A couple of days had past by and to Penelope's knowledge Claude had not been able to find any considerable information on Lord Davis. From what he had found, Lord Davis' parents were apparently not currently in England but living elsewhere on family business. Something that Penelope felt was quite suspicious. After spending the days reading family documents and newspapers, Penelope had felt disappointed when she had not been able to find anything of considerable use. Her cousin had not been mentioned once on the newspapers regarding her uncle's death causing her to wonder if he was really involved in this fiasco.
The day had finally arrived to spend the day with Lord Davis and to say that Penelope was nervous was an understatement. She had absolutely no idea how to find the contract mark, considering he would most likely be wearing layers of elaborate clothing, much of it too fancy for Penelope's liking. Penelope was amazed at how quickly her opinion of Lord Davis had been changing. She supposed she had been easily charmed when she first met him as she had not been in the company of someone like him before. But the more she thought of his dramatic outbursts and his almost fake enthusiasm, he began to remind her of the theatrical Viscount Druit rather than a charismatic prince which he had originally came across as.
It was with a sigh that Penelope glanced at her reflection, observing the now fading bruises that littered her neck and collarbone. For the past days she had been wearing scarves and high collared gowns, even going as far as to reject Victoria's assistance in getting change. With her brush in one hand, Penelope brushed her curls hurriedly watching them bounce back with every stroke. After sorting her hair, she spent a few minutes searching for a different high collard dress which would be acceptable to go out in. Yet the one she felt was the most appropriate was unfortunately the one with a corset, meaning that she would definitely need assistance.
The dress was mostly black, with the exception of the collar and the cuffs being a cream colour. The corset was elaborate but not too decorative, with a lace pattern that ran across the main section. The back of the corset was embellished with lace and a black silk ribbon. All in all, it was a lovely dress which would hopefully not look too ostentatious when compared to Lord Davis, who Penelope was sure would out dress her.
After debating if it was really worth it, Penelope bit her lip knowing that if Victoria would help she would most defiantly see the marks that littered her porcelain skin. Dressing as much as possible without any assistance, Penelope made up her mind. Without giving her a chance to start doubting her decision on the matter, Penelope whispered her butler's name hoping that he would come to her rescue.
It did not take long for Claude to show up and Penelope watched silently as he gave her an expectant look. His golden eyes flashed somewhat at her state of undress and she was positive a ghost of a smirk had flickered on his normally bored face. Without any words, Penelope gestured to the corset and did not wait long to feel the ribbons being slowly tightened behind her.
"Please can you make them tight, but not too tight? I do not wish to faint". She said softly, her hands pulling back her hair to stop it from getting in the way. Claude did not respond, instead carried on and it was with one final tug that he let go and stepped back, almost admiring her. She then turned to face him giving him a smile, before moving to her bed to get her stockings and shoes on.
"Thank you Claude, I'm sure I can sort myself out now". Penelope spoke whilst pulling up her long white stocking, her eyes fixated on the task at hand. She almost gave a cry of fright when Claude was suddenly on his knees in front of her and shooed her hands away.
"I'm sure you can". Was his reply and with that he pulled up her skirts, taking her slim leg in his gloved hands before putting the stoking on. Penelope was blushing yet remained composed, only looking away when she felt awkward. Once her shoes were on, he pulled her skirts down, using his hands to smooth them down. Yet as he did so, his hands deliberately dragged over her thighs, taking his time. She was starting to feel warm when he all of a sudden completely removed himself and was pulling her up.
"Your breakfast has been prepared, after you have finished the carriage will be waiting". She watched him leave the room with a small bow and shook her head to clear her thoughts. At times he acted like nothing had happened between them and other times he acted with such passion that it almost frightened her. But she was well aware that he was still considered her butler in society and he couldn't exactly start acting as her lover all of a sudden, especially with Victoria in the household. But she did wish that when they were in private he would act more relaxed. Picking up her long skirts, she made her way out of the bedroom and to the dining room.
Her breakfast did not take too long to eat and Penelope was subjected to a bombardment of questions from Victoria. All of them about Lord Davis. Yet Penelope had been patient with the questions making sure to answer them all calmly and politely. After all she would rather Victoria believe that Lord Davis was her love interest rather than Claude. With the ever present threat of Lucy hanging above her head, the idea of her relationship with Claude reaching Lucy was almost too awful to imagine.
It did not take long to get into the carriage and be on her way. She had told Victoria that Claude was accompanying her as they had to go to her dressmakers in the evening for measurements. Realistically it was so Claude could observe and protect her if needs be. As she sat back in the carriage, she watched Claude who was obviously in deep thought. His gloved finger traced over his pale lips casually and his eyes had almost clouded over. She allowed herself to admire him but gave a squeak when he gave a small cough.
"Enjoying yourself?" Came the smug retort, causing Penelope to fold her arms around her waist and look out the window, grumbling to herself. It was not long when the park was in sight and Penelope felt a wave of anxiety crush her chest. Claude appeared to have noticed as she felt her arms being pulled apart and a colder hand touch her own. Looking at the now gloveless hand, she gave it a squeeze as though to say thank you.
