Hello my darlings. I would to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So here is the next chapter I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.
The dinner had been a perfect, friendly, happy affair that relaxed the Winchesters in a way only the Haynes family could. At the end of the meal the ladies had retired to the drawing room while the men stayed to enjoy their port. The conversation had turned to politics, and resulted in an educated debate between Gabriel and his father, though this time they were joined by Sam Winchester putting in his opinions as well. Gabriel had to say he was surprised and impressed by the younger man. It seemed he had a good head on his shoulders, he would make a good addition to any parliamentary committee if he was that way inclined. Though sharing a look with his father he realised he wasn't the first to realise this, and as such decided to leave Sam's future in Chuck's very capable hands. Castiel had stayed out of it as he usually did and instead talked to Dean about their friends and plans for the season, telling him of the balls and parties he would be attending as a guest of Gabriel. It was the perfect ending in all the men's minds, though they were also all very willing to join the ladies after only one glass. Tonight was the night for family.
When they arrived in the drawing room it was to find Bea at the piano forte, playing a country song which was filled with joy as her younger sister turned the pages. Though upon the arrival of them she stopped.
"Oh no, please don't, Lady Beatrice. You play wonderfully." Chuck said in his gentle tone smiling at the young lady who blush prettily at his words.
"Thank you, your grace." Bea responded before straightening her spine and turning back to the instrument in front of her. She loved music, and playing it was her one passion. She was more than happy to entertain all here with her skills, limited as they were in her mind.
And so they all sat back to listen to the young lady play, Dean finding himself swept back to his childhood as he remembered his mother playing the same song while she was carrying Sam. It had been a blissful time, and remembering was wonderfully painful.
Once she finished Bea closed the piano ready to join those sitting and drinking tea. Though she was somewhat surprised to find Dean bowing to her and escorting her to a chair, giving her his attention as he told her how well she played. It was the first proper attention she had ever received from a gentleman, and while she knew he looked at her a young girl, she couldn't stop the way her heart fluttered at his words.
Gabriel for his part took the moment when the music stopped as a time to approach the private conversation he needed to have with his fake fiancée.
"Penny. I was wondering if you would join me for a turn on the terrace, the weather is quite warm." He said standing and bowing to her. He was well aware that all eyes had turned to him at his movement, just as he knew everyone there was listening to the conversation. But it was the only way he could think to get her alone.
Penny was quick to catch on and as such smiled up at him as she extended her hand so he could help her stand. "Yes thank you. That would be lovely Gabe. I feel some fresh air is exactly what I need."
"Make sure you put on a shawl Penny dear, we don't want you catching a cold at the start of the season." Was all Anne said, smiling at her son and soon to be daughter-in-law. She was prepared to give them this time alone, they would get little of it once the season started after all. Yes, she would let them have this time.
"I will just go and get one, Anne. Thank you for the suggestion." Penny replied smiling at the duchess before making her way out of the room as Gabriel moved over towards the French doors that led onto the terrace.
Once the shawl was wrapped around her shoulders Penny took the arm offered her and the two of them were out of the doors, though they made sure to stay within the area the light from the room beyond spread. Not wanting to go into the darkened areas and cause talk or scandal, even if it was only their friends and family inside. It was always better to be safe than sorry.
"You wished to speak to me, my lord?" Penny asked as they walked slowly along the path that wrapped around the house.
"Yes. I have placed the announcement of our engagement in the Times for tomorrow morning. This is your last chance to back out." Gabriel replied looking down at her, wondering if she was going to change her mind. He could still pull the enouncement if needs be, but after tomorrow there would be no going back from what they had agreed.
"I have no intention of doing so." Penny responded her spine stiffening at his suggestion that she do so now she had been with his family and met some of the ladies of the ton. No, all those ladies had done was convince her to continue with this charade, if nothing more than to stop them from being able to manipulate their way into Gabriel's life.
"In that case, I have an engagement gift for you, my dear." Gabriel replied, stopping on the very edge of the light to pull something from his pocket. For a moment Penny was scared at what it could be. Would he give her jewels of something of that kind? The idea excited her but she knew if he did she would not be able to accept them. She could not take those sorts of gifts from a man she did not plan on marrying, no matter what the rest of the ton thought. But when she looked she saw he held a thick cream envelope in his hand instead. Frowning she took it from him, and seeing her name written in an elegant hand upon the front she opened it.
