Loving a Fearless Duchess: A Historical Regency Romance Book(50)

“He took a hit to his reputation when he announced Penelope’s engagement at the ball. He’s had to work on recovering from that. I wouldn’t be surprised if he asks for your help backing up his story.”

Nash nodded. He’d help Avery if he could. Just not at the expense of Penelope.

Nash looked over at Penelope and Cecilia, heads together talking about the wedding. He smiled. This wedding would be good for her.





Chapter 19


Penelope sat on a bench in the garden, eyes closed, face tilted toward the sun, the smell of roses in the air.

“Well, well. There is the honeymoon girl. Did Nash have to close his eyes so he wouldn’t see your face when he swived you?”

Penelope stood and started walking to the townhouse. She would make sure the outside entrance to the garden was locked from now on.

Henry raised his voice as he saw Penelope’s back getting further and further away. When she was close to the door, he said, “I’m going to ruin you. This is not over. It will never be over.”

“I was in the garden when a man came in and asked directions. I thought it best if we locked the door from the street to the garden.”

Nash walked the length of the parlour and sat next to Penelope. “Did he threaten you? Did he say anything inappropriate?”

Penelope touched her hand to Nash’s cheek. “No, nothing like that. He was a perfect gentleman.”

Penelope didn’t like to lie to Nash, but she didn’t want him arrested for pummeling Henry to death either. Hopefully, Henry would stop his futile attempts to get a rise out of her. If she could figure out what could make him back off, then Nash would be none the wiser.

The following day, Penelope and her maid Helen walked to the cobbler on Bond Street to pick up her slippers and stockings for the wedding. It was a fine, sunny day, and Penelope took her time, in no hurry to go back inside.

Her slippers were beautiful and fit perfectly. The silk stockings were delicate, and Penelope wondered how long they would last before they ran. No matter. You only get married once. Oops. Penelope giggled to herself.

“Well, aren’t you in a good mood today, Penelope. No doubt thinking about your big wedding. The wedding I will disrupt and ruin for you. I’ll have so much fun doing it, too. Will I see you cry? Oh, I hope so.”

Penelope looked at Helen, tilted her head, and picked up the pace. Penelope had told her of the possibility that this might happen. She told her to ignore him, not to talk to him, and walked faster.

“You can try to ignore me, Penelope, but you will crack. I look forward to watching you blow up. Will it be during an outing like this? Will it be at the altar of the church in front of hundreds of people?”

Penelope and Helen walked up the stairs to the townhouse, and Coleman opened the door. They hurried into the master bedchamber and shut the door.

Penelope leaned her back against the shut door until her breathing was even and regular. “Helen, you did well. If we are out, and he comes near us again, I want you to do the same as you did today.”

“Your Grace, you need to tell the Duke he did this. You could be in danger.”

“I’ll handle it, Helen. Just remember how we will handle it together when we are out. Just like today.”

Every time Penelope and Helen went out, Henry found them and harassed Penelope all the way back to the townhouse. At each successive rant, Henry’s voice revealed more desperation. His plan to disrupt Penelope and send her into a panic or fury failed. He mostly threatened to ruin her wedding, but he was not invited, and there would be plenty of security there, so she knew it was an empty threat.

Penelope stuck to her plan. Arguing with Henry was a complete waste of time. Telling Nash would cause him to do something he would most definitely regret. Or, if he didn’t regret it, he would do something that would get him into a lot of trouble.

Penelope stepped from the carriage on Bond Street and asked a footman to assist her with her packages. In the milliners, she picked up three hats. A few doors down she picked up six pairs of dyed gloves with the swatches they used to make the match.

The footman put the packages in the carriage then helped Penelope and Helen in. The lurch told Penelope the carriage was on the way back to the townhouse. She glanced out the window and saw Henry leaning against a wrought iron fence, his hands in fists.





Chapter 20


The wedding was a few days away, and Penelope needed to know what Henry was doing and if he had some special plan in that twisted mind of his.

“Helen, get ready. We are going for a stroll through the park.”

She looked at Penelope, her brow furrowed. “It’s cloudy and may rain soon, Your Grace.”

Penelope walked to the window and looked up at the sky. “Oh, it will be fine, Helen.”

Penelope took an umbrella in case she needed it, and they stepped down the townhouse stairs to the pavement. As she hoped, Henry followed Penelope. She ignored him, but that didn’t stop him from carrying on a one-way conversation with her.

“See, Penelope? I’m right here by your side. You can count on it. I will never leave you. All the way to the end. Your end.

“I don’t care about your wedding. I’m interested in spending time with you long after the wedding has taken place. I’ll follow you until the day you die, whenever that may be.”