Page 5 (1/2)

Lady Whistledown's Society Papers,2 April 1824wLook at this!" Portia Featherington squealed "Colin Bridgerton is back!"

Penelope looked up fro the latest edition of Lady Whistledown's Society Papers the way Penelope wI know," shemurmured

Portia frowned She hated when soossip before she was "How did you get to Whistledown before I did? Itold Briarly to set it aside for me and not to let anyone touch--"wI didn't see it in Whistledown," Penelope interrupted, before her uered butler "Felicity told erton told her"wYour sister spends a great deal of tiertonhousehold"wAs do I," Penelope pointed out, wondering wherethis was leading

Portia tapped her finger against the side of her chin, as she always did when she was plotting or sche for a wife"

Penelope ht out of her head "Colin Bridgerton is not going to s have happened"wNot that I've ever seen," Penelope irl, and she was even less popularthan you"

That wasn't exactly true; Penelope rather thought they'd been on equally low rungs of the social ladder

But there see this to her hter by saying she'd not been the least popular girl that season

Penelope felt her lips tightening Herrather like waspswDo not think I mean to criticize," Portia said, suddenly all concern "In truth, I alad for your spinsterhood I ahters, and it's co to know that one of you shall be able to care for me in my older years"

Penelope had a vision of the future--the future as described by her e to run out and ned herself to a life of eternal spinsterhood, but somehow she'd always pictured herself off in her own neat little terrace house Or e by the sea

But lately Portia had been peppering her conversations with references to her old age and how lucky she was that Penelope could care for her Never mind that both Prudence and Philippa had married well-heeled men and possessed ample funds to see to their mother's every coht; when her family had settled money on her as a dowry, one-fourth had been set aside for her own personal account

No, when Portia talked about being "cared for," she wasn't referring to hed She was being overly harsh with her mother, if only in her own mind She did that too often Her mother loved her She knew her mother loved her And she loved her mother back