The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride-Chapter 25: Honesty (1)

The next day, Penelope got dressed and awaited leaving with her siblings to visit her grandmother. She knew it was a way for her parents to send her out of the estate so she and her siblings wouldn’t overhear what they found out about the recent attacks.

Penelope sat by a window, looking out at the garden.

"Lady Penelope," Reed said, making his presence known.

Penelope looked away from the window. "Reed. I was wondering when I would see you. I apologise if you got in trouble with my father. I already told him that it was my fault."

Reed approached Penelope. "If anyone told you that I got in trouble, then you were told wrong. Your father simply placed stricter orders, and I agree with them. I am not like my brother to cry when your father is stern. I am fine."

"Caleb would cry," Penelope joked. "It is good to hear that you weren’t punished for my actions. I will be more careful next time."

It was a mistake Penelope never planned to make again. Not only with witnessing someone trying to hurt themselves, but any other situation.

"This has opened my eyes that I haven’t properly dealt with Anya’s death. I still haven’t settled with the fact that she is gone. One day she is happy, and the next day we are given news of her death. This season brings too much pressure," Penelope said, wishing it wasn’t so.

"How did you deal with it?" Penelope inquired.

"I didn’t deal with it. Against my will, I found myself entangled with my wife since she was a friend of your mother. I found myself drawing closer to her without realising. Unfortunately, as a man, I did not face the same pressure," Reed replied.

He got married far later than his peers, and no one judged him.

"I envy you. There is added pressure thanks to being the daughter of Edgar and Alessandra Collins. The town expects me to be perfect when no one can ever be perfect. It is tiring," Penelope said.

Reed frowned, concerned by what Penelope said. "Please don’t tell me that you are thinking of running off. Your father would kill me then."

Penelope laughed. "I will do no such thing. I love my family too much to just up and leave them. Please don’t tell my parents what I said. They will worry too much."

"It is strange," Penelope said, looking out the window once more. This time, she stared at the gates. "News that I might be a murderer hasn’t stopped the gifts from coming. Strangely, they have increased."

"You are Penelope Collins. It would be foolish of the young men in town not to court you. Anyone could speak ill of you as they like to damage your name, but that will never change your father’s wealth," said Reed.

"That wealth is what they are after. Not just suitors but some of the young ladies who approached me to be friends thought they would get extravagant gifts. The gossip starts when they realise I do not give out gifts without a proper occasion," Penelope said, standing up.

Penelope led the way to find her siblings.

Anya was a rare, purehearted friend, which was why she was greatly missed.

"I must inform you that on my way to find you, I witnessed a royal messenger delivering a letter. I don’t think it was for your father or brother," said Reed.

"Do you want me to slip it away and bring it to you?" Reed asked.

Penelope looked over her shoulder at Reed. "Since when do you enjoy delivering letters from a suitor?"

"I do not," Reed replied. He wasn’t interested in all the courting going around the town, but he did think a letter from the prince might change Penelope’s spirits.

"Good. Leave the letter where it is," Penelope replied, sticking to her plan of ignoring Tyrion’s advances.

It was pointless to indulge in it when she would not enter the palace as his wife

"Reed, how long does it take a gentleman to move on from a lady they fancy?" Penelope asked, seeking an honest answer.

"A few days. If you are speaking of the crown prince, he is a scoundrel. They are less likely to ever give up," Reed answered.

"I see," said Penelope.

Penelope toyed with her fingers. She grew curious about what Tyrion had written to her.

"Perhaps it is wrong of me not to see what a prince took the time to write. I will get the letter myself," Penelope said, wanting to avoid Reed being caught by her father. "My father is on the training grounds, right?"

"He is."

"Wonderful," Penelope said, picking up the pace.

Penelope went down to the ground floor toward the table where all the letters were placed before they were organised to be sent out.

"Gerald," Penelope greeted the butler. "It is a wonderful day, isn’t it?"

Penelope searched the letters for one with a royal seal. She smiled when she found it, only to frown when she turned it over and saw her brother’s name.

"Is this the only letter from the palace, or were there more sent to the rooms already?" Penelope asked.

"It is the only one I have seen all day. If you are expecting a letter from the palace, I will keep an eye out for it," Gerald offered.

"No," Penelope replied, placing the letter back where she found it "I am not expecting anything. Excuse me," she said, walking away from the table.

"I was wrong. The prince might be a gentleman since he no longer cares enough to send a letter. Isn’t this what you wanted?" Reed asked, though he saw Penelope’s disappointment.

Reed knew he was playing with fire, but he enjoyed every bit of the growing romance between Penelope and Tyrion.

This romance was what the king yearned for, while the duke greatly wanted it to never happen.

"It is what I wanted," Penelope said, moving on from the letter. "It is good he did not send any, since I would have to respond. I am not in the mood to speak of what happened with Sarah to anyone. What time are we leaving?"

Despite what she said, Penelope was surprised Tyrion had not written to her. It could be that he knew well that she didn’t hurt anyone, so he wasn’t worried. Still, the Tyrion that she was used to would reach out to her by now.

’Perhaps he is busy preparing to be king. Get a hold of yourself,’ Penelope thought, shaking her head as though it would help rid her of her thoughts. ’You have other things to concern yourself with.’