"You do not have to endure his company for long, just compose yourself and act normal. Do not think too much about the contract mark, I'm sure there will be another opportunity to locate it in the future". Claude's calm voice soothed Penelope and she nodded before taking a deep breath. Taking her hand out if his, she watched as he placed the glove back on and only a few minutes later the carriage came to a halt outside the park. As she looked out the window, it was almost instantaneously when she spotted Lord Davis. He was stood with a large smile across his face, a few young women around him giggling flirty at something he had said. In one of his hands was a bouquet of brightly coloured flowers. Penelope was tempted to forget the who thing when she swore softly as Lord Davis made eye contact with her. With an overly enthusiastic smile, she awkwardly waved at him and then looked back to Claude.
"I could kill Lucy". Penelope said, still wearing her smile and Claude who was more so in the shadows than herself chuckled. "I'm starting to think that this is part of her plan, to kill me through charm".
"I'm sure you will have a lovely time". Came the amused reply and seconds later Claude was out of the carriage and opening the door for her. He was close to offering her his hand when a sudden flash of dark blue zoomed by. Claude's gloved hand was replaced with a grey coloured glove and a mop of golden curls.
"Ah! My Lady! How elegant you look". She smiled at Lord Davis and timidly accepted his hand. She was almost dragged off the carriage by his enthusiasm and she swore she heard Claude laughing from the side of her. Behind Lord Davis was a small entourage of women who were now looking at her as though she had committed a crime.
"Thank you Lord Davis. You are too kind". Penelope said as she took the flowers which had been forcefully pushed towards her as she tried to sort out her dress. As Lord Davis began to escort Penelope through the crowd into the park, she managed to turn around and mouth to Claude a silent plea which he responded to with a small wave. His mocking was not appreciated and the temptation to curse him was high but her public appearance currently meant more to her. Claude went to stand with Lord Davis' butler who did not respond apart from a small tip of his head. Penelope guessed they would be following from a distance, allowing Claude to distract the butler if needs be. The silence between Penelope and Lord Davis did not last even thirty seconds before it was broken.
"I do hope you are feeling better my Lady, you left in such a hurry last time that I worried for you the whole night. In fact, I could not sleep!" As he spoke, the young Lord gestured wildly with his free hand as his right hand was still clasped around her own delicate one. With a small tug, she managed to get free and then looped her arm through his, whilst gently smiling hoping that her awkwardness would not be felt.
"I am recovering My Lord; I do apologise if my sudden leave was troubling. I had not wished to disturb your sleep". He responded with a sharp bark of laughter causing Penelope to flinch and allow her confusion to flicker briefly across her face.
"There is no need for apologies! I must say I enjoy your company terribly, it is such a glorious day as well for this walk. I am surprised as to why your butler has accompanied you and not your maid, but I suppose times are changing. I would have thought for a girl of your age that when being courted, a maid is often present to observe the situation". The moment Penelope heard the word 'courted' the flowers she had been holding slipped through her fingers and her eyes grew wide. She was about to pick the flowers up when Lord Davis gave a small tut and picked them up for her.
"Are you quite alright? You appear to be quiet today?" He asked, handing the flowers back to her, his eyes slightly narrowed with suspicion.
"I was not aware that I was currently being courted". She responded, allowing her confusion to make itself known.
"Ah my poor dear! I perhaps should have made my intentions a little more obvious. However, with your lack of father I had no one to ask permission from so as a man, I saw it as my duty to take matters into my own hands. I hope you are not offended, but I believe that this courtship is a brilliant idea, for both of us". He had stopped walking when they reached the large pond, his arm still interlinked with her own and he used his free hand to catch a single curl which had freed itself from her bun. She could not comprehend his logic and although every instinct told her to tell him to sod off she realised that she had reached a very important moment. If she was to carry on with a courtship, then she would have far more access to discovering any relation to Lucy. She could either be placing herself in more danger or subjecting herself to a debacle of a courtship for no reason. Gritting her teeth and allowing a smile to paint her lips, she looked him straight in the eye.
"Of course my Lord. How very considerate of you. I do after all need a guidance of a man". She couldn't believe what she was saying but knew it was the right thing when a beaming grin appeared Lord Davis' face. The next few minutes was a mix of theatrics and over enthusiasm as he spoke about how their next meetings would go. Penelope in the meantime decided that it was a good time to try and find the contract mark. She proceeded to nod to his words, allowing him to soliloquise as she subtly led him towards the trees, out of the way of casual walkers. Yet as she turned to see where Claude and the Lord's butler had gone, they were nowhere in sight. As she turned her head back she felt her breath get caught in her throat. As they walked past a bench, there sat with a serene expression was Lucy. Her straight dark hair perfectly framing her pale face. Lord Davis was still talking, not showing a single bit of interest at the woman sat on the bench. The idea of going into the cover of the trees had now become an alarming notion for Penelope, so she was thankful when Lord Davis pulled her along gently towards the pond again.
