by Oliver Queen
She arched a brow at him, "Why? Because I do not simper and fall into a dead faint at your threats?"
Phillip shot her a baleful glare. "You attach far too much importance to yourself Miss Inglewood. I simply meant you kiss like an angel and argue like the very devil. I am still at a loss of what to make of you exactly."
"You should not have kissed me Your Grace," Penny sighed and reached up to gather her hair, there was no way she could replicate the complicated hairdo Fiona had crafted. With any luck, no one would notice the altered style. Edward! her heart sank as she recalled the reason they were in the maze. Had he returned to the main gardens or was he still romping about with Jane. How on earth could she face him and tell him to stay away from Jane now that she had compromised herself with the very man she had warned him against? This was a pickle indeed.
"You should not have let me." He retorted, sounding highly amused. He raised an eyebrow haughtily when she shot him a nasty look. "Do you deny it? If you did not desire it, you could simply have given me a resounding slap and stalked away with your nose in the air. Yet you returned my kiss."
"I should slap that grin off your face." she muttered crossly, "It is not too late. Now don't just stand there like a insufferable lord, help me find my pins."
Phillip guffawed merrily, merrily, earning him another glare from Penny. "You are so lovely when you threaten me with bodily harm." he stooped down and began to retrieve the pins by the dull light, whilst Penny slipped on her shoe, grimacing as the shoe resumed its torture on her poor feet. He straightened and ordered her to turn around.
"Why?" she demanded, hands on hips looking at him curiously.
He sighed and raised his eyes to heaven in exasperation. "Are you always this hard headed woman? I have no wish to maul you, I simply want to help you with your hair. Now turn about before I change my mind."
Chastened, she meekly did as ordered. He gathered the mass of dark curls, his fingertips brushing her bare shoulders sending fresh tingles of delight along her spine. He rather expertly twisted the hair and deftly refastened the ends with the pins, leaving Penny to wonder how he had come about such knowledge. No doubt, from the numerous women he had debauched and had found a need to dress hastily. A dreadful thought seized her. Did she now count as one of those very women? God! what had she become?
He moved to stand before her, admiring his handiwork before nodding in approval. "That will have to do I'm afraid, I am no ladies maid."
She huffed, still oddly put out by the thought of him redressing some loose woman's hair in a like manner. "Well you certainly seem quite versed in the art. You did quite well enough."
He looked at her for a moment and grinned devilishly. "Why Miss Inglewood! I believe you are jealous of my...accomplishments."
She snorted and turned away from him so he would not see the hot color that suffused her cheeks. She retraced her steps to the very last turn they had taken before ending up here, gritting her teeth as he chuckled in amusement and followed her.
After a few tries, they finally found the entrance once more. Penny cried out in relief and made to hurry out of the dreadful maze, but Phillip detained her.
"A moment." He said, touching her arm lightly. She looked at him askance and he nodded towards the tiny gathering at the entrance. Penny looked and stifled a groan. Stuff and bother.
"You go first. Tell them you got lost at first, but finally found your way. I will remain behind until the excitement dies down so as not to raise questions. Be sure to mention you were alone the entire time."
He turned and disappeared back into the maze before she could respond. She sighed, and prayed no one would notice anything amiss, then went stepped out to join the small group clustered at the entrance.
Edward noticed her first. He frowned and hurried over to her. "Where the devil have you been? We were about to go in search of you."
"Don't use such foul language Eddie," Penny replied sharply, "I went in search of you of course. Then I unfortunately lost my way and had quite the time finding my way back."
Lucy and Lady Jane hurried over, the latter scanning the dim entrance. "Did you by any chance come across Lord Farnsworth?" Jane asked, "Lucy says he went in a few moments after you."
"No, I must have gone quite deep, I did not see him." Penny hoped her face did not give her away, as it was, she could not bring herself to look the lady in the eye, as guilt weighed heavily on her. She looked to Lucy instead and found her sister looking at her thoughtfully. She flushed guilty and almost groaned aloud as Lucy's face took on an expression of complete astonishment. Wisely, Lucy said nothing.
