The world seemed to still as his presence overwhelmed her.
His coat was black velvet, cut so impeccably it seemed tailored by the hands of perfection, the lapels embroidered in dark silver thread.
Beneath it, a pristine white cravat was knotted flawlessly at his throat, a single sapphire pin fastening it in place.
His shoulders were broad, his frame tall and elegantly built, his appearance imbued with an effortless grace.
The mask he wore was obsidian, sweeping sharply across his brow and cheekbones, accentuating rather than concealing the remarkable symmetry of his face.
It drew attention to the lower half left exposed: the strong line of his jaw, the curve of lips that seemed forever on the verge of a knowing smile, the aristocratic cut of his nose.
Even veiled, he was magnificent, and as if that wasn’t enough, his presence seemed to stir the air itself.
“You can either come out or remain hidden.
I wouldn’t advise the latter if you certainly don’t wish to implicate yourself,”
Penelope’s heart skipped.
Implicate herself?
She thought.
The mere thought of him being here—a lady’s waiting room—was implicating enough for her!
Bitter at the indirect accusation, Penelope composed herself before rising gracefully on her feet.
It was an effort to keep herself from cowering at his presence when she turned, standing face-to-face with the stranger she never thought to encounter again.
The recollection of what transpired earlier faded away in an instant, replaced by the memory of that day at the lake.
Penelope felt a wave of annoyance, frustration, and anxiety course through her veins.
From the moment he announced his presence, till the last minute he disappeared into thin air.
A flicker of recognition flashed across his eyes for a moment.
He seemed to have identified her, all thanks to the help of her forgotten mask.
Then the corner of his mouth lifted, slow and deliberate, and this time, there was no mistaking the way he looked at her.
Her heart skipped again.
What a treacherous bitch.
“What a pleasant surprise,”
The world seemed to still as his presence overwhelmed her.
Even from the little distance between them, Penelope felt intimidated by his brooding presence, and immaculate height.
Even concealed by his black velvet coat, she could still witness the tautness of his muscles within it.
Realizing her eyes lingered more than necessary Penelope’s gaze unconsciously drifted towards the disastrous corner of the room.
Heat burned her face, turning her red.
“I wouldn’t say likewise,” Penelope spoke tightly, and his grin broadened even further.
“I admit, I didn’t expect our next encounter to be arranged in this manner,” he said, referring to the pleasure she’d just witnessed.
Rather, heard, and that seemed to irritate her.
“You were not meant to see that.”
“No,” she said tightly.
“I gathered.”
A pause ensued after her reply.
He didn’t seem to move, grey eyes fixed on her.
Now that she thought about it, was she the one who was carried away to not recognize the familiarity of his voice? Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
“And yet, you did,”
The words settled like a blade between them and Penelope lifted her chin at the barbarity of his words.
“Entirely against my will,”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
His gaze held hers for a moment longer than necessary measuring, weighing, and deciding.
The latter she didn’t want to know.
“Then I suppose we do share a misfortune,” he said at last.
She blinked.
“Misfortune?” She echoed, a soft scoff escaping her as disbelief flickered across her features.
“If we are to speak plainly, I had no intention whatsoever of hearing witness to… that particular circumstance.”
“And I did not intend to be observed,” he said coolly.
“Least of all by you.”
Something about that stung.
“Rest assured,” Penelope replied, her voice sharpening, “The experience was hardly enjoyable.”
“That,” he said quietly, a tinge of amusement in his voice followed by disbelief.
“I do not believe.”
Her breath caught at his depraved response.
Heat flared over her entire body, but this time, in anger.
Her cheeks burned hotter, and her eyes, bright in irritation, “You presume too much,”
“And you deny too quickly,” He returned, unruffled, as though her temper were a mild curiosity rather than a warning.
“It has been my observation that most ladies, when confronted with unexpected encounters, are rarely so… eager to dismiss them.”
Penelope let out a short, incredulous laugh.
Most ladies?
She thought.
“Then your observations are, quite clearly, flawed.”
“On the contrary,” he drawled, stepping a fraction closer.
Her heart skipped again, and she gritted her teeth, moving a fraction behind.
That seemed to have struck something in his features for a fleeting moment, before returning to normal.
His voice dipped in that infuriating, velvety confidence when he continued, saying, “… they have served me exceedingly well.”
And that was enough evidence to finally understand what kind of a man he was.
“Among women who are foolish enough to indulge your vanity, perhaps,” she shot back.
“I assure you, I do not number myself among them.”
His brows lifted, an obvious intrigue at her words.
“No?
I thought you might possess at least a trace of curiosity, my Lady,” There was something about the title that seemed to aggravate her more than it ought to have.
“Curiosity,” Peneloped repeated coolly, tasting the words for the slightest moment before continuing, “… is a luxury afforded to those who have the leisure to entertain scandal.
I do not, my Lord,” She spat back.
The memory of the lake flooded in her mind without restraint, adding to her irritation.
To think he thought of her as a woman being curious during that unplanned encounter was displeasing.
“Scandal?” he echoed, the word rolling off his tongue with a careless ease.
“You speak as though it is something to be feared,”
“For a lady, it is something to be ruined by,” She hissed.
He studied her then, the teasing glint in his eyes dimming, just slightly, as something more measured took its place.
“And yet you remain remarkably composed for one who claims such distaste?”
“Composure is preferable to hysteria.
You would do well to learn the distinction.”
Instead of feeling offended, a slow smile curved his lips.
Though this time, it no longer carried the same careless edge.
“You are unlike the others.”
She didn’t know whether to feel insulted by such a remark or pleased that that counted as one.
Instead, “And you are precisely as I expected,” Penelope returned crisply.
That, at last, seemed to strike, when the air shifted subtly, though undeniably, the atmosphere suddenly tensed.
His expression sobered, the lightness falling away as he straightened, shifting after.
“This… situation must not be spoken of,” he said, his voice lower now, stripped of its earlier amusement.
Penelope felt the abrupt change in their surroundings, and her stomach turned in knots the way it always does when she thinks about the consequences.
She thought of apologizing, but instead, her gaze didn’t waver, especially when he kept that cold expression that indicated this was a severe topic.
“You think me so reckless?”
“I think that the consequences would not fall equally upon us,” he replied evenly, almost immediately.
The truth in his tone was enough to make the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
At that, her lips pressed into a thin line, clearly considering.
Even before he did, she knew of the disastrous outcome of being caught in between their lewd activity.
“I shall not speak of it,” A beat passed between them before she added, clarifying his doubt.
“Not for your sake, but for mine,”
His eyes flickered, as though weighing the distinction.
She wasn’t going to put herself in that position of shattering the fragile piece of dignity her family had by what didn’t concern her.
Something unreadable crossed his face, but he inclined his head nonetheless.
“Then we understand one another,”
Silence snapped tight between them.
For a moment, it felt dangerously close to unraveling into something else entirely—something neither of them could afford.
“If you will excuse me, I shall take my leave,” Penelope said.
And without waiting for his final words this time, she walked away, letting the door close behind her, her heart racing as she made her way back into the corridor leading towards the grand ball.