She couldn't help but look back at the bench and her heart thumped painfully in her chest when she noticed that no one was longer inhabiting it. It wasn't long after that when she spotted Claude and Lord Davis' butler talking not far from them. Knowing that he must had sensed Lucy's presence, she was shocked to see him not even glance in her direction. Deciding that she should not stay out much longer, Penelope came to a conclusion that she was going to take a chance.
"My Lord! What a beautiful jacket you are wearing, I must say I am quite impressed. Would you allow me to see your shirt sleeves, for the ends are made of such an elegant lace". As she spoke, her arm unhooked his and gently stroked his arm, as though she was admiring the fabric. When her hand got to the bottom of the sleeve, she was about to tug it up when she felt his gloved hand stop her.
"Ah my Lady! Perhaps not in public, but I must agree with your observations. I do have an excellent taste after all". He spoke more confidently towards the end but his initial response had been somewhat nervous. Knowing that she was now pushing her look, she bit her lip before making another attempt. She was still paranoid that after seeing Lucy it could be a matter of time for another appearance.
"Of course my Lord, but I am in awe of such fantastic fabric. And your waistcoat, it's so decorative, the gold goes well with the navy. Your collar as well, you are surely the most fashionable man in this park right now". She had gone to touch the waistcoat when his hand shot out, grasping hers in a crushing grip. She had only managed to barely touch the waistcoat and she was slightly perplexed at how hard it felt, as though he had a thick layer underneath.
"I am beyond happy that you find my appearance so wonderful, but… this is not the time…". His usual joyful behaviour had suddenly disappeared and she saw a glimmer of defensiveness in his eyes. His hand slowly released the pressure on her own and he brought it up against his lips, pressing a gentle kiss against her gloved hands. She noticed how his eyes never left her own and there was something almost unsettling about his stare.
"Come now, I believe I have kept your company long enough. I do believe we have run out of time. But I am so very flattered from your compliments. They touch my very soul. If you would do me the pleasure, I would be over joyed to have you for afternoon tea at my manor house this week. It would also be a far more… private place for you to admire my clothes". He added a wink as he spoke and Penelope felt herself reel back but forced the smile upon her face.
"I would love to my Lord, thank you for such a wonderful day". She accepted his invitation believing it to be a great opportunity for her to investigate further. But as she was escorted back, she started to conclude that Lord Davis could very well be her cousin. His jumpy nature at the idea of his sleeves being shown and the presence of Lucy all added up. But still she felt some doubt. She had been rather forward with the intimacy and felt rather rude for doing so. She would dislike someone doing the same to her so she was not surprised if he was more taken back or offended.
She had reached the carriages when she saw Lord Davis butler waiting expectantly for him. However, Claude or her carriage were nowhere in sight.
"Where is Lady Penelope's butler, Dean?" Lord Davis asked, pulling his extravagant coat around him. Dean gave him a bored look before opening the carriage door.
"I believe the Lady's butler had to go and find their carriage. You have an appointment my Lord, so you must hurry". Penelope watched as Lord Davis stared in silence before snapping out of his thoughts.
"Ah my apologies, I must leave you but I shouldn't think your butler will be too long. I will send a written invitation soon. I leave you with a kiss, farewell my Lady". And with a small kiss to the hand he was in the carriage and gone within a blink of an eye. Leaving Penelope on her own. Yet as the carriage pulled away, there stood on the opposite side of the pavement was the figure of Lucy, a cream coloured umbrella in one hand to shield her from the sun. She was staring directly at Penelope and as they made eye contact Penelope felt anger burning throughout her.
Her eyes filled up with harsh tears as she stared into her family's murderers' eyes. She had no Claude to defend her now and yet even at her most vulnerable moment, she did not shrink back. Lucy delicately raised a hand to wave and then began to saunter away, her dark skirts trailing across the unclean cobbled floors. All sensible thoughts had left her and Penelope didn't even realise she had dropped the flowers into a small puddle on the floor. Grabbing her skirts, Penelope ran as fast as she could, any thought of public appearance leaving her head. She had no Claude to stop her. It was just her and Lucy. Finally.
Lucy hardly sped up in her pace but Penelope felt as though each time she would get close, Lucy would disappear and reappear further into the crowds. Wherever Lucy was leading her it was now starting to break away from the usual high class end of the shops and more into the dark murky waters of the small streets and alleyways. The air was far mistier and she was positive the temperature had dropped. The cobbled streets appeared to get dirtier and Penelope just hoped this game of cat and mouse would come to an end soon. She even accidently bumped into a young man who stuttered an apology but she payed little notice as she carried on, shouting a quick apology behind her.
She chased and chased the figure of Lucy as it weaved in and out of crowds. Penelope's face was wet from fallen tears and her hair whipped her tender skin as it escaped the bun. She probably looked mad but all she could think of was confronting the monster who wished her dead. She had so many questions and for the first time she was not afraid of dying. She was more concerned with the truth.
She finally stopped running when she saw Lucy turn down an alleyway. Stopping in her tracks, Penelope closed her eyes and felt a few more tears stream down her cold face. She could easily turn back and run to Claude or she could turn down the alleyway and face potential death. The answer would usually be easy but Penelope found herself turning the corner, the dark alleyway in her sights.