Jane turned to Lord Henry and grasped his arm. "We simply must go in search of Lord Farnsworth. He could be lost and it is so dreadfully dark in there."
Penny bit her lip and looked down, wondering how she could distract them enough to wander away from the wretched maze. Quite unexpectedly, Lord Henry unwittingly provided a solution.
"Phillip can look after himself," He said giving Jane's arm a reassuring pat. His eyes fell on Penny briefly and he flashed her a knowing grin, provoking yet another guilty blush from her. He returned his attention to Jane and murmured, "Besides, I do not think he will be too pleased if we go in search of him. Come my dear Lady Rosebury, it is almost time for the refreshments. We will await him at the table. Miss Inglewood, you will join us?"
Penny simply nodded to embarrassed to speak. She simply allowed herself to be led away, Lucy and Edward trailing along. As they took their seats, she glanced back towards the maze. He had emerged but simply stood there at the entrance, his gaze fixed on her.
CHAPTER 10 REMONSTRATION
Lucy grasped her arms the moment they were seated and leaned forward, curiosity and excitement gleaming in her eyes. "What on earth is going on? I saw you go in there with Lord Farn..."
"Hush!" Penny cut in, tearing her eyes from Phillip, certain her face must be an alarming shade of red by now, "Not now, I will explain later, but you must be quiet about this."
"Well, what happened to your hair then? It's all messy and..." Her eyes widened and she clapped a hand to her mouth. "Oh lord! You didn't!"
Penny groaned, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her. "Lucy...please...not here." this was possibly the worst evening she had ever had, first her indiscretion with the duke and now this... she knew Lucy would never let the matter be, not until she had extracted every morsel of information about this dreadful encounter. Dear god, why was this happening to her?
Lucy giggled but nodded nonetheless, a mischievous expression on her face. "Oh my goodness, I declare this is the most interesting evening."
"Lucy...?" Penny muttered, casting a look back towards the maze, but he had moved away. She sighed and rubbed her aching temple. He always managed to ruin an evening for her by his mere presence. Turning back to the table, she caught Lord Henry's knowing amused gaze on her. She blushed again and dropped her gaze to the white table cloth. This was simply dreadful.
"I wonder where Lord Farnsworth could be," Jane murmured from her seat beside Penny. Penny turned to her, just in time to see her exchange a tender look with Edward. He smiled at her, his feeling for her so obvious, Penny's heart sank.
A footman appeared at Lord Henry's elbow and murmured something. Henry nodded and rose to address the small group, "My mother wishes us to join her, I believe she wishes to meet Miss Inglewood."
"Of course," Penny laid down her napkin and rose, grateful to have a diversion, "I would like to meet her as well."
The petite fair haired woman who Lord Henry introduced as the Countess looked nothing like how Penny had imagined her to be. She still looked beautiful and even younger than her real age of fifty five. Penny swept into a deep curtsy, wincing a little as her leg protested the posture, conscious of the older woman's intense study of her person. When she rose up again, the countess smiled at her and patted the empty seat by her side.
"I must commend you Miss Inglewood," Lady Hensley said kindly, as Penny t
ook the offered seat gratefully. She looked up at Lucy, and beamed, "You have done an excellent job in raising Lucy, I can only begin to imagine how much effort you put into this, your sister is such a delight!"
Penny smiled gratefully and nodded. "She is indeed, but that is because Lucy is of a merry disposition. I cannot take credit for that my lady."
"Posh! you are too humble." the countess waved away the comment perilously, "I have raised a daughter and I know how one must be blessed with endless degrees of patience especially when they are of a certain age. And to do it when you are so young. That is an achievement of the most splendid proportions."
Penny smiled, already warming to Lady Hensley. It was heart warming to be appreciated in this manner by an esteemed lady of the peerage. "Thank you my lady, I am grateful for the compliment."
"Oh it is not a compliment, merely a fact. And now, we will dispense of this 'my lady' nonsense. You are to call me Bridget and I shall address you as Penelope...that is quite a mouthful, how do you manage?"
