“I cannot set my cap at a man who is obviously not interested in me Papa. I am not being stubborn. Mr. Wiseman has no affection for me,” Penelope responded. She could not say that it was the Earl that filled her every thought, it was obvious her father did not consider him suitable. She could scream with the frustration of the situation.
“There are ways of, ahem, securing a man,” Mr. Hall said with a cough. “I am sure Mr. Wiseman’s family would support his marriage if he was found in a compromising situation.”
“You want me to purposely compromise a man who I have no real affection for beyond friendship? You would have me enter such a doomed marriage?” Penelope gasped.
“Your view on marriage has always been too romantic. Marrying for love is not as beneficial as marrying for a title and wealth,” came the stern response.
“Papa, I would rather become a penniless spinster than stoop so low,” Penelope stood to leave the room, her cheeks burning with shame that her father would even consider such a scheme.
“Penelope, you are a penniless spinster,” were the words that followed Penelope through the door and increased her discomfort.
Chapter 5
Penelope left the house, she was unaccompanied, but had to escape. She was not one for dwelling in self-pity but the irony of finding someone she could fall in love with, if she had not already, who her father would not consider because he was a businessman was not lost on Penelope. She was shocked that her father had suggested compromising Mr. Wiseman in order to marry, she could not understand this obsession of his for a title, but this obsession with a true blue-bloodied title was highly uncomfortable for this member of his family.
She aimed for the Earl’s land, angry she may be but she could not walk the streets of the village without comment being made, so she headed for the place she felt safe. As Penelope skirted the Vicarage, she met Emily leaving the property.
“Good afternoon Penny, I was just about to pay you a visit. I see you are walking in the opposite direction. Would you like some company?” Emily asked.
“I would welcome it, we can walk in whichever direction you wish. I had no plan,” Penelope replied. It was no longer necessary to seek the sanctuary of the Earl’s land if she was accompanied, but that did not mean she did not suffer a pang of regret not to be walking there. “I have not seen you alone for too long.”
“Yes, I had noticed I have been abandoned for a tall, handsome stranger,” Emily teased her friend as she linked her arm.
Penelope laughed, “Now, now Emily, you are in danger of becoming the village gossip. I am as friendly with this Earl as I was with Richard.”
“I don’t remember the last Earl accompanying you on your early morning walks,” Emily responded, looking closely at her friend.
“I well, I, oh, you have me there,” Penelope stuttered with a blush.
“I am not the only one to notice Penny. The lane is used by many, perhaps it would be more appropriate to part earlier in the walk? You know how gossip travels and to be walking unchaperoned on the land of a single man, with the man himself, is asking for trouble. If your father heard.....”
“He would be disappointed that it was not Mr. Wiseman,” Penelope answered.
“He wants a match for you with Mr. Wiseman? Has he not seen your partiality?” Emily smiled at her friend’s shocked expression. “I’m sorry to pain you, but anyone who knows you can see how you prefer his Lordship to anyone else. I had hoped your father would welcome and encourage your feelings.”
“No,” Penelope groaned, grateful to have her friend to talk too. “He doesn’t like his Lordship’s background, so even if there was a chance of anything developing between us, it would not meet with my father’s approval. He would rather see me in a loveless marriage, than one to a businessman.”
“Oh Penelope, I am sorry. I am sure he would come round in time, if your feelings were strong enough. What about the Earl? Does he return your affection?”
“I have no idea,” Penelope answered. “I think he likes me, but how much, I could not tell.”
“He favours you more than anyone else, male or female, I think he likes you very much and who could not? My best friend is beautiful,” Emily smiled, squeezing Penelope’s arm. “Just be careful my dear, the gossips only need the weakest of excuses to seize onto scandal. I would hate to see you embroiled in something that would ruin you.”
“I have been foolish,” Penelope said with a sigh. “I have not been thinking that people may talk, even though I know I have been spending time with him.”
“He is very handsome though,” Emily grinned.
“Yes, he is, isn’t he?” Penelope giggled.
*
The friends parted, Emily wanting to help her friend, but not sure how and Penelope realising her behaviour would have to change. She had thrown caution to the wind with regards to the Earl. Perhaps it was because she had never felt such feelings with anyone else, but she had opened herself up to criticism and that would have to stop. It was true what she had said to her father, she did not want to trap anyone into marriage, even the man she could see herself being blissfully happy with, so her habits had to alter.
For the following three days she took her maid and walked around the village instead of venturing onto the Earl’s land. It was a walk that neither party enjoyed. On the third day clouds had gathered and although it did not rain, Penelope could not face the grumbling that would occur if her maid needed to accompany her again. She joined her parents for breakfast without going on a walk, her mood matching the clouds overhead, grey and heavy.
“Now Penny,” her father began as soon as she walked through the door. “You have the first two dances with Mr. Wiseman at the assembly, I expect you to take full advantage of the opportunity.”
“I shall be as I normally am with Mr. Wiseman,” Penelope replied firmly.
“Do not start this nonsense again,” her father snapped. “I have been thinking though that perhaps a marriage to the Earl would not be so bad after all.”
