Chapter 30

Forced to leave?

Penelope's mind exploded upon those words.

"What do you mean forced to leave?" Penelope asked for clarification. "You left on your own accord."

"Oh, well… not really," Vanessa pretended that was not the case, waving her hand dismissively. "I was simply… not ready for that commitment, but I didn't know that the duke was so dashing."

"You and I both know that isn't true," Penelope replied. "I don't know why you disappeared but that is not the real reason."

Vanessa frowned. "I made a mistake in choosing my future husband. Fortunately, the man who accompanied me showed his true colors before I became his wife."

Penelope almost gasped. "You eloped?"

"Almost," Vanessa corrected her. "It was a lapse in judgment, which I aim to rectify immediately and reclaim what is rightfully mine."

Penelope had no idea what to say to that. So that had been Vanessa's plan all along, to steal the duke from her?

"You know, I did come here to ask you something very important," Vanessa continued, eyeing Penelope from the looking glass. "I do not mean to sound rude, but the duke has been sending me glances all evening, smiling at me in a way a gentleman is not supposed to be smiling at his wife's sister."

Penelope was furious. She couldn't believe what Vanessa was saying.

"James was merely being polite," Penelope growled.

"Was he now?" Vanessa grinned, finally turning to her sister. "I do believe I can tell the difference between instant attraction and mere politeness. But you… I doubt you can."

Penelope felt as if she were on the verge of bursting into tears, but this was the last place where she wanted to be caught crying, and Vanessa was the last person she wanted to be crying in front of. She blinked heavily several times, deterring herself.

But then, a worm of doubt appeared from the deepest, darkest recesses of her troubled mind. What if Vanessa was right? After all, she was more attractive than Penelope. She was more charming. She was the one all eyes were aimed at whenever they went anywhere. Any man would be a fool not to want Vanessa as his wife. A storm of doubt started to form inside Penelope's mind. Could it be true? Was her husband regretting marrying the wrong sister?

"Which brings me to a very important question," Vanessa continued, taking a step closer to Penelope so that the two women were standing, facing each other. "I am wondering… Have you even consummated your marriage yet?"

Penelope's eyes widened in shock, a tidal wave of poppy red washing over her cheeks. "How dare you ask such a question?" Penelope snarled at her sister. "That is none of your business!"

Vanessa smiled victoriously, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "That tells me all I need to know. If you had consummated it, you wouldn't be so defensive about it. And more importantly, your husband wouldn't be looking at me with such desire in his eyes."

Penelope gasped, realizing that she couldn't take any more of this. She pushed Vanessa side, barging out of the powder room, leaving her sister behind. Breathing heavily and feeling as if she might lose consciousness at any moment, she flew down the flight of stairs, hoping to catch some fresh air out in the garden, but before she could reach it, she heard James' voice call out to her.

"Penelope?" he asked, coming down the stairs. "Is everything all right?"

She looked up at him, tears swelling in her eyes. Everything that Vanessa had just said came tumbling back, creating an avalanche of pain and anguish.

"No, nothing is all right," she replied, her entire body trembling. "You've been cold to me without any explanation. And tonight… you seem to be having so much fun with Vanessa and my parents, I'm wondering why I even came!"

She had no idea where all that came from. She didn't even mean all that, but Vanessa managed to fill her head with doubts and suspicions, and now, Penelope didn't trust her own eyes, let alone someone else.

"Having fun?" he asked, incredulously. "I am merely being polite to your family."

"A little too polite if you ask me," she snapped, still on the verge of tears.

"You are being unreasonable," he shook his head at her.

"Unreasonable?" she scoffed, "I am done for tonight. I just want to go home. And you can stay here with Vanessa, seeing as it is her company you prefer."

This time, she could see him get agitated at her words, but she couldn't stop herself. She was hurt. She was in pain. She was afraid. She was filled with emotions, and she had no idea what to do with them, other than to let them spew out of her in any manner they themselves pleased. She couldn't control herself.

"How could I prefer her company when I don't even know her?" he exclaimed incredulously. "Besides, I am here because of you and no one else. You are making it seem as if I wanted to come here as if I wanted to be in the company of people who fooled me, offering one daughter and then presenting another without even having the decency to let me know!"

Her eyes widened at him. Her heart broke upon hearing those words.

"You could have said no!" she shouted back at him. "No one forced you to do anything!"

"Well, it is hard to say no, when the wedding and everything was already planned and arranged," he reminded her.

"I know what that means," she hissed through clenched teeth. "You still feel like you were forced to marry me. You feel like you are stuck with me."

He sighed, raking his fingers through his hair. "No, Penelope, I?—"

"You don't have to say another word," she cut him off.