This invoked cheerful laughter among the little group gathered around. Lord Henry shook his head at his mother in exasperation.
"Mother, honestly..." He began in protest, but Penny hastened to reassure him she was not offended by the countess' words.
"It is not a bother at all my lord," she smiled up at him, then turned back to the grinning countess, "Yes indeed, it is quite tiring to be called Penelope the entire time, so I prefer Penny."
"Ah! Now that is much better." Bridget leaned over to pat her arm in approval, Her gaze shifted to focus on something above Penny's head, her smile widening even more. "Phillip my dear boy! How wonderful to see you again."
Penny stiffened and felt a blush creep up her cheeks at the mention of his name. She hadn't still quite fully recovered from their clandestine encounter and she surely wished he would just stay away till she had regained some modicum of self control. She heard the crunch of his boots as he came up behind her, she could feel the heat from his body so close to hers. She looked down and pretended studied interest in the perfectly trimmed grass.
Phillip came around to stand before the countess, taking her outstretched hand and pressing a kiss upon it. "Felicitations Lady Hensley, may I say you look entirely resplendent today."
The countess laughed, the sound airy and feminine. "Oh you unrepentant flatterer. Where have you been by the way? I heard you had arrived earlier."
He chuckled, looking down at Penny who was still earnestly studying the ground as though her life depended upon acquiring some sort of knowledge. "I was diverted by a guest, my apologies."
Lord Henry guffawed, but quickly turned the sound into a cough when Phillip shot him a withering glare. Penny groaned and shut her eyes, hoping that by some miracle, she would magically reappear in the sanctuary of her bedroom, the night turning out to be nothing but a bad dream.
Mercifully, the countess, Jane and Edward remained oblivious to the undercurrents floating beneath the surface. The countess turning her attention back to Lucy and began to quiz her on her interests while Penny remained silent, steadfastly studying the ground. She could feel Phillip's gaze boring down on her head, but she dared not meet his eyes. Jane moved close to him and lightly touched his arm to gain attention.
"We wondered where you had gone off to," Jane said softly, "We were on the verge of sending out a search party."
Phillip looked at her, his lips twisting in disdain. "Is that so?"
She looked down at her hands, a guilty flush suffusing her fair complexion. "Yes." she mumbled so softly he could barely hear her response. He paid her no heed and shifted his gaze to Edward,
"Mr Inglewood..I trust you found the maze quite...entertaining?" he drawled coldly, his eyes piercing and frosty.
Penny's head shot up in alarm, looking quickly to Edward in time to see his face register shock, then guilt.. He thrust his hands into the pocket of his dinner jacket and shot a quick glance at Jane, before coming back to rest on the duke, now filled with defiance.
"Depends on what you refer to as entertaining..your grace." he replied his cold voice matching the duke's.
Jane gasped and looked at Edward pleading silently. Phillip raised a brow in mild surprise at the lad's haughty tone, and he smiled even as his eyes turned ice blue in fury.
"I had no idea you needed any further education, but I will happily oblige you with a quick lesson if that is what you prefer."
Realizing the real challenge behind the duke's words, Penny rose and hastily slipped an arm through Edward's. He turned to her, and she silently pleaded with him to refrain from offering a scathing rejoinder. It would not do to arouse interest, certainly not in front of the countess, who would certainly disapprove of any match between her son and Lucy if the truth were discovered. Thankfully, he seemed to understand, squeezing her hand reassuringly.
"No your grace," he replied quietly, "I consider myself suitably educated now."
"Good. Let us hope you keep it that way. Let us hope you keep it that way." Phillip replied and turned away abruptly. The three watched him lean down and murmur something to the countess, who promptly protested.
"Leave? But we have hardly begun the festivities." Bridget stared at him in surprise, "Come now, I shall be highly offended if you leave."
"There are matters that need my urgent attention, my lady," the duke replied, "I apologize if my departure does not please you."
The countess pursed her lips, assuming a stubborn countenance that Henry knew so well. "I won't have it Newbridge, I insist you stay for dinner at least." she held up a hand when he made to disagree once more, "It is intolerably ill mannered of you to leave when I have so nicely asked you to stay."