What it contained caused her to gasp in a way no jewellery ever could. Because what she held was far more precious in her mind. For what the envelope contained was a contract stating the agreement she and Gabriel had come to in her former drawing room. It held everything, including the sums he was intending to give her once the charade was done. The numbers were enough to make her eyes water.
"Gabriel, I can't… this is too much." She whispered as she read them again for the third time. Read how much he would give her in yearly income and the amounts he had set aside as dowries for not just her sisters but herself as well.
"It is nothing more than you deserve. I promised I would provide for you and your family, that is what I am doing." Gabriel replied sincerely. Okay, he may have gone a little higher than he had first estimated, but it was nothing he could not afford. The money he was giving to the Coburn ladies would easily be covered by the income from one of his estates. And if she wished it, he would give her the property as well, but he knew she wouldn't take it. So he had given as much as he could, or as much as she would be persuaded to receive at any rate.
"This is more than providing for us." Penny responded still in shock at what as written on the paper in front of her.
"I can afford it Pen, I am a Marquess and future Duke don't forget." Gabriel answered in his most pompous and arrogant voice which caused Penny's eyes to snap to him in a glare. Just as he had planned they did. He was glad he knew her well enough by now to push the right buttons to pull her away from shock he had just given her.
"You will be a bankrupt Marquess and future Duke if you continue to give your income away like this." Penny responded hauntily, sounding remarkably like his mother. That wasn't scary at all.
"But I only plan on giving you this money, no one else. So I think I shall be fine." Gabriel answered with a smirk, just as he would when his mother reprimanded him. Two could play that game after all.
At that Penny opened her mouth to reply but found she had no words. What he had just said… she didn't understand why it was affecting her, but something about his words was doing so. She thought of his future wife and had to wonder if he would give her what he was giving to the lady who was only his fake bribe. Surely she was the one who should be the recipient of his generosity, not her. But she also knew she couldn't turn it down. The papers she held in her hand would make her and her sister financially stable for the rest of their lives and beyond. They would make them not just comfortable in their future life, but affluent if she chose the right area to move to. This money could give her and her sisters back the station they used to have when their father was alive. This money could give them standing in the right community. And there really was only one thing she could say to the man who was unknowing handing her back her life. "Thank you, Gabriel. Thank you so much. I will do all I can to help you achieve your goal as you have helped me archive mine."
"You are more than welcome, Lady Penelope." Gabriel replied before taking the hand not holding the papers and raising the knuckles to his lips in a kiss to seal the bargain they had just struck. The bargain that would give the lady in front of him her independence, and hopefully help him in finding the lady he wanted as his wife.
Castiel and Dean watched Gabriel and Penny walk out to the terrace, Dean had a slightly worried frown upon his face, but Castiel did not. For he knew exactly what his brother was doing out there, having read over the papers before witnessing them for Gabriel. He had been surprised about the amount Gabriel had set aside for the Coburn ladies, but he knew the income was from one of his smaller estates. His brother would not find a serious determent in his wealth having given that to Penny, and Castiel was glad to see how seriously his brother was taking looking after the sister of the man who had saved his life. He had briefly wondered how Gabriel's chosen bride would feel when she discovered the amounts Gabriel was paying his former fiancée, but considering Castiel was firmly in the belief that Penny and Gabriel should marry, he found he didn't dwell on it overly much. No, he was more glad that he had found a way to help Penny which didn't involve her marrying him or any of his friends. Glad to have found a way to discharge his responsibility for the lady in question without forcing what honour demanded. Oh he knew many would say that this solution was an act of dishonour in and of itself, but he did not see things such a way. No Castiel had lived for years in shades of grey as an intelligence officer, and he still did. This solution was the best for all. All they had to do next was deal with the ball tomorrow and Penny's position in society would be secure. But he knew his family would have that one hand, all he needed to do was turn up and stand at her side. And that was something he could easily enough. Yes, everything was going perfectly to plan.
