In the Castro mansion, Penelope turned around to face Damien.
Damien was confused by the start of Penelope’s conversation. He had been following her around the mansion, watching as she spoke with the maids and other servants, and then she said the strangest thing out of the blue.
Damien glanced at Matilda, who gave him a look like he had to answer Penelope quickly.
"Last I checked this morning, I was," Damien replied.
Matilda could not believe Damien’s audacity to respond as he did. Maybe it wasn’t so good to have a knight guard her lady. They weren’t taught how to behave around ladies of Penelope’s status.
"Oh, I should have said that better. I meant that I could use some of your advice since you are a man. It will help me to surprise Tyrion. My husband," Penelope said, trying to get used to referring to him as such.
"I’ve known my husband for a long time, but there are some things I don’t know about him. He’s preparing a big training ground outside where there will be rooms for all the knights," said Penelope.
Penelope was curious where Tyrion was getting the money to do all of this so fast. She assumed there was money given to him from the palace, but was it enough to spend on a training ground?
It made her think of how they would sustain themselves in the future. They could not always turn to her father. She was lucky that her father prepared a great sum of money for her to inherit, so they would be fine for many years.
"I’ve strayed from what I wanted to ask you. Is there anything else my husband spoke of needing so I can surprise him with it? It will be a wedding gift and something to cheer him up about being away from his family," said Penelope.
"I have not heard the prince speak of needing anything," Damien replied.
Damien bit his tongue, not wanting to let it slip that the best gift for a man who had been chasing her for years was herself. He could not tell her this without his words being crude, and with the way Matilda stared at him, he had a feeling she knew what was on his mind.
"I see. It would be strange if a prince didn’t have all that he wanted. I shall think about it a little more," Penelope decided.
Damien was the first to take notice of the butler approaching Penelope.
"Milady, you have guests at the door. Ally and Julie Chambers," Winston shared excitedly. He hoped Penelope might have her first guests. "Should I grant them entry?"
"Of course!" Penelope replied, excited to see her friends. "Let them in at once and prepare a table for us with treats and something warm to drink."
Winston bowed his head and then turned to prepare for the lady’s first guests.
Damien thought the last name was familiar, but he couldn’t place who it was.
Penelope walked quickly to greet the daughters of the twins.
Over the years, Penelope had become close to Reed and Caleb’s daughters. It was only fitting since her mother was close friends with Reed’s wife, and Caleb’s wife was once the duchess’s maid.
Penelope stopped by the front door to watch as the carriage came up to her door. While Tyrion was busy in the palace, she needed company.
Julie Chambers, daughter of Reed and Eleanor Chambers, was the first one to step out of the carriage. She was followed shortly by Ally Chambers, daughter of Sally and Caleb Chambers.
"Penelope!" Julie called as she walked up the stairs. "We’re sorry if we are intruding. We were told that you might need company."
Ally carried a few boxes, which were gifts prepared for Penelope and Tyrion. They were soon handed off to Winston.
Ally turned Penelope’s hand over to see the ring the town was curious about. "You truly are married. I thought it was only false news again."
"Your ring is all the town speaks of. The red light district is buzzing with news about you," Julie said.
"How do you know? I thought your father told you to stay away from there, and your mother agreed," said Penelope.
"I have stayed away so I wouldn’t anger my father, but I still frequent my grandparents’ home, and they shared the news with me," Julie explained.
Julie’s mother had ties to the red light district since her grandparents owned a business there. Though her mother frequented the business in the past, Julie was not allowed to do the same.
"I am not upset by it. I know my mother wishes to avoid me being teased as she was, and my father doesn’t want anyone to mistake me for one of the women there. It is only a great shame that I miss all of the gossip. The women there know everything," said Julie.
"They know at a cost," Ally replied, having no interest in going there.
"Where are my manners? Come inside," Penelope said, welcoming the pair inside. "I am the only one home at the moment since Tyrion is in the palace. Who told you that I needed company?"
"The duchess wrote to our mothers, and they sent us here," Ally answered.
"We were going to visit you, but we thought it was too soon for newlyweds. We brought our gifts. Some are from our mothers. Now that you are a married woman, I have brought you the best gift," Julie said, excited for their talk.
"You have brought me your mother’s books, haven’t you? I have long suspected you have been the one supplying Lily with those books," said Penelope.
"I have merely been helping a friend with what she has been curious about. Now, I shall help you with what you need to know," Julie said, knowing Penelope was far too innocent.
"Didn’t you promise your mother that you would focus on finding yourself a husband?" Ally asked.
"Did I?" Julie replied.
"Julie does not intend to marry. She has missed so many seasons already. I think it is fine," Penelope said, supporting Julie’s wishes. "There has not been any man to capture her attention, so she mustn’t force herself to marry."
"The other ladies have been saying she will be a spinster," Ally shared.
"Perhaps I will be one, but I will be a happy spinster. My mother went a long time not thinking of marriage and focused on creating a business for herself. That life might suit me more. Besides," Julie said, sneaking glances at Damien. "I can stare at men and not be worried about what my husband thinks."
"What a wonderful life that is," Penelope chuckled.
"It is. Now, we must get to reading," Julie said, hooking her arms with Penelope and Ally.