“Penelope,” Isadora called out to her sister as she stepped back into the main area. She had a concerned looked on her face. “A word?”
Penelope looked at Alexander, who seemed to be walking in the other direction. And then walked over to Isadora.
“Yes, sister,” Penelope said with a smile.
“You seem to be in high spirits,” Isadora regarded her with suspicion.
“I cannot be happy?” Penelope laughed in response. “It is hardly a crime.”
“What happened between you and the duke?” she asked further. “The both of you were gone for a long time.”
Isadora’s worry reminded her of a time when she was not married, and Isadora would chase her around balls all over London. It was the same sort of concern on her face now, except that the context had changed incredibly since.
“We only had a bit of an argument,” Penelope finally admitted. “But it was nothing to worry about.”
“Nothing to worry about?” Isadora exclaimed. “Surely, you cannot be serious. Was it a bad argument?”
“This sort of thing is rather normal between the two of us,” Penelope shrugged. “It is our way of knowing that we can still get a reaction out of each other.”
Isadora winced. “That does not sound healthy in the slightest.”
“Perhaps not,” Penelope laughed. “But it is how things are. You should not worry. I am a married woman now, and I know how to handle my own affairs.”
“Very well then,” Isadora nodded, though she did not seem entirely convinced. “I suppose whatever it was had a happy ending because you are positively beaming.”
Penelope immediately thought back to the kiss. It had been… perfect. Maybe that was the reason why her spirits were so lifted.
“I suppose I am.”
“Penelope,” Isadora exclaimed. “Why are you being so coy about things?”
“I don’t mean to be,” Penelope giggled. “I suppose I am only now finding out that marriage is rather a wild ride.”
“That it is,” Isadora said introspectively. “Though, if I remember correctly, not too long ago you were adamant on convincing me that there were no feelings between the two of you.”
“I don’t know what I’m feeling,” Penelope admitted after a moment.
“You do,” Isadora replied gently. “You’re just afraid to name it.”
Penelope looked at her sister. It was annoying how perceptive she was. Once again, she had been on the mark. A sister's intuition, as she had called it always.
“I suppose… I might be.”
“Might be what?”
“Well, you know,” Penelope sighed. “Doing that thing that you said I was.”
“Falling for him?” Isadora echoed with a laugh so loud that some of the guests turned to look in their direction.
“Yes, well. That.”
Penelope thought the world would shift beneath her feet when she made a confession like this. Strangely, nothing of the sort happened.
The world was as it had always been, the only difference was that there were now butterflies inside Penelope’s stomach. She hid her face behind her hands.
“Oh, Penelope,” Isadora doted. “Look at you. I have never seen you like this before. You are being so shy.”
“Well, can you blame me?” Penelope huffed. “This is all new to me, and I do not know what to make of it. The only reference I have are the books I have read, and I have to say that they make it sound a lot more dramatic than it is.”
