A Penny's Worth of Affection

CHAPTER 3- A BRAVE ONE

CHAPTER THREE

A BRAVE ONE

"OOWW!" Lucy shrieked in pain, rubbing furiously at the spot on her hips where the pin had pierced her flesh. She glared down at her sister's dark head, bent over the gown she was pinning in place. "You pricked me again. This is the fifth time! Whatever is the matter with you today?"

Penny flushed and looked up, her mouth stuffed full of pins that she could only mutter something intelligible. She reached for the gown once more but Lucy pulled away, pouting.

"No! No more. Especially if you intend to keep using those horrid pins." She muttered crossly, stepping down from the small stool on which she had been standing, moving closer to the looking glass to admire her dress once more. "I honestly do not know why you are so distracted Penny. You have been so moody all morning, not that you are cheerful at any time, but you hardly noticed when I dipped my bread into my tea at breakfast and you always notice that."

Penny carefully took the pins out of her mouth and tried to rise, grimacing at the stab of pain in her right knee from staying in a kneeling position for far too long. The cold weather always awakened the old injury and she had come to dread the coming winter months for this very reason. Glancing at her slipshod attempt at pinning the gown, she sighed. She would have to do it all over, something she most certainly did not relish.

"I'm sorry Lucy," she replied, "I'm just a tad worried about Eddie is all. Have you seen him since breakfast?"

Lucy stared at her reflection, smoothing down the elegant skirt of the white gown, a smile of utter satisfaction at the way the gown accentuated her ivory skin, the soft gathers beneath the bust setting off her bosom to full advantage. "Eddie? He mentioned something about seeing to his traps. So perhaps he has gone there. I say Penny, do you think you can finish making this gown by evening? I want to look splendid for the ball."

Penny sighed again, feeling her head throb with a headache that had lingered on since her flight from the Rosebury's yesterday. She felt goosebumps creep up her skin at the memory of those cold dead eyes boring down at her, the sardonic evil twist of his lips as he had calmly threatened her and her family. His words had been like a knife piercing her guts, each syllable like a malicious twist driving the knife even deeper. She'd barely managed to keep calm upon reaching home, not wanting to alarm her siblings. But sleep had eluded her, instead she had spent the night tossing and turning, trying to think of a way to save her family from the clutches of the devilish duke.

Penny shivered again, wrapping her arms protectively about herself. Lucy prattled on about the dress and the ball, completely oblivious to the real danger that lurked in the form of the duke. They would be defenseless indeed if he chose to carry out his threats for she knew that no one would be willing to cross paths with that monster on their behalf. The only solution lay in her plan, persuade Jane to shun Edward's affections.

"Are you even listening to a word I've been saying?" Lucy whirled around, hands on hips as she glared at her elder sister.

Oh to be so young and carefree once more, Penny thought, raising a questioning eyebrow at Lucy. "Of course I have. You have been saying the exact same thing since you were invited to the ball."

Green eyes narrowed as Lucy debated whether to take Penny's words as a veiled insult or otherwise. "You are being mean today. You know how important this ball is in securing good prospects, Penny. Mary told me she heard from Lady Margrove herself that her nephew will be in attendance, hence I must look well turned out if I have hopes of catching his eye."

Penny felt contrite at once. Tonight was Lucy's debut and she would not cast a dull cloud over it. "Forgive my moodiness Lucy. Never fear, I shall finish the dress on time, all that remains is the ribbon at the waist. Come, I need to take out the pins on the left side and do them up again."