Fortunately, Penelope not only didn’t care what Tyrion did before they got married, but he had addressed this with her.
Penelope was Tyrion’s first.
It was something others would not believe, but Penelope didn’t care. The townspeople were always going to think what they wanted.
"I was never unaware of the ladies around my husband, and I also know that what you say isn’t true. Some ladies forgot what they were taught growing up and tried to find their way to his bed, but they were thrown out. Did you know that?" Penelope asked.
This time, Penelope wasn’t going to allow Amelia to speak so carelessly without correction.
This was why Penelope wasn’t going to be friends with Amelia. Amelia didn’t think before she spoke, and always spoke to spark gossip about someone.
Amelia laughed. "Do not be upset about it. Men will be men, and what we must do as ladies is stand beside them. It cannot be helped that you chose a man who many women loved. There is much that I know."
"Then tell me. Or even better, I should send for my husband to come here so he can come here too," Penelope suggested.
Amelia frowned, a tightness forming in her chest. "What?" She asked.
"Well, it wouldn’t be fair for you to speak about my husband and him not getting the chance to defend himself. While I normally wouldn’t bring men into conversation with women, since I am clueless, as you say, my husband should be here," said Penelope.
Amelia laughed, hoping Penelope wasn’t serious. "We mustn’t call the prince here to trouble him."
"Trouble?" Penelope laughed along with Amelia. "My husband loves me. Coming here wouldn’t be a bother for him. If what you say is lies, then there might be trouble for you."
"Listen carefully to me, Amelia. The time of you speaking without consequences is over. I urge you to only speak of what you have evidence of. When it comes to myself and my family, I will need proof of what you say, or there will be consequences," said Penelope.
"See, this is why the ladies find it quite hard to be around you. I know you don’t believe it, but I have spoken highly of you, but it is all for nothing when you wave your power ," Amelia said.
"I cannot help that I am not only a Collins, but a Castro now. How have I waved power in your face when I have ignored you for years? If it is power you wish to see, then so be it. Leave us," Penelope ordered Amelia.
Amelia didn’t take Penelope’s words seriously. They all had a right to stand here since the queen permitted them to walk around.
"Have you forgotten the queen has allowed us to look around the palace. Here is marked for us to be, so I don’t have to move. You mustn’t be , Penelope. You can thrive from a friendship with me since I can guide you," Amelia offered.
The corners of Penelope’s lips curled.
Penelope started to approach Amelia. "You are welcome to walk where you see fit, but I decide who is welcomed in my presence. For years, you have gone on and on about not wanting ladies beneath you in your presence. Tell me, why do I have to tolerate you in mine?"
Amelia’s eyes widened ever so slightly, and her cheeks flushed. Penelope spoke just loud enough for the other ladies around to hear.
Amelia was certain that it was intentional.
"Princess Penelope," Amelia said, her mother’s plans quickly slipping away. "Your words are not kind."
"Are they not? Isn’t this what you’ve been saying for years? Then, it means that you have not been kind. I am only doing what you have advocated for, which is that ladies of certain wealth or status shouldn’t be bothered by others," Penelope reminded Amelia.
"Surely," Penelope said, her head slightly tilted. "You didn’t think you and the daughter of a duke were the same? Even now, it couldn’t be that you think we are the same."
Penelope waited for an answer, but it didn’t come.
Penelope shook her head. "You have so many rules for the ladies who attend these gatherings. Making so many feel small and insulting them to get them out of your way. By your rules, I shouldn’t have to look at you, and I don’t want to."
Amelia sank her nails into the palm of her hand.
Amelia’s father wasn’t a nobleman, but he had plenty of money to get her into the same rooms as Penelope and all the Collinses.
"If you think that I am being cruel, you should reflect on your actions," said Penelope.
Penelope waited for Amelia to leave her presence since she wasn’t going to be the one to leave.
Amelia bit her lip. How was she to fight what Penelope accused her of doing?
Amelia looked beyond Penelope to Julie, who didn’t have parents who were nobles. She was certain that Julie’s parents didn’t come near to having the same wealth as the Prescotts.
"You have allowed Julie to stand here," Amelia pointed out.
"She is a welcome guest," Lily answered.
"We didn’t come here to fight," Selina said, putting a stop to the back and forth. "I came to apologise to Miss Rue. I made the mistake of going to the queen, and she will call upon our fathers. I don’t wish for it to come to that."
"I apologise for what I said and hope we can mend this between us," Selina said, her fingers crossed.
"You are only apologising because you made a fool of yourself to the queen, so I won’t accept it, but I do agree that our fathers don’t need to be involved. If the queen asks, I shall say that nothing happened," Rue promised.
Selina didn’t trust Rue, but she could only wait for Rue to keep her word.
Selina tugged on Amelia’s hand, wanting to leave. Amelia had already embarrassed herself too much.
"We must go. She is a Castro and can call upon the guards to move you," Selina whispered.
Selina had already made a fool of herself once, and though she recently made a deal with Amelia to be friends, she wasn’t going to let Amelia embarrass her again.
"If I leave, then I will agree that I am beneath her," said Amelia.
Selina couldn’t say it out to ruin the friendship, but Amelia didn’t share the same status as Penelope. Until Amelia was queen, she needed to keep walking away from Penelope.
Selina stared at Amelia, hoping Amelia would give in, and eventually, she did.
Amelia curtsied. "I will leave," she said.
Amelia would let Penelope have this one battle, but it wouldn’t be so the next time.
Amelia thought of how wrong her mother was.
Penelope and Amelia could never be friends.