The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride-Chapter 126: A walk with the queen (1)

Penelope curtsied when the dance came to an end. She smiled, knowing her words lingered in his mind, and he was frustrated they could not leave right away.

It couldn’t be helped that she was interested in his uniform and was reminded of it now.

Penelope’s smile widened when she spotted her family standing in the crowd. She grabbed Tyrion’s hand and walked with him to greet her family.

"Mother!" Penelope called, going to her mother first.

"Has she suddenly become your favourite?" Edgar asked, waiting patiently for his greeting.

"I love you equally," Penelope replied, hugging her father. "I haven’t seen much of you since you gifted us the mansion. Are you hiding from me?"

"No. I’ve been busy taking care of an important task," Edgar replied.

First, Edgar had been silencing the fools who were way out of line with what they spoke of his daughter. He was then busy looking into Sarah’s family and the man who sent Penelope a carriage. Now, Edgar was busy trying to find who was responsible for the two young women’s deaths.

"I will visit your home soon," Edgar promised.

Edgar spotted a few faces he wanted to get rid of tonight. Rather than let fools run loose to trouble his family, Edgar preferred to get rid of them right away to save himself a headache.

"Lily, are you well now?" Penelope asked, touching Lily’s forehead.

"A little better. Perhaps I was ill because my other half was away. Bothering Elijah did help me a little. If I steal his carriage, maybe my sickness will go away," Lily said jokingly.

"Don’t," Elijah warned Lily.

Elijah had been asking for his father’s carriage for years, but he knew the moment Lily asked, she might have a good chance of getting it. Their father was weak to his daughter’s interest in something.

Elijah knew that it wasn’t because his father wanted to only spoil his daughters, but due to Edgar not wanting any of his daughters to turn to the men in town for what they needed. He still considered his sisters to be spoiled by their father, but he couldn’t complain since his mother spoiled him.

"I am not giving anyone a carriage. It belongs to me," Edgar said, putting an end to the conversation.

"When will you consider giving it away?" Elijah asked.

"Grow a second ass and it’s yours," Edgaer replied, waiting for the miracle to happen. "Until then, one carriage is enough for you."

Penelope bit her lip to hold back her laugh. She looked at Tyrion and found him busy keeping an eye on the guests.

"I am going to find a lady to dance with," Elijah said, leaving his family’s side before Lily pestered him.

"Where is Isabelle?" Penelope asked, now noticing her younger sister’s absence.

"She is home with the butler, much to Isabelle’s dismay. Mother wanted to be careful, so she left Isabelle home in the hands of the butler," said Lily.

"It is a wonderful idea. The stares have not stopped since we arrived. Do you think it is time for us to greet your family?" Penelope inquired, peering at the Castros.

"It is," Tyrion replied, looking in the direction his family stood. "Teo, stop bothering Rue and join us. She doesn’t want to dance. Will you join us to speak with my family, Duchess?"

"I would love to," Alessandra replied.

As they walked, Alessandra admired the dress that Penelope wore.

"Erin did well again," Alessandra commented.

"It is not a new dress," Penelope said, peering down at the dress. "It is one you had prepared for me to wear during the season. I wanted Erin to show me the new designs she made, but she did not respond to my request to meet."

Alessandra found this to be odd since she also didn’t have any response from Erin concerning a dress she wanted to be made.

Alessandra thought Erin would be delighted to use Penelope’s entrance back into the season as Penelope Castro to be a moment where she would show off her talent.

It wasn’t like Erin to not respond to either of them since she spoke of putting their business with her first. After all, it was Alessandra who helped spread word of Erin’s talents and wore her dresses when no one else did.

’Is she ill?’ Alessandra wondered.

Alessandra was quite busy after her return to Lockwood and then with the gossip surrounding Penelope, so she didn’t have time to meet with her friends.

Luckily, Erin should be in attendance tonight so they could speak.

"King Tyrion. Queen Hazel," Penelope curtsied along with her sisters and mother when she stood before the king and queen.

"Rise, child," Hazel said, offering her hand for Penelope to come closer.

Hazel wanted it to be seen by all attending that Penelope had her affections. Hazel’s love for Penelope had not changed, no matter what others thought of her marriage to Tyrion.

"Are you well?" Hazel asked, knowing much of what Penelope faced these days.

"I am very well. Prince Tyrion takes care of me," Penelope said, placing her hand back at her side after Hazel let go.

"Good," Hazel said, turning to her son. "If he acts less than a gentleman, you may tell me. I hear there might be some trouble with a certain lady. You can always write to me if she continues to bother me."

"Thank you," Penelope replied, grateful for the offer.

"It is a ball. All of you must dance," Hazel said, speaking to the group. "Lily, you have many suitors waiting to dance with you. No matter what, do your best to enjoy the season."

"I will, Queen Hazel," said Lily.

Hazel turned her attention back to Penelope. "Would you be so kind as to have a walk with me around the room? If I stand still for so long, my feet will ache," she said, offering her hand to Penelope once more.

Penelope gladly placed her hand on the queen’s and left Tyrion’s side to walk with Hazel.

Hazel held Penelope close as two palace guards followed them, leaving behind the group.

"Thank you for what you are doing," Penelope whispered.

"It is not all about the town. I have been looking forward to speaking with you. I have already spoken to Tyrion," Hazel revealed.

Hazel wished she could be out of the palace more often, but there was too much to do, so she couldn’t visit Penelope like she wanted.

"I want to congratulate you on your new beginnings. I also hope you know I am not upset about what happened. I have always known that Tyrion didn’t want to be king, but he pushed himself to do what was expected of him," Hazel said.

Hazel hated that she could not simply give Tyrion his freedom. He was the oldest son, so naturally, he would become the king without question. No one had ever been so bold as to walk around from the crown.

"Thank you. It is a hard decision he made, but I am glad there is someone there to keep him happy," Hazel said.

If not for Penelope, Hazel would be more worried about Tyrion. Hazel was lucky that Tyrion married a young woman she could trust.