Authors: Saralynn Hoyt
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“Well, ladies,” Thomas said catching his breath after having
lost the horse race to both Penelope and Georgianna. “I don’t know about you,
but I could use a repose. Let’s ride to that willow tree and take a bit of a
rest.”
The two young women followed Mr. Westcott, dismounted and
allowed their mares to nibble on the succulent grass for a spell. The day was
bright and crisp for September and the humidity of late summer wasn’t as
oppressing today. The park was fresh and green with the Schuylkill River
running through it. The trees were fully skirted in their late summer dresses
of changing colors and scattered pleasingly throughout the park .
Penelope inhaled deeply, detecting the scent of late
blooming roses in the air. Several plump bumblebees hummed past them and a
light breeze blew by.
“Oh, Thomas, you goose,” Georgianna exclaimed. “Why didn’t
you think to pack a picnic? How will you ever find a bride if you can’t even
think of packing a lunch on such a lovely day?”
Sighing and tugging his cravat loose, Thomas leaned heavily
against the willow trunk. “You’re absolutely right, little sister. I’m a dismal
failure as a romantic and even if Mama does find me the perfect young lady to
marry, I’ll probably mess up the courtship so badly that she will leave me
before we reach the altar. What’s a lad to do?”
Georgianna looked thoughtful and then turned to her friend,
“What will you do, Penny? You’re in the same predicament as my brother. How
will you find and marry a husband?”
Caught off guard by the question, especially since she
really hadn’t thought too much about it, Penelope just stared blankly at her
friend. She knew why she was here and why she had gotten all her new dresses.
It was based on the expectation that she would find herself a rich and
well-connected husband. Father hadn’t said it straight out, but she could tell
from his last letter that she needed to hurry about the matter or he would send
for her to go home. Penelope knew Isaiah Kincaid would have no problem putting
his oldest daughter on the shelf so that Maggie, the daughter he cherished,
could have a chance to find a husband.
This morning as Gertrude had fashioned her hair and she’d
put on her new emerald green riding habit, Penelope had looked at herself in
the mirror and actually felt good about her appearance. She was even pleasantly
surprised at how nice her figure appeared when properly attired. Her bosom was
round and lifted, and her waist tiny with an attractive flair at her hips. Not
beautiful, not striking, nothing close to the gorgeous Maggie, but pretty. And
it had seemed acceptable at the moment. Now, as she considered ‘catching’ a
husband, she wondered if it would be enough.
“I—I hadn’t really thought about it that way,” she murmured
absently playing with the ribbon that held her bonnet in place. “I suppose I
will just hope for the best.”
“Humph,” Georgianna sounded put out by her answer. “And you,
dear brother?”
Thomas looked from one woman to the other and back again,
stroking his chin in contemplation then finally shrugging his shoulders in
bewilderment.
“Do I have to do everything?” Georgianna asked hands
outstretched to her two dumbfounded observers. “I can’t believe I’m the only
one who can see here what must be done! Thomas, it’s as plain as the nose on
your face. Penny, dear heart, it is the answer to our prayers.”
Thomas gave his sister an endearing smile as if to say,
anything you want is fine with me.
Penelope looked wide-eyed and blinking at her best friend.
Her head tilted to one side with the green ribbons on her bonnet fluttering
free in the wind.
“Come on you two, can’t you see? It’s so obvious—you must
marry each other!” Without waiting for either of the pawns in her self written
play to respond, Georgianna quickly continued. “Don’t you see how perfect this
is? Thomas, you will make mother happy by marrying well. After all Penelope’s
mother was a Winterbourne, and Penny, you’ll marry quickly satisfying your
father. I get to keep my best friend close by and we all live happily ever
after!”
Clapping her hands and spinning about in her light blue
riding habit, Georgianna could hardly contain her excitement.
Penelope stared first at Thomas who after his initial shock,
now had a thoughtful look on his face, then to her friend whose strawberry
blond curls were bobbing up and down as she danced around in a little circle.
Turning towards the river, Penelope allowed the breeze coming from it to gently
wash over her as she carefully considered Georgianna’s proposal.
Marry Thomas? It wasn’t so farfetched, she supposed. She
genuinely liked Thomas Westcott. With his golden hair and expressive gray eyes,
he was handsome, not to mention well-spoken, they got along quite well. Father
would be pleased if she could land herself such a wealthy young man. And then
there was Maggie. Maggie would certainly be jealous if she married someone as handsome
and wonderful as Georgianna’s brother.
“I’ll consider it if Thomas will,” Penelope stated in her
usual forthright manner.
Grinning, Thomas pushed away from the tree and approached
the ladies. “I think it’s a grand idea. Just think, married to dear Penelope
and no more haranguing from Mama. What do you say, Miss Kincaid, will you do me
the honor of becoming Mrs. Thomas Westcott?” He dropped to one knee and grasped
her clenched hands in his.
Startled, Penelope let out a burst of laughter, then curtseying
like a grand lady, she gave Thomas a wink and said, “I would be pleased to
accept your generous offer, Mr. Westcott.”
Laughing, Thomas stood and planted a quick kiss on
Penelope’s rosy cheek. Georgianna was upon them both in an instant trying to
hug them at the same time and inadvertently sent Penelope’s bonnet flying from
her head while Georgianna and Thomas fell to the ground in a laughing heap.
“Oh, my new bonnet,” Penelope exclaimed, turning and chasing
it down the green lawn. She followed it despite Georgianna’s protests to leave
it be. It had been one of the more expensive ones and she wasn’t about to lose
it.
The hat seemed to have a mind of its own, however. Every
time Penelope was within arm’s reach of it, the breeze picked it up and carried
it a few more yards. She could hear the Westcotts laughing at her attempts to catch
her unruly bonnet, but she remained determined.
It disappeared around a hedge and Penelope followed. She
could see the ribbon had wrapped around a small branch but the ensuing breeze
was determined to tug it loose. Making the decision to get her hands on the
wayward hat this time, she lunged around the corner of the bush, arms spread
out, intending to tackle the bonnet to the ground if she must.
But instead of an armful of bonnet, Penelope Kincaid found
herself firmly grasped in the embrace of a well-dressed, quite wonderful
smelling, utterly handsome, young gentleman.
End of Sample