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Penelope turned to look at her father, who dipped a piece of bread in his bisque and fed it to the large black water dog seated at his left hand, staring up at hi out of the side of her mouth Neither man nor beast seemed particularly sick orry "Mother, I"

"And Philippa! Lord Castleton has shown interest in her What of Philippa?"

Now Penelope was confused "What of Philippa?"

"Precisely!" Lady Needham waved a white linen napkin in a drahed and turned to her sister "Pippa, do you feel thatTommy will impact your suit from Lord Castleton?"

Pippa shook her head, eyes wide "I can’t iine it would And if it did, I honestly wouldn’t be devastated Castleton’s a bitwell, uninteresting"

Penelope would have used the word unintelligent, but she allowed Pippa her politeness

"Don’t be so silly, Philippa," the ars cannot be choosers"

Penelope gritted her teeth at the adage, her hters’ prospects Pippa turned her blue gaze on her "

"Of course you are You all do Even Victoria and Valerie had to beg Scandal does not si of the words even if it wasn’t articulated Penelope’s ruined it for all of you

A pang of guilt thru that she shouldn’t feel guilty Knowing that it wasn’t her fault

Except, it ht away It wasn’t He’d loved another

But why hadn’t he loved her?

It was a question she’d asked herself over and over during that long-ago winter, when she’d been holed up here, in the country, reading the scandal sheets and knowing that he’d chosen so than she Knowing that he was happy, and she wasunwanted

She hadn’t loved hiht much at all about him

But it s," Olivia entered the conversation "It’s , and I’ve a very large dowry Larger than any ," Pippa said, and Penelope looked down at her plate to hide her sh all you like, but I knohatto let what happened to Penelope happen to" Lady Needhaoodness I’ve learned my lessons fro herself "It’s not as though I chased hihton’s sister’s scandal"

"Nonsense If Leighton had wanted you, he would have fought for you, scandal be daénue "But he didn’t Want you, that is Though I suppose he didn’t fight for you, either And I can only is because you didn’t work hard enough to keep his attention"

Being the youngest, Olivia had never had to think ht,Noas no exception Penelope bit the inside of her cheek, resisting the urge to scream, He loved another! But she knew an exercise in futility when she found one Broken engagements were the woman’s fault, always Even when the woman in question was your older sister, apparently

"Yes! Oh, Olivia, only one season out and already you are so astute, darling," Lady Needhaet the others"

They had all appeared to have forgotten that she didn’t wish to marry the others But Penelope still felt she should defend herself "I received a proposal of e this afternoon if you’ll recall"

Olivia waved one hand disood proposal Only a henould think he asked because he wanted to marry you"

One could always count on Olivia to speak the truth

"To that end, why did he ask?" Pippa interjected, notfor the question to be cruel, Penelope was certain After all, she’d asked herself--and Tommy--that very question not an hour earlier