Lady Penelope should be loved and she should know love. How was it that no gentleman had won her heart yet?
Had nobody tried?
She was beautiful, enticing, intelligent, desirable, opinionated, stubborn, but had a good heart. There was kindness and sensitivity to her so rarely openly displayed in Society. Yes, she could be difficult, but not in a mean-spirited way, but to make people better, think beyond themselves. She had done that to him.
There was much to be admired about Lady Penelope, not to mention desire. A longing. Lips that beckoned to be kissed. A body he ached to caress…
Bloody hell! If he did not watch it, he would be the one falling in love with the one lady who did not believe in such.
Except, she had simply not experienced it…would her heart and mind change if love visited her?
Those where his thoughts after they returned from the British Museum.
When the guests for tea began to arrive that afternoon, Henry returned to his library to hide, and he was not ashamed to admit that was exactly what he was doing and only emerged about the time the tea should come to an end.
He greeted the guests, having already met them on various occasions, and silently agreed with Lady Penelope’s assessment of those she had invited.
None of the women were of interest to him, not that he would openly admit that to his cousins, but he knew the guests by reputation and family and they would be good to have as acquaintances if not friends for his cousins.
He then retreated once again to this library but left the door open so that he would be alerted when the guests finally departed.
And, despite that he had matters that needed his attention, such as the household accounts, bills before parliament, and correspondence from his estate manager, Henry could not stop thinking about what Lady Penelope had said at the museum about love.
When the last of the voices bidding goodbye faded and the front door closed, he got up from his desk and made his way to the parlor where his cousins remained with Lady Penelope. She, however, was standing, and ready to depart.
“I shall call for Judith and Bernice at seven.”
Henry frowned. Where the blazes was she taking them? She was the one who had insisted that there would be no balls or other entertainment until after he reintroduced them to Society.
“I cannot wait to hear all about your evening,” Chloe gushed.
“Are you certain we are too young?” Jael asked.
Now he truly was alarmed. Where could he possibly take the two older cousins but not the younger ones.
“You are not, but I think it is best if I only take the two eldest with me. Then we shall determine if anyone else should visit.”
“Visit where, Lady Penelope?” he asked from the entrance.
“Athena’s Salon, of course.”
He had heard of it, of course. A salon, or club for independent-minded women such as Lady Penelope, to discuss arts and politics and whatnot. They also had tables for gambling. From what he understood, only women may be granted entrance.
It was also owned by Her Grace, the Duchess of Ellings and Her Grace, the Duchess of Claybrook. Except, the Duchess of Ellings was not in London and the Duchess of Claybrook was in mourning, so who was in charge of Athena’s Salon?
“Are you certain Judith and Bernice should attend such a…place.” They already wanted to avoid courtship, and Judith was considered on the shelf, with Bernice closely approaching it. If he allowed them to embrace the same independence as Lady Penelope, they might never wed.
“Of course. What is your objection?” she asked with curiosity, almost censuring. This was one of the questions that if he did not answer correctly, they would likely end up in an argument.
“I thought you did not want them to attend any functions before the ball.” The very ball that he still did not want to have.
“They still need to be seen, remarked upon, and become a curiosity so that others in Society are eager to meet them.”
Yes, she had mentioned that previously and perhaps Lady Penelope did understand Society more than he did. “I suppose there is no harm,” he said after a moment. “Only ladies are in attendance after all.”
She frowned. “There are gentlemen who are members.”
There were? “Who?”
