Penelope turned her head so that her other cheek rested on the cool wood. She should not be saddened by the fact that she’d made no impression on him whatsoever. She’d never done anything before in order to capture a gentleman’s interest. In fact, she’d gone out of her way to be sensible and prudent. Even when she’d thought she was in love with Rome Spencer, she’d made it a point to always be herself around him. For as much as she’d thought he wasthe one,she knew in her heart she could never pretend to be something,someone,she wasn’t.
When other debutantes had fluttered their lashes and listened raptly to the ramblings of some Lord or other in order to capture a husband, Penelope had staunchly stood her ground in regard to marriage. It was unwise for a woman to marry a man who might not care as much about her well-being as she did. Marriage was an institution that primarily benefited men.
Penelope was fortunate though.
She would never have to worry about having a roof over her head or putting food in her mouth. It had been horrifying to learn that many of her friends, many young women of her acquaintance, had no choice in the matter. Or so they said.
There was always a choice. Unfortunately, the options did not always present people with the choices they wanted. Penelope closed her eyes and moaned to herself.
After years of condemning the notion of marriage, she herself was on the hunt for a husband. Not just any husband but a husband who was currently London’s most confirmed bachelor.
He had not been happy to see her. When he’d realized who it was who had traveled all those godawful miles to see him, his main concern had been that no one know she was here.
What had she been thinking?Fool, Penelope!And now, when she ought to be searching Hugh’s chamber with him, she sat here like a slug, doing nothing.
She opened her eyes and allowed her gaze to lazily travel around the stuffy room. So much dust, ah, and yes, a century’s worth of cobwebs. From the angle in which she lay, she could see that virtually every book on the enormous shelves was covered in a thick layer of dust and its own lacy web.
Except four or five on the right-hand side of the top shelf. Those books looked like they’d been handled recently. In fact, those books were wiped completely clean.
Slowly, this time, so as not to swoon again, Penelope rose and pulled the slide ladder so that it leaned just below the books she’d spotted. Not wanting to be interrupted by anyone, either Periwinkle or Hugh, Penelope closed the door before returning to investigate that top shelf. She hesitated a moment. If she fainted while on the ladder, it would not be a good thing at all.
Not only would she likely hit her head and be injured, she could possibly injure the baby growing inside of her.
Which did, in fact, give her considerable pause.
She raised her hand to her abdomen and pressed against it gently. Was it protruding just slightly? That was impossible! Women didn’t begin to show until they were several months along, did they? She’d not suspected that Lilly was with child until her friend had told her, and that had been three or four months into the pregnancy.
But whereas in the past, her abdomen had always been somewhat concave, it felt different now. It swelled outward just slightly.
Impossible! Penelope dropped her hand dismissively and inspected the ladder.
It was quite sturdy and had rails on both sides. More of a staircase, actually. She would be fine. That spinning, ethereal feeling was gone, and she felt more her normal self.
Satisfied that she wasn’t risking her baby’s life, she lifted her skirt with one hand, took hold of the railing with the other, and carefully climbed until she could lift her arm and take hold of the books that had been disturbed. She grasped the largest one and pulled it down to peruse. It was rather weighty for its size.
Except it wasn’t a book.
No, when she opened the cover, it revealed a secret compartment filled with coins and banknotes.
“Ah hah!” she said softly. Suddenly concerned that someone would find her, she replaced the one book and examined the others. They contained more coins but also what looked to be several bank notes and important documents. Here were the former contents of the safe.
She jumped when she heard the sound of furniture scraping the floor overhead.
Hugh must be trying to look behind a wardrobe or something. Penelope scrutinized the room for just a moment before discovering what she needed. An old cloth-lined basket filled with knitting needles and yarn was stuffed against the wall behind a large wing-backed chair. It was covered in dust, and she wondered how long it had been since any knitting had been accomplished in this room.
She removed a few of the balls of yarn, stuffed Hugh’s treasure deep into the basket, and then returned the now-empty books back to the top shelf in the same order she’d found them.
She’d been sitting on the settee knitting for several minutes before the door opened and Hugh stood in the opening, looking frustrated.
Chapter 6
“Ithought you were going to help me,” Hugh’s voice dripped in sarcasm. His hair sprung out from his head, roguishly, and dust smeared liberally across his face and hands. He had donned a banyan, however, in a belated attempt at maintaining his manners with her.
Penelope inserted one of her needles under the loop on her thumb and pulled the strand snugly.
“Decided to knit me a scarf instead?” He dropped onto the wing backed chair and threw one leg over the arm casually.
Penelope smiled and then spoke without thinking. “Just thought I’d make a blanket for the baby.” She was quite pleased with herself.
