“A week or two more before I return back to Bonelake. Where is your brother?” he asked, switching the conversation to have Helen turn around as she held a drink in her hand. She looked for her brother. Unable to spot him, she turned back to Damien,
“He must be somewhere here,” she answered and looked back at him with love.
Penny wondered if she had to go get a drink herself. This felt like she was interrupting the girl’s time with Damien, “Excuse me,” Penny bowed her head, a sweet smile on her lips when she heard Damien ask her,
“Where are you going?”
Thinking it would be impolite to speak about drinks, she said, “I was going to find Sylvia.”
“She has Elliot for company. Stay here with me,” Damien’s voice came out to be a command which even lady Helen noticed.
Lady Helen had taken great effort in finding out if Damien Quinn was going to attend today’s party. She had to pester her father to get the invitation and to know the whereabouts of where it was taking place in order for her to meet him.
Helen had put in a great effort when it came to getting ready. Buying the most expensive attire which cost more than the dress that she had bought for her birthday. Her hair which she had got a lady from the town to set it and put some fine color on her face. The hair was tied half while the rest was left hanging in tight curls behind her head that moved every time she moved her head to look left or right.
She had been eagerly waiting for today and hadn’t slept well last night. Everything had gone well, from her appearance to her meeting the councilman but she hadn’t expected a third wheel to be standing here with them.
When Damien had said ‘Stay here with me’ to the woman next to him who had somehow decided to leave them, Helen’s face turned to a displeased look but she smoothened it down when the woman looked at her.
“Please stay,” Helen insisted, being the good girl she was used to showing people off. Instead of scattering away from her, the lady decided to stay and Helen couldn’t say how unhappy she was right now. She had come here to make progress but instead, this lady was in the middle, “I have been to Bonelake three to four times.”
“Was it to meet Mr. Quinn?” Penelope asked with a smile of her own to see the girl blush.
“How did you know?” The girl looked ecstatic.
“I just guessed,” Penny continued to smile before she said, “If you have stalked him when he is here, I wouldn’t be surprised if you followed him all across the land,” Helen’s face fell hearing this.
“S-stalk?” Helen uttered the word as if the word was a defile one. She laughed nervously, saying, “I never stalked him. I only happened to go visit him.”
“Oh? Mr. Quinn must have quite some free time in hand to invite guests over,” Penny stated, her body turning towards Damien who only smiled at her slyly as if he were enjoying the scene in front of him, “You know what? You should visit Quinn’s mansion again. I heard there will be a ball held there,” this time it was Damien who turned sour.
“I don’t remember any ball being hosted.”
“Mr. Quinn, you’re so humble,” Penny turned to look at Helen, “You must come,” she insisted Helen.
“Of course. How can I refuse the invitation,” Helen responded back, giddy with joy to hear she would be going to Bonelake to meet. Though the girl hadn’t forgotten how this lady had termed her like a stalker, “You got the news early,” Helen noted out loudly, to think this woman who was here knew about it before she did.
Penny offered the girl a smile.
Helen waited for the lady to speak, curious to know how she had found out as she had never seen or heard of her hanging around with Damien before.
Penelope then said, “It is because I am his fiance,” her eyes sparkled.
It took a few seconds for Helen to digest and under what Lady Penelope just said as the words sounded distant in her ear, “F-fiancee?” Helen stuttered the words unbelievingly to look at Damien as if she had been betrayed, “When did this happen? I mean congratulations but isn’t it a bit soon,” especially considering she had never heard about this woman before?!
“My bad, I forgot to mention that little detail,” Damien joined in. Putting his arm around Penny’s waist, he pulled her closer to his side, “Meet my fiancee Penelope.”
With the hall of the mansion being huge, the guests who had come to attend the party stood far away to hear what was going on with the three of them. Helen took a minute to recover from the shock.
Not wanting to splutter more words, Helen asked, “When is the wedding?” she kept a pleasant face as her tongue turned bitter with the news she heard. She had come here to coax the man to form an alliance. To twist him with her words and looks but what did she find in return? This was unacceptable!
Damien was the one to explain, “Given the opportunity, we would like to get married today but we need to send the invitation and receive everyone’s blessings,” of course that garbage didn’t matter to Damien. Penny had only stepped into the phase of loving him and he wanted to love her without ushering her into it which was why he had placed the wedding for later.
“I am very happy for you. Let me give you both some space,” Helen wished both of Penelope and Damien while her hands clutched into tight fists next to her dress, “Excuse me,” she bowed her head, turning herself around as she walked away from them.
Looking at the young girl leave and walk away from them, Penelope asked, “Do you think I spoke a lot?” now that she looked at the hall, she noticed some of them looking their way and at Helen.
“It was fine. If you didn’t I would,” he chuckled, bending down to her face he kissed her cheek, “I lack patience when it comes to headless peasants.”
