“Why indeed?” she caustically seethed. “Perhaps he hasn’t yet stolen any of the silver, and he needs a few more hours to learn where we keep it.”
“Don’t be shrewish. It was difficult for me to be rude to them, and I never like to be discourteous.”
Except to me! she nastily thought. “You’re positive you’ve handled Miss Carstairs appropriately? You’ve successfully crushed their scheme?”
“I’m as sure as I can be without physically gagging her.”
“Well, then, it should work out swimmingly.”
Her mockery was biting, but she couldn’t tamp it down. She was just so angry! After all the years she’d sacrificed for him! After all the years she’d tried to make him happy! Her reward was that he’d allowed himself to be seduced by a seamstress!
At her snide retort, a glimmer of fury flashed in his eyes. They never fought, mostly because he refused to exhibit strident emotion, but they were both grouchy and feeling unfairly harassed.
An uncommon argument might have erupted, but suddenly, Penny rushed in. She dashed over to the desk and fumed, “Father! How could you!”
He sighed with what sounded like exhaustion. “Whatever it is, Penny, I can’t listen to it now. Your aunt and I are having a private discussion. Would you excuse us?”
Of course the spoiled brat ignored him. “You kicked Libby out of the house! I’m so ashamed of you!”
“Penny,” he said, “this entire day has been horrific. Would you cease your nagging? We can chat about it later, when I’m in a better mood.”
“I’ve notified Luke that I won’t marry him,” she blithely announced. “He’s in love with Libby, so there’s no reason to proceed with a betrothal.”
Millicent bristled. “The choice is not up to you, Penny.”
“Stay out of this, Aunt Millicent! This is between me and my father.” Penny turned her livid gaze on Charles. “You kicked Libby out, so I kicked Luke out. We don’t need him here.”
Charles sighed even more heavily. “I wish you’d talked to me first.”
“I talked to you, and you were dismissive of my every complaint.”
Charles’s shoulders sank. “I’m sorry. I should have been more understanding.”
“Don’t you dare beg her pardon!” Millicent sharply said. “She doesn’t get to voice an opinion as to whom she marries. Nor does she get to insult Luke this way. She will not defy you! Not in my presence.” Millicent glared at her niece. “Apologize to your father at once!”
Penny rolled her eyes at Millicent’s command and addressed Charles instead. “Libby told me the news.”
“What news?” Charles asked.
“She’s Little Henrietta.”
Charles and Millicent gasped in unison. Charles was too stunned to respond, but Millicent managed to inquire, “When did she tell you that?”
“Just now. I stopped by her room as she was packing. She’s been lost for over two decades, but she’s finally home where she belongs, and you—Charles Pendleton—kicked her out without wondering if her story might be true.”
“We wondered,” Millicent firmly stated, “and it’s not.”
“Says who?” Penny sneered. “Says you?”
“Your father and I already decided that she’s a liar. It’s why he forced her to leave. We can’t have her strutting about and ruining our lives with gossip and innuendo.”
“It’s not a lie,” Penny insisted.
“Have a care for your father, Penny,” Millicent warned. “Have you any idea what this would do to him? Have you any idea of the circus that would ensue? We won’t be part of it, and you’ve distressed him plenty for one afternoon. Go away and let us finish our discussion.”
Charles seemed to have been struck dumb, and Millicent snapped, “Charles! For pity’s sake, speak up for yourself. Explain to Penny why she’s wrong. We can’t have her disseminating these unfounded rumors.”
Penny was undeterred. “They’re not unfounded.”
Charles shook himself out of his stupor. “Miss Carstairs swore to me she wouldn’t mention this to anyone.”
“She didn’t mention it to just anyone,” Penny said. “She told me! She told her sister, and I’m glad she did.”
Millicent had had enough. “You need to shut your mouth about this. Head to your room and remain there until you’ve calmed down and thought this through.”
“You can’t send me to my bedchamber as if I’m a misbehaved child,” Penny said. “You’re not in charge of me anymore.”
“Charles!” Millicent protested. “Will you allow her to sass me? Do you see what I put up with from her?”
He didn’t answer her, but said to Penny, “I’m very troubled. Could we please not fight?”
“I believe Libby,” was Penny’s reply.
“You shouldn’t,” Millicent scolded. “She’s a fraud, and it’s precisely the reaction she’s hoping to elicit from you.”
“Be silent, Aunt Millicent!” Penny raged, then she said to Charles, “Aren’t you curious, Father, about how you’ll repair this if she’s really Henrietta? She came home, and you evicted her. How will you ever sufficiently apologize?”
She whipped away and stormed out, and they were too astounded to call her back. She was such an obstinate nuisance that she wouldn’t have halted anyway.
Once the tension settled, Millicent smiled a tight smile at Charles. “You certainly have it under control, don’t you? I’m so delighted with how you threatened Miss Carstairs so she obeyed you. You have her trembling in her boots.”
Millicent scoffed with disgust, stood, and stomped out too. He dawdled behind his desk, frozen in place like a bump on a log.
Charles was walking across the foyer, intending to slink to his bedchamber to lick his wounds in private, when he happened to glance out a window. Luke was in the driveway. His horse was saddled, and it was obvious he was leaving.
Charles marched out to him and said, “Penny informed me that she’d ordered you to return to Barrett, but I didn’t imagine you’d listen.”
“It’s not so much that I’ve obliged her,” Luke said, “but I agree with her. My presence is stirring problems.”
“Let’s go inside and talk about it.” Charles was practically begging. “Penny doesn’t get to choose her husband. You and I will come to terms—or not. Don’t slither away simply because she’s being a brat.”
“It’s not that, Charles. She knows about my affair with
