Cecil had no stake in it, not when he had already decided what he needed, even though he had masked it as though they were meeting for her sake. And now that she had fallen for him, it was clearer than ever that she had been playing a losing game all this time.
One she would need to put an end to.
“Did you hear me, Penelope?”
“Hm?” Penelope refocused her attention on Nora. “I am sorry, I did not – could you please repeat that?”
Nora huffed, looking adorably concerned and annoyed, a sentiment Godric seemed to share with Penelope because he spoke up in his wife’s stead.
“She asked if Cecil had done or said something during his match making processions. Would you like us to intervene and speak to him?”
Penelope shook her head quickly, fervently praying that she would not have to fight hard to dissuade them both.
“N-No, don’t. I assure you; all is well... with His Grace and I. Perhaps I am merely drained from the festivities, as I have never been away from my home for this long, while surrounded by so many people. I fear that I have been worn out by it all. I did not want to make a fuss about it because the party is nearly over, but I assure you, that is all.” She told them, hoping that if a little bit of her believed her words were true, they would believe them as well.
“Are you sure that is all? I know he can be rather vexing, but I do hope he has not crossed any lines. I had trusted that he would know better than that, and hearing that you two had become friends warmed my heart... After my initial bout of doubt.” Nora sighed, leaning against her husband.
Penelope had given up on the idea of finding a match so long ago that it had become difficult to imagine what her life wouldhave looked like if things had followed the natural order as one would expect. Now that she watched her friend derive strength from the silent support her husband offered, she could not help the way her heart shrank painfully.
Perhaps in another life, she might have had that too. And perhaps her life might have found completion after she acquired it.
For now, she remembered that she had known there was nothing here for her on these terms.
“No lines were crossed,” Penelope assured, even as she could feel the ghost of Cecil’s lips along the column of her neck. “We are still... acquaintances and we will continue to be so until the purpose of our relationship is fulfilled.”
Nora frowned, leaning forward slightly.
“Until? I thought you would remain friends even after he had found a wife.” She complained with a pout.
Penelope shrugged, lifting her tea to her lips even though she knew it had gone cold, resolving to handle herself as gracefully as possible until she no longer had anything to do with Cecil.
“It is as you said, Nora. He is rather vexing and I believe I will have used up all my patience by the time he has obtained what he wants. And by then... it would be best if we go back to how things were before.”
“Do you like fishing, Your Grace?”
Cecil fought hard to restrain himself from grimacing, the smile that slipped onto his face feeling stale and rubbery as he spoke around it.
“Not particularly. I am barely a hunter, as is.”
Lady Heather’s expression dimmed into concern. “Did – are you not fond of catching game or the outdoors?”
“Oh, no. I like being outdoors fine, it’s just... well my father never had time to show me how to engage in such activities. My brothers-in-law have only recently shown me the joys of hunting, though I think I accompany them because it is a good opportunity to tease them about my sisters, away from said sisters. I have never gone fishing before. I am not sure how I would feel, waiting in the middle of a lake or a river and not going for a swim.” Cecil teased, reaching for a biscuit.
“I see,” Lady Heather mused with a small smile. “Perhaps we might go sometime.”
Cecil fought back the urge to cough as he swallowed a piece of biscuit too early.
“Fishing? Us?”
Lady Heather nodded, looking so eager, much to his dismay.
“My brothers and father taught me how and we take trips once a month to fish near our country villa. I caught a trout once. I think you might like it. While it might be a little trying because a lot of patience is required, you will find it is quite nice to be alone with your thoughts for a time. There is nothing quite as relaxing.” She told him earnestly.
Cecil could think of many things that would be much more relaxing than dwelling on his thoughts – especially as he had worked hard to avoid them for the last few days. He had believed that if he set his sights elsewhere with all his might, he would feel less haunted.
But as it stood, he could hardly keep his mind off Penelope. Everything he did, everywhere he went, there were traces of her. He couldn’t stand in the drawing room in which she had tended to his injuries for longer than ten minutes.
He balked at the idea of promenading around the garden. He told Nora he had developed an allergy to books, so his sister would not drag him to the library to show off the latest addition to her husband’s collection of artworks.
