With Lady Maggie who had left the room, Penny took another look at herself in the mirror. Her eyes staring at the diamond necklace which now adorned around her neck. Sparkling even with the little light which was in the room. But it was the reflection of the fire from the fireplace which made the crystals come alive like some enchanting stones she had never seen before. Coming from a struggling family since she was a child, Penny had never seen anything like this.
Taking another look, with her turning around to see if the dress was alright, she exhaled out the air she had been holding in. Half out of nervousness and the rest of it which was held by the corset that she wore inside the dress that didn’t allow her to breathe comfortably.
She made her way down the stairs, meeting Damien as he had been standing at the end of the stairs waiting for her. Penny took in the sight of him. Black coat, white shirt with black trousers. His usual hair which he didn’t bother to comb and keep it neat now was combed back in a sleek way that left three of four strands of hair to fall on his forehead while the rest was combed back.
Hearing the shoes clanking softly on the carpeted stairs, Damien turned around to meet her eyes.
At first, the man didn’t smile, his eyes drinking in her presence as she made her way towards him slowly with her hand holding the rails so that she wouldn’t fall down. He could hear her heartbeat against her chest. Her heart skipping a few beats when he smiled at her.
Penelope had been shy to his advances before but she was opening up and getting comfortable. Taking the lead to kissing him which he was more than satisfied with. At least that is what he told himself but there was something more he wanted from her since he had brought her to this mansion. Since day one where his eyes had fallen on the green-eyed girl. Internally he smiled, wondering if he could turn the jade green-eyed girl really green. It was something he would like to test to see how jealous he could make her.
There was a slight awkwardness when Penny finally stopped at one step above him. And though she stood one step ahead of him, her height failed to meet him where she had to crane her neck to look into his dark red eyes.
“Don’t you think we are overdressed for the local theater?” asked Penny, her voice laced with embarrassment with the way he looked at her unblinkingly.
Damien didn’t speak right away, taking his own time to admire the girl who looked ravishing at this moment. Maybe they should cancel going out and spend the day in his room, thought Damien to himself, “You look beautiful,” his eyes trailed to pick on her eyes and then her lips, moving to her cheeks but not below it.
“You look beautiful too- I mean you look handsome,” she corrected herself quickly. The blood rushing up her neck bit by bit.
An evil smile came upon Damien’s lips which had Penny turn nervous even more, “What’s got you this nervous? I am not going to pounce on you,” at least not right away, thought Damien to himself. His eyes filling up with mirth which had Penny give him a smile.
“Lady Maggie gave me your mother’s necklace.”
“She did?” Damien gave a surprised expression, his eyes going below her neck to look at the diamond stones sparkle, “Your eyes stood out more than the crystals that you are wearing. I don’t think it was needed. Sweet of Maggie to do that,” he said, taking her hand in his hand he pulled her close to him, kissing her cheek on either side of her face, “My mother enjoyed the rare stones, I am sure Maggie has plenty of them.”
“It was sweet of her,” Penny agreed. His elder sister was trying to make up, trying to get along with her after what happened to Grace. She had been polite to her before that too except that there was a hint of authority previously when she spoke to her which now had fallen down.
“Does it bother you?” he asked to receive a quizzical expression from her.
“The necklace?” she asked him and he gave her a nod.
“Yes, if you don’t like it you can give it to me. You can wear it back once we are back to the mansion,” he offered for her to smile back at him.
“Thank you,” Penny appreciated the gesture that Lady Maggie showed towards her but she wasn’t used to wearing something so expensive that hung around her neck. Another reason was that it somewhat reminded her of the time when Grace had collared her. The tightness around her neck feeling uncomfortable. Going back to her previous thought she said, “Are we still going to the local theater?” she asked him, her feet stepping down on the ground.
The butler came from the main entrance, walking towards them but keeping a good distance away from the couple,
“Master Damien,” Durik said, his head bowing as he spoke, “I have placed the basket at the back of the carriage. Is there something that you would want me to add behind there?” asked the half-vampire.
“Napkins?” asked Damien for the butler to bow his head again which he had raised.
“Yes, Master. I have added them along with water if you need,” the butler answered.
Damien turned to Penelope, “Shall we?” Penny was doubtful that Damien and she were going to the local theater. To wear such posh clothes and enter a place where only the local villagers and townsfolk came, they would stand out like a sore thumb.
As they stepped out of the mansion, Penny asked him, “We aren’t going to the local theater are we?”
Damien shook his head, a grin up his lips, “We are going to the meadow.”
