Ally caught up with Penelope to hold her hand. "Penelope, there is something I must ask you while the others are ahead," she said.
"Go on," Penelope replied.
"We are close, aren’t we?" Ally asked, testing the waters.
Penelope laughed since it was silly to ask. "I like to think that we are close. We have known each other all our lives because of our mothers. Did you have doubts that we were close?"
"No," Ally responded, shaking her head. "I know that we are close, but I want to hear you say it. I fear you and Julie tend to have more to speak about, though she is not married. There are moments when I feel excluded."
"Julie tends to be more bold and speaks what is on her mind. I understand that, since I am now married, our friendship will likely change a bit, but Julie can talk without becoming flustered. You don’t need to feel excluded," said Penelope.
"I truly shouldn’t. It must be my fault as well for not going to visit you often. There is one other thing I would like to ask about. It concerns your brother," Ally said, but soon regretted it after Penelope’s smile fell.
Penelope tried her best to keep her smile, but judging from Ally’s reaction, she had not succeeded.
"You know of my feelings for him," Ally said, letting go of Penelope’s hand.
"I only noticed it today. I will not stop you from trying to court him if that is what you are thinking. I tease my brother quite often, but I wouldn’t get involved in his matters. Do as you wish," Penelope encouraged Ally.
"I am happy to hear you are not angry. Since we are friends, I will need your support," Ally said, her gaze on the floor due to shyness. She couldn’t meet Penelope’s eyes.
’Oh dear,’ Penelope thought.
"I would like to know if you would place me above the other ladies who have their eyes on your brother," said Ally.
Penelope looked ahead at where the others walked. Why did she have to be the one to do this?
"I must apologise to you first, Ally. Surely, I would place you above others, but when it comes to my brother, I don’t want to get involved. I wouldn’t want Elijah to be involved with matters of my heart," said Penelope.
"You would not help me," Ally spoke softly.
Ally thought Penelope would be a good friend to help her.
"It isn’t that I don’t care for you, but when it comes to love, it is best that I do not be involved. I don’t want to plot to make any of my siblings love someone-"
"It would not be plotting," Ally interjected.
"For me, it would be. Elijah has good eyes, and though I tease him, he is quite sensible. If you are the one for him, then he will notice it, and he will not let you go. That is, if he is smart enough to notice it," Penelope said.
Penelope held Ally’s hand and said, "I don’t want to make any promises to you that I can help you claim my brother’s heart. I cannot control how he feels, and Elijah won’t listen to me. I didn’t listen when he didn’t want me to be with Tyrion."
"I see," Ally said, disappointed, but she understood Penelope’s position.
"It would ruin what we have now if he were to marry someone else. I think somewhere in your heart, you would feel like I didn’t do enough, and I might feel uncomfortable at your side. I do wish you the best," Penelope said for comfort.
"I understand. I came close to putting you in a difficult position, and I wouldn’t want you to feel uncomfortable. I can rest assured knowing that since you won’t help me, then you wouldn’t help Rue or anyone else," said Ally.
Penelope laughed at the idea of Rue and her brother. "You are mistaken. Though Rue is attending gatherings, she is not searching for a husband. Rue intends to leave with her father once they have taken care of their matters in the court. Why would you think she felt something for my brother?"
Penelope looked at both Elijah and Rue, but there was nothing she saw between the two.
Elijah wasn’t going to leave behind his future title as duke, and Penelope couldn’t fathom Rue wanting to stay in Lockwood.
"I saw it," Ally said, puzzled by why Penelope missed it. "The way he looks at her. I wish for him to gaze at me that way."
Penelope frowned, no longer wanting to finish her talk with Ally. "This is my brother you speak of, so I am unable to see anything romantic. You have caused my stomach to be restless by speaking of your feelings. I must calm it by going to my husband’s side."
Penelope found it even more unsettling to hear Ally speak of her brother so kindly compared to the other ladies around the town.
Penelope left Ally’s side and caught up to Tyrion, who strayed away from the others.
"I need your hand to stand," Penelope said, holding Tyrion’s hand captive. "I fear I am ill."
Tyrion touched Penelope’s head and was ready to lift her inside, but her next sentence stopped him.
"Hearing how much Ally likes my brother has made me feel ill. I don’t know how I will heal from this. Could it be that her feelings for Elijah are getting to her head? She thinks there is something between Rue and Elijah," Penelope said, watching the pair.
Again, Penelope didn’t witness anything which would give her the slightest idea that her brother or Rue liked the other, but she noticed how Teo stared at her brother.
"Tyrion, has there been trouble between Teo and my brother as of late? It could be the illness still affecting me, but it appears that your brother is glaring at mine. Is he?" Penelope asked, turning to Tyrion.
Tyrion smiled since it was just as Penelope saw. "I don’t know. It would be best that we ask why he is glaring at your brother."
Penelope eyed Tyrion with suspicion. "You know something that I don’t. We should leave it be," Penelope decided.
Judging from Tyrion’s smile, he was up to no good, and something bad was going to come out of approaching Teo.
Penelope pulled Tyrion’s hand, leading him away so he couldn’t create any trouble. "Take a walk with me. It is not fun to tease others," she said.
"It is not fun for you because you don’t do it as well as I do," Tyrion replied.
It was unfortunate he could not meddle, but Tyrion preferred to walk with Penelope.