Penelope looked in disbelief and to her shame, felt a little bit of hope at her father’s words. “Not so long ago Papa, you were disgusted that he was a businessman. What has changed?” She asked calmly.
“I have come to realise that the title will gain him entry to where ever he wishes. Most will overlook his background. The title should have been yours anyway, perhaps it does not matter after all if it is a different Earl? The goal is the same, to get you a title.”
Penelope gasped and left the room without another word to her parent. She was mortified for what her father had said about Richard and Daniel. She burned with shame, her father had professed to be Richard’s friend and in reality he had been using him to reach the title. That damned title!
She marched up the stairs and put on her pelisse and bonnet. She had to get out and get out alone. She was not fit company for anyone at the moment. There was one place she needed to be, the one place she could seek the peace that she needed so much.
*
It was less than twenty minutes later when Penelope began to regret her decision of marching out of the house. It had started to rain at the same time she had reached the Earl’s land. There had been a moment when she considered turning around, but the lure of the shelter of the woods and the reluctance to return home had made her decision for her.
The rain started to fall heavier, but Penelope did not really notice, she still stung at her father’s words. She did have feelings for Daniel, she had since the moment they first met, but she was not sure if he returned those feelings. He liked her, of that she was confident, but there was a great deal of difference between liking someone and loving them. She worried that if he heard of any of what her father had expressed, any chance of happiness with him would be lost. He was a proud man, of that she could tell and would not take kindly to such mercenary sentiments.
The horse was almost next to her, before it startled her from her reverie. She looked up to see Daniel, wrapped in a
greatcoat, raising an eyebrow at her. “Miss Hall?” he asked, looking at the sky through the trees.
“Yes?” she responded tartly. She did not think she could take more criticism at the moment, even from Daniel.
“I somehow knew I would find you walking today,” Daniel responded, failing to mention that he had patrolled the woods for the last three days in the hope of seeing her.
“In that case why are you surprised to see me, I was enjoying the solitude,” came the clipped reply.
Daniel’s mouth quirked. “In the rain?”
“I had hoped it would be naught but a shower,” came the quiet reply.
“With this dark sky?” Daniel teased.
“Oh, join the rest of the village with their criticisms and condemnations. Please excuse me, I need to get out of the rain.” Penelope knew she was being teased, but whether it was from shame of her father, or despair that she thought she was not going to be allowed to be happy, she just could not respond to the teasing and over reacted with anger instead.
Daniel had noticed on his approach how upset Penelope had looked and had tried with teasing to bring her out of it, but her retort had brought him up short. She was really upset and he had to change that. Penelope had turned away from him, but he reached over and hooked his hands under her armpits. It was difficult at his angle, but he lifted her onto the horse, sitting her firmly in front of him.
“What do you think you are doing?” Penelope gasped, blushing at being so close.
“I am getting you out of the rain and providing you with somewhere away from the gossipers until you feel better,” came the firm response. The words were accompanied by Daniel opening his greatcoat and wrapping it around them both. He pulled her closer to make sure she was covered as much as possible. Penelope was going to protest, but before she had uttered a word, he took the reins and moved the horse forward.
Penelope could not decide if she was mortified, or in heaven. She was being held firmly against Daniel’s chest, with one of his hands circling her waist, while his other held the reins. Her face was concealed by her bonnet, but her cheek was laid against his chest, the greatcoat forcing the closeness.
The softness of the material of his frock coat against her cheek was a welcome comfort after the morning she had gone through. She smiled at the smell of the damp wool of his greatcoat and the smell of musk that she had thought previously belonged to Daniel. She snuggled in closely as they moved in silence through the trees.
Daniel felt every movement that Penelope made as if there was nothing between them. He had acted on impulse, seeing her distress had removed the usual restraint he clung to when she was around. The urge to hold her had haunted him since they had first met and now he had her in his arms and it felt as good as he had imagined. He could not speak for fear of losing control completely and taking advantage of her, even on a horse in the pouring rain.
Daniel brought the horse to a stop outside an estate cottage. He jumped down and then lifted Penelope down, covering her with the greatcoat. He took her hand and led her into the cottage.
“I hope my instructions have been carried out,” he said more to himself as he pushed the door open. “Ah, good.”
Penelope had allowed herself to be led without speaking until she entered the cottage. It was obviously empty but there were signs of someone moving in. There were pieces of furniture and the fire was laid. “What are you doing?” She asked when Daniel started to light the fire.
“Do not worry, we are not intruding. There are a few cottages on the estate that were not being used. I asked for them to be made ready so that we could use them for some of the more needy families in the area. There is no point to them lying empty when there is a use for them. No-one is due to move in until next week, so plenty of time to rebuild the fire.”
“Oh.” Penelope did not really know what to say or do, she suddenly felt very cold and shivery.
Luckily, Daniel was able to think for them both. He pulled two chairs in front of the fire and took off his greatcoat, hanging it over the table to dry. “Come here,” he said gently, leading Penelope to the chair nearest the fire. “You will be lucky if you haven’t caught a chill Imp, what were you thinking?”