Phillip's mouth twisted in a wry grin, he had forgotten how stubborn the woman was. "Very well, till dinner then"
She bestowed a cheerful smile upon him and raised a white hand, each finger adorned with huge jewels and patted his cheek, chuckling when he looked highly offended by the gesture. "You were always such a dear boy Phillip, such a shame you insist on building quite an evil reputation."
Lucy pressed a hand to her mouth in a futile effort to stifle the mirth that bubbled up as the duke cast the countess an irritated look. Phillip looked ready to offer up a scathing retort but Henry stepped in smoothly.
"Now mother, that is no way to address a duke," he laid an arm on his mother's shoulders, shaking his head in reprimand.
"I simply spoke the truth! And what do I care if he is a duke or not?" Bridget frowned up at her son, "I believe Phillip can speak for himself in any case, and he hasn't offered up any protests."
Phillip stared at the woman, wondering why he had gotten himself entangled in this, all for the sake of seeing a green eyed shrew who did not quite know how to control her mouth, though that mouth tasted heavenly kissing him back, so soft, so sweet and so innocently giving, he had lost control and had been mere seconds away from lowering her to the soft grass and making love to her if she had not wisely stopped the kiss. He had almost doubted his senses when he'd first seen her wearing that particularly lovely gown that accentuated her curves, the gentle swell of her perfect bosom and that waist...good god, from the moment he'd seen her tonight, he'd wanted to sweep her away and do pleasantly terrible things to her.
He turned slightly so he could stare at her without arousing suspicion, she was engrossed in conversation with her brother, that ill-mannered whelp. He would deal with the lad later, teach him a few lessons in keeping to one's boundaries as a matter of fact.
A tap on his shoulder drew him from his thoughts. "A word Newbridge?" Henry murmured.
Curious, Phillip nodded in return and followed the earl towards a small grassy lawn overlooking the bubbling stream. A number of guests were idly strolling along its length but it was not so crowded and ensured a modicum of privacy. Lord Henry stopped at the waters edge and turned to face Phillip. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" he demanded angrily, folding his arms across his chest and glaring at his
friend.
Surprised at the verbal attack, Phillip could only raise an eyebrow in query. "I beg your pardon?" he replied, wondering what had gotten the earl so riled up now.
"Are you trying to ruin the lady?" Henry ground out, "What the hell where you thinking, accompanying her into the maze and if my assumptions are correct, I can only imagine what else you got up to in there. Do you even realize how close the both of you came to creating a scandal of the worst kind? If someone had even seen you go in with her..."
"She would have gotten lost in there if I hadn't offered to accompany her." Phillip cut in coldly, "and I have no intention of besmirching Miss Inglewood's honor in any form. I would also advice you to keep your damn assumptions and opinions to yourself Hensley."
Henry growled and took a step towards the duke. "She is not like the others whom you have entangled with. If you compromise her reputation it will destroy her and her family. Why the bloody hell would you even suggest to go into the maze in the first place?"
"I do not have to explain my actions to you," Phillip snarled, "I do not question yours."
"Perhaps, but Miss Inglewood is soon to become my responsibility, and believe me Phillip, if you dare hurt her in anyway, I swear to god I will ensure you regret it. Do the right thing Newbridge, it is obvious you do not care for Jane as as future partner. Release her from the contract and be honorable for once in your damned life." With those words, Henry spun about and returned back to the group, leaving Phillip seething in anger at being told what to do.
CHAPTER 11 A SHOCKING SURPRISE
Penny rose early the following morning. It was not quite dawn yet, and the moon still cast soft silvery shadows that stole into her room from the open windows. She had slept poorly again, spending the night in restless dreams, pleasant at times, especially the ones related to the kiss she had shared with the duke, almost always replaced by the most overwhelming guilt. Good heavens, what she had done was tantamount to covetousness, sharing intimate moments with a man who was already promised to another. This was not her, this...this wanton woman who followed men into dark mazes and kissed them without thought to irreparably damaging her reputation and being regarded as a light skirt among respectable members of society.
