded.
“I know what I saw. Or felt,” she added. To his credit, he had been sly enough to go unseen.
“Perhaps you mistook him for another. I would not be surprised since you have a rather over-active imagination.”
“Do not play the fool with me,” Penelope snapped. “You sent him. What is the use of lying when I know the truth for certain? You’ve had me followed.”
“Suppose I had sent Fergus,” he admitted finally, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “What of it?”
Thegallof this man. They had only been away from each other for three days, and Penelope had forgotten just what he was like when he was so desperately trying to make a point.
“What of it?Alexander, you told me to leave. You made it perfectly clear I was no longer welcome in this house, in your life. And then you send a man to follow me as though…” she paused for a moment, “as though you actually care about what I am doing.”
He was silent for a moment.
“Do you not see just how confusing that is for me?” Penelope continued. “I made my mistake. Let me pay for it. Don’t come offering me false hope.”
“It is not false hope,” Alexander’s gaze held hers, “It was for your protection.”
At leasthe was admitting to something. It was not much, but it was a start.
“But why do you even care about keeping me protected?” she questioned him. “You made it perfectly clear that you didn’t want me in your life, Alexander. You cannot have it both ways.”
Alexander rose slowly from his chair.