He took off his frock coat and laid it over the chair. He made Penelope stand. “Your hands are freezing, so let me do this, it will be quicker,” he said before removing her bonnet and quickly undoing the buttons of her pelisse. Once removed he laid it next to his greatcoat before insisting that she put on his frock coat. “It still has my body heat and will help warm you while the fire takes hold.”
Penelope was sat down, while Daniel filled the kettle with fresh water and set it on the stove. He then removed a hip flask from his greatcoat pocket and poured two generous portions of brandy into two cups. “There is no food or drink here, but you need something warm inside you. I will add some hot water to this brandy and it should do the trick.”
Only when the water was heated and Penelope had taken her first sip of the warming drink did Daniel sit next to her. They did not speak for a while, Daniel was making sure that Penelope drank while the drink was still hot. She was grateful for the warmth of the brandy and the heat provided by the frock coat. She felt her fingers and toes begin to tingle as life returned to them and started to wriggle them.
“Feeling better?” Daniel asked, glad that the colour was returning to her face.
“Yes, thank you. I didn’t realise how cold and wet I was,” Penelope replied sheepishly.
“No, you were too busy in your own little world,” Daniel teased, this time confident she would not be upset by his comments.
“Oh that,” Penelope groaned. “Parents,” she offered in explanation.
“Anything I can help with?” Daniel offered.
“My father tends to have notions sometimes that others do not share and objects strongly when I have the opposing viewpoint. He accuses me of not considering my future. It is a conversation that he raises at least once a week and has done for many years, he does not realise that by constantly raising it, I have the opportunity of thinking of little else.” Penelope did not want to go into too much detail, she was not confident enough that their friendship would last if she explained her father’s views.
“We all have friends or family whom we would wish to silence from time to time,” Daniel reassured her.
“Is yours Mr. Wiseman?” Penelope teased.
“How did you guess?” Daniel laughed.
Penelope smiled, she had never before experienced the warm feeling a laugh could bring. “Did you sort your business out?”
“Yes, thank you. I suppose I could have had the paperwork sent over, but I like to be in the area when I am signing anything, that way, if I need to check any of the detail, I am already there.” Daniel explained.
Penelope detected enthusiasm in his voice. “Was it a large transaction?”
Daniel looked at Penelope before answering, he had thought that she was asking purely out of politeness, but her interest seemed genuine, so he replied. “It is. We are starting a large building scheme on the outskirts of the City. The growth within the City has been amazing and I cannot see the need for expansion reducing. It is a perfect opportunity to build good houses and businesses at the edge of the City, but with easy access into the centre.”
“And make money?” Penelope teased.
“Oh yes, money is always the aim, but I pride myself in producing the best that I can at the same time as making a profit. I see too many businessmen and land-owners who just want to squeeze every penny out of their business, no-matter what the consequences. I realised a long time ago that was not how I wanted to work.”
“Mr. Wiseman was not wrong when he indicated that you were passionate about your business,” Penelope responded to the rush of words and the glow that seemed to emit from Daniel as he had spoken.
“Mr. Wiseman talks too much,” Daniel growled in reply.
“I hope you did not find this estate lacking?” Pe
nelope asked.
“No, I did not. I admit I came not knowing what to expect, so many estates are left to falter without good management in place, but I was pleasantly surprised. The Earl knew how to run his estate and did it well.”
Penelope was pleased that Daniel approved, he sounded as if he knew what he was talking about, but he could not have previous experience of a landed estate. She would have come to Richard’s defence if needed, even to Daniel. “I suppose you aren’t intending to stay here for long?” She was glad that she had finally been able to ask the question that had been haunting her nights.
“I have not finalised how long I will be staying as yet.” Daniel had hesitated before answering. He had never intended to stay very long, but that was before he had met Penelope. Now, the thought of returning to Norwich and leaving her behind did not hold much appeal. “Although with you abandoning me these last few days, I was beginning to wonder if I should have returned.”
Penelope glowed with pleasure at his words, he had noticed her absence and even though it was unintentional, the result gave her pleasure and hope that he thought as much of her as she did him. “Emily, Mrs. Clark, advised me that we have been noticed on our walks and it is not appropriate to be unchaperoned with you.” There was no point in trying to avoid the reality of her situation, she was going to have to restrict her walks on his land.
“Ah, propriety eh?” Daniel responded bitterly. “I suppose it did not matter when the old Earl escorted you, just when an upstart like me came along.”
Penelope’s surprise was so real that Daniel did not doubt its sincerity. “Why no! I never walked with Richard. I never saw him on my walks, he allowed me to use his land, but that is all. I never had the pleasure of company until you joined me.”
Daniel smiled with pleasure at her response, but had to ask further questions. “I thought there was some sort of relationship between the both of you.”
“We were friends,” Penelope explained. “My father wanted there to be more, but there never was. I used to beg Richard to marry someone, anyone, which was the only way the lectures would stop from my father.”
The Unwilling Earl Page 4