Lady Penelope & Gordon + Gentle Face Touch
Penelope pushed past all the police officers and medical personnel, for the moment shoving manners to the back of her mind as her image was the least of her worries. There was only one thing that mattered to her right then.
She hurried across the ballroom that was emptying of scared, but alive, guests, to the other side where she knew he was.
She found him, sat on one of the velvet Louis XVI style chairs and holding an ice pack to his face. There was a paramedic standing next to him, putting away her supplies, but when she noticed Penelope approaching, she quickly headed off to someone else who needed her help.
Gordon watched her go, and then blinked several times before he saw Penelope, just a couple of feet away from him now.
Penelope internally winced as her eyes caught his and she got a good look at his condition. A black eye, split lip, a bruised cheek and possibly more hidden beneath the ice pack.
"Oh, Gordon..." She couldn't help but utter as her hand reached over and she gently cupped his non-bruised cheek. He leant into her touch. "Can't help but get yourself into trouble, can you?"
"Was worth it to distract them." His words were slightly slurred from the swelling in his face and he winced as speaking pulled at the cut on his lip.
It was true that without Gordon, they'd probably still be in that mess. He had distracted the gunmen so that Penelope could get word out and call for help. She just wished he hadn't got himself beat up to do so.
"Thank you," she said with a grateful smile as she brushed a stray strand of hair behind his ear. Gordon grinned back as much as he could, which resulted in a lopsided smile. "Now, I believe Parker is outside waiting for us. What do you say to a nice cup of tea when we get back?"
"Don't you have to stay behind to help out?" Gordon asked, but he still stood up when Penelope looped an arm under his and helped him out of the chair. He grimaced and briefly dropped the hand holding the ice pack to grasp at his bruised ribs.
Penelope cast a glance at the room and the police officers who were already ushering the gunmen out of the room, with their hands cuffed behind their backs and looking extremely sorry for themselves.
"I think they can handle it. I've already given my statement." Honestly, she just wanted to go home and get out of her heels and tight dress and into something comfortable.
She guided Gordon out of the building, holding him close when the evening chill bit at her bare skin, glad that they had made it out safely yet again.