Page 10 of Snowed In with the Runaway Bride

Penny drew back, horrified. Pippa murmured something to Kendal in return, but Penny could not hear it through the blood pounding in her ears. She turned away as aimlessly as she could, pretending her destination had been anywhere else in the room even as her head spun madly.

Of course. Of course!

It all made sense now.

There had been a visit during her recovery when she had been allowed to dress and be carried downstairs to sit decorously with her betrothed, who had asked after her health and discussed other commonplaces with her until Mama had made a vague excuse and exited the room, leaving the door only half-open.

Puzzled, Penny had turned to find Kendal leaning close to her, and instinctively she’d ducked away.

“What is it?” she’d asked.

For a moment, anger had flashed in his eyes, but he shook his head and smiled at her.

“Nothing, my dear,” he’d said. “Nothing at all. Are you warm enough?”

Penny had nodded, confused but willing to allow the moment to pass since his anger seemed to pass just as quickly. He had never attempted to kiss more than her hand after that, for which she was grateful.

But now it was all clear.

He had kissed Pippa.

How could they? How could she? Her own sister?

She traveled on a circuit through the room, nodding and smiling at random but not allowing herself to be drawn into conversation. She found herself back at the sofa, where she sat down with a thump as Pippa began to play.

She could not possibly marry Kendal now.

4

With a sigh, Penny lay the back of her hand against her forehead and allowed herself to list against the arm of the sofa.

Of course, she noted crossly, it was Hugo who observed her position first and came over to frown down at her. “Are you quite all right?”

“No,” she said, trying to keep her voice faint but brave. “I’m afraid the rigors of travel have given me the headache.”

The rest of the family began to turn and murmur, and Penny rather regretted having to make a show of it. But there was nothing for it. She must have an excuse to leave.

“What did she say?” the dowager duchess barked. “Speak up, gel. You know I’m half-deaf.”

“She said she has the headache, Grandmama,” Hugo said.

Pippa appeared at her side, her expression alarmed. “Penny, what is it?”

“Merely a headache.” Maintaining her drooping posture, Penny rose to her feet, stumbling a little.

Hugo’s hand went under her elbow to steady her, and this time she was grateful for his support. He frowned at her with an edge of worry. “Do you need help up to your room?”

Penny pulled her arm away to stand alone. “Not at all. I shall be fine with a little rest. Good evening.”

She dipped a curtsey to all, including the scowling dowager, and nodded to the footman who opened the door for her, ignoring the buzz of conversation that followed her exit. Once she was past their line of sight up the stairs, she dropped her hand from her forehead and moved more rapidly.

There wasn’t much time.

She slipped into her room, intending to go straight to the dressing room to pack. She halted in the doorway as Sally jumped up from the chair where she had been dozing by the fire.

“Do you need something, miss?”

“Yes,” Penny said, returning the back of her hand to her forehead. “I have a dreadful megrim. Please go down and see if the housekeeper has a posset for me.”