“I imagine it must be peaceful here,” she offered gently. “The horses don’t talk back, at least.”
Odette didn’t respond. But Penelope was not about to give up so easily.
“I had a habit of sneaking out into the garden, my book in hand, when I was about your age. Perhaps you feel the same way about horse riding.”
Still, nothing. Odette continued to act as though she had heard nothing.
Penelope cleared her throat softly. Maybe she needed to ask a direct question.
“Your mare is beautiful. What’s her name?”
“She’s notmine,” Odette muttered finally, irked.
It was not the warm response that Penelope had hoped for. But it was better than nothing. She latched onto it. “Still, she seems to like you. Animals always know, don’t they? When someone’s kind.”
At that, Odette finally straightened and looked directly at Penelope.
“Let me make it clear that I do not wish to be your friend,” she said, “or anything at all, for that matter.”
The admission caught Penelope off-guard. Where was this hostility coming from?
“You’re only here because you married him. That doesn’t mean I have to like you. And I don’t.”
She turned abruptly, striding away across the stables. Next to her, her small dog wagged its tail, making himself seen. He looked up at Penelope, as if unsure whether to stay.
“You’re friendlier than your mistress, you know,” Penelope mumbled to the animal.
“Come here!” Odette called out, impatiently. The dog gave one last glance before scampering off after her.
Penelope was left to mull over the rejection she had just experienced.
“Odette,” Penelope muttered to herself, “is going to be quite the challenge.”
CHAPTER 5
“Your Grace, are you sure you do not wish to sit down?”
A worried Nancy asked as Penelope paced the length of her bedchamber. Her brows were drawn tight in frustration, her hands gesturing wildly as she spoke.
“Honestly, Nancy, I’ve tried everything short of standing on my head to get that child to acknowledge me,” Penelope could not help but rant, for she had reached peak frustration. “She is barely interested in holding a conversation with me, and that makes it very difficult for me to grow any sort of bond with her, let alone a close one.”
“Your Grace, I can empathize that this might be a challenging situation,” Nancy nodded. “But perhaps you need to give her more time.”
“I have tried every day for the past week,” Penelope said, frustrated. “I have been trying to approach Odette, but she barely listens to me.”
Nancy did not say anything, only offered a sympathetic glance in the Duchess’ direction.
Penelope sighed, her pacing slowing but not stopping.
“I don’t need her to braid my hair and call me Mother, Nancy. I just need her to speak. One full sentence, preferably not asking me to leave her alone.”
“She’s never known another woman in that position,” Nancy offered softly. “Her mother passed when she was quite young. Since then, it’s been only His Grace, and even he…” she trailed off.
“Evenhewhat?” Penelope asked, narrowing her eyes.
“He is busy with work most of the time, so there is a natural distance between them. Especially since the young lady has grown older.”
Penelope stopped, considering the words. Penelope was well aware that there was no denying that Odette needed company, even though the young girl was too obstinate to admit it on her own.