Penelope turned around and stormed out of the corridor, rushing outside. She finally knew the truth. He regretted everything that had happened now that he had met Vanessa. Of course, he wanted to be married to her and not to Penelope. She was a fool to think that happiness was something she could claim for herself.

Allowing the tears to stream down her face, she ran until the end of the pathway, hiding between some carriages. She didn't want to go into the garden because she knew someone might follow her there, and she didn't want to see anyone right now. Sobbing quietly, she wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to calm down.

"Penelope?"

Penelope immediately recognized her sister's voice. Why had Vanessa followed her?

"Spare me your gloating. You have done enough for one evening," Penelope boldly stepped out of her hiding place. She didn't want to allow Vanessa to be victorious. Not this time.

Vanessa's expression was one of sisterly affection. "I… I took it too far, Penelope," she spoke slowly, softly. But Penelope knew better than to trust her. Still, she listened. "I saw the duke and how happy you two are… just thinking that it could have been me made me mad. I'm sorry. Truly."

Penelope frowned. Vanessa was not the kind of person to offer an apology so lightly. In fact, Penelope couldn't recall a single instance of her sister apologizing to her. It was completely unheard of. However, she didn't want Vanessa to know that she could see through her disguise.

"You and I both know that isn't true, Vanessa," Penelope said without any affection. Her tears had stopped flowing. There was no more pain. Only anger. "I know you well."

Vanessa took a step closer to her. "You are my sister, Penelope, just like Adeline. We need to be close, all three of us."

"That is all true, but the moment for that has passed," Penelope nodded. She didn't believe a word her sister was saying. "But… I don't have the strength to discuss this anymore. I just need some time alone, please."

"But everyone is worried about you," Vanessa said. "Even the duke wished to come after you, but I told him that I am your sister. I know you better than he does, better than anyone else."

Penelope frowned. That was not true. Vanessa hardly knew her at all, and she shared that sentiment. They had never been close. They were merely acquaintances who used to live under the same roof.

"So I sent him back inside with Mother and Father," Vanessa announced somehow victoriously. "All I need to do now is deal with you."

Her eyes flashed with malicious intent, and Penelope knew that something dreadful would happen.

"Trust me, it's for your own good," Vanessa said, her smile widening into something far more sinister.

With surprising strength, she grabbed Penelope by the arm and dragged her into the carriage behind her. Before Penelope could slip back out, Vanessa swiftly closed the door, locking it from outside. Penelope banged on the door, her voice rising in panic.

"Vanessa, let me out! What are you doing?"

Vanessa leaned close to the small window, her eyes cold. "I'm sorry, my dear sister, but this is necessary. You are always causing trouble, and it's time you finally learned your place."

Penelope's eyes widened in horror as she noticed a man slip from the bushes, as if he had been waiting there for exactly such an incident. Then, she saw Vanessa slip a hefty pouch of coins to him.

"Taker her straight to St. Catherine's Nunnery," Vanessa instructed him. "Do not stop until you get there, do you understand?"

No, Penelope thought, a shiver scattering down her spine upon hearing her destination.

The man nodded, pocketing the money without a word. He glanced at Penelope who banged on the inside of the carriage, but she knew it was to no avail. No one from inside the house was able to hear her. Still, she had to try.

"Let me out!" she shouted again and again but without any success.

The carriage hastily jolted forward, and Penelope felt her heart sink as she realized the gravity of her situation. She was being sent away, taken against her will to a place far away from everything and everyone she knew. It was a place of horror, and she knew what awaited her upon her return.

"Please, stop! Please, take me back!" she tried to plead with the man, but that yielded no result either. Whether or not he was able to hear her, he didn't provide her with any response. The only language he understood was the sinking of the coins in his pocket, and Penelope had no money on her to offer him for her safe return.

Tears started to stream down her face as she finally realized that she wouldn't be returning. As the carriage rattled along the uneven road, her initial surge of adrenaline began to wane. The rhythmic clatter of the wheels and the gentle sway of the carriage combined with her overwhelming emotions left her feeling drained. Despite her fear and anger, exhaustion crept over her, and she found it increasingly difficult to keep her eyes open.

She curled up on the narrow bench, her body shivering in the cool night air that seeped through the cracks of the carriage. The rough woolen blanket she found beneath the seat provided little comfort, but she wrapped it around herself tightly, trying to find some warmth and solace.

Her mind raced with thoughts of escape and despair, but her fatigue was relentless. Gradually her eyelids grew heavier, and despite her best efforts to stay awake, she slipped into restless sleep, her dreams filled with fragmented images of James, Vanessa, and her home slipping away in the distance.

When the carriage finally jolted to a halt, she opened her eyes, and a dark silhouette stood in the open door of the carriage.

"Well, isn't that our lost little lamb?" someone snickered. "Welcome back, black sheep. This time, you're here for good."