Loving a Fearless Duchess: A Historical Regency Romance Book(46)

Avery closed his eyes then opened them and looked at Edward. “So, you have no money, and your food will run out in ten days?”

“Yes. I go to town and ask around every day. I haven’t had luck yet, but I’m not giving up. Penelope may take in laundry. We are still arguing about it. She’s ten. I don’t want her to do it. She sees it as a way to contribute and bring money in.”

Avery nodded his head, which Edward thought was strange. “The three of you are coming with me. I can’t in good conscience leave you up here wondering where your next meal is coming from.

“Pack and prepare to leave tomorrow. I will hire a coach so there will be two. Plenty of room on top for your trunks. Your mother will ride with me. Henry will ride with you. My townhouse and my country estate have more room than I would ever need – even adding three more people.

“Don’t argue with me. Tell Penelope to pack herself and your mother.”

Edward furrowed his brow. “But what about this house?”

“I’ll go see Lord Daniels. You won’t get any value for it. Understand?”

Edward nodded.

“Go tell your sister and your mother. Penelope has a lot to do by tomorrow.”

“Uncle Avery?”

Avery turned back, having already headed for the door.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. This is the right thing to do. You’ll see.”

Uncle Avery was gone. Edward grinned and went downstairs to tell Penelope.

*****

Avery had taken care of the house through Lord Daniels; Penelope had run down to the parish and told Father Stevens that Cecilia, Penelope, and Edward were packed and ready to go.

Penelope was pleased that Cecilia had taken an active role in packing her things and knew she was going to live with her brother. It was as if the sun had come out from behind heavy clouds. Edward said it was from worry and stress about how they were going to live being solved.

Edward and Penelope were excited about their trip, their first one, and got into the carriage with smiles on their faces.

“What are you two smiling about?” Henry said, his voice surly.

Edward ignored Henry’s attitude. “We are happy for our new adventure.”

Henry snorted. “New adventure. Living off my father, you mean. Don’t think you’re going to live the high life. I’ll make sure my father assigns you jobs like shovelling the pigpen and cleaning the horse stalls. If you think it’s going to be fun and games, you are sorely mistaken.”

Penelope and Edward looked at each other. “We are willing to do whatever work is assigned to us. We are not afraid to work.”

Henry let out a short laugh. “You say that now, but you wait. You won’t want to do anything. I’ll be watching.”

Penelope spoke. “Tell me Henry, since we are going to be living together, what books have you read you could recommend for us? Is your father’s library well-stocked?”

“Well, Penelope,” Henry said in a smarmy voice, “I think reading is a waste of time, and I never go in the library so I don’t know how many books are in there.”

“I prefer to hunt. Do either of you hunt? No? It’s really quite satisfying. I like to shoot an arrow at an animal without killing it so it will spasm and die a slow death.”

Edward and Penelope looked at one another. Penelope tried again. “Do you ride much?”

Henry rolled his eyes. “God, no. Riding is so boring. Father will probably give each of you one of the castoffs to ride. You’ll be lucky if you can get it to gallop.”

Edward smiled. “We don’t care. Any horse is better than none.”

“Oh, that’s right. You two were poor until you latched onto my father. How did you manage that? He’s pathetic to let you come live with us. What did you do? Whine about how destitute you are? Tell him you are going to have to live in the street with your hand out for money? Penelope, did you tell him you were going to have to prostitute yourself if he didn’t help you?”

Penelope leaned back on her bench and closed her eyes. This was going to be a long trip if she had to listen to Henry’s voice all day and all night. She wasn’t going to let him bait her. She learned that one thing from living without. People wanted to bait.

He would tire of talking, eventually. They would spend days in the carriage together. Henry couldn’t keep up the stream of insults. It was impossible. Would living with him be like this?

Edward told Penelope at a stop to take care of their needs, and that he was furious listening to Henry picking on her. He wanted to shut the jerk up.

Penelope laughed. “Ignore him, Edward. Don’t let him bait you. He’s pathetic and scared his father will grow fond of us. If he is the price we have to pay for Mother living well, so be it.”

She looked up to see Henry on the other side of the carriage. He had done nothing but insult her for the whole trip. He seemed to be particularly annoyed by her. After hearing what he did to animals, Penelope thought, He is probably thinking of ways to kill me. Then she thought she was being ridiculous, and she was overtired. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

When the carriages stopped at an Inn for the night, Cecilia and Penelope shared a room while Edward and Henry shared another. Uncle Avery had the luxury of being alone. As was his right.

The evening meal was welcome. In front of his father, Henry was a different person. Insulting and surly but with occasional breaks. Breathers that were welcome.