Her Devious Scoundrel

Chapter 17

The rest of the afternoon passed rather quickly, as they made their way closer Johnathan’s home. Penelope’s sense of adventure had returned, and she happily chatted with Johnathan about anything that came to mind. She told him of her happy childhood, her loving and protective younger brother, Rafe, and how she had always dreamed of having some grand adventure in life.

“So, what about your betrothal then?” Johnathan asked with curiosity.

“My father has become somewhat of a gambler,” Penelope paused, drawing a deep breath, “in the beginning it was only a little here and there, but eventually it became the more he won, the more he played and the larger bets he would make. Then as he started to lose bigger and bigger sums, he would play more to try and win it back.” She sighed, “It is a never-ending cycle of debts and winning.”

“And what does this have to do with your betrothal?”

“He lost big, bigger than he ever had before, and since he did not have the collateral to back his debt and couldn't pay Lord Colffrey, he offered my hand in it's stead.”

“Ahh, so rather you wanted to marry for love and not for money, is that it?” Johnathan chuckled.

“No! I would rather not have married at all.”

“Oh?” He questioned, “So your betrothed? You said before you did not care for him, yet have never met him. Why?”

“Lord Colffrey is a well-known scoundrel among the ton, as you have probably heard. He is in a new woman’s bed every night, and even keeps an actress as mistress, if the rumor mill is to be believed!” She said haughtily, “Though, Lord knows how he keeps her nor how he is so well liked. He is a boorish man, old, ugly with a rather fat middle. The thought of spending my life bearing children for that man is enough to send me running!” Johnathan burst into laughter, his body shaking as he tried to quell it.

“What, pray tell is so funny, sir?” Penelope glared over her shoulder at him.

“I – I just have never heard Colffrey described in such a way. Most women wax poetic at his beauty.”

“Then I must have poor taste, for I do not see anything resembling beauty in him.” Johnathan was still laughing when a clap of thunder rolled across the sky, startling their mount. Falling backwards Johnathan hit the ground, holding Penelope close to him, breaking her fall. They scrambled up in time to see the old mare running off into the growing darkness.

“There was a cottage a few minutes back that way” Johnathan pointed back to where they came, “If we hurry we can get there before it starts-“ Rain poured from the sky instantly drenching them both.

“Run!” Johnathan yelled, grabbing her hand and taking off towards the cottage he had seen. By the time they reached the small home, they were soaked and freezing, their breath coming in short quick gasps, night had fallen and they needed shelter.

Knocking on the cottage door, Johnathan waited praying that the people living here would grant them sanctuary. There was no answer, Johnathan knocked again, pausing a moment longer before pushing open the door. Dust covered every available surface in in the quaint cottage, and the hearth looked as though it had been years since it had seen fire. Pulling Penelope into the small room, Johnathan began stripping out of his clothes.

“W-What are y-you d-doing?” Penelope stammered, her teeth chattering.

“We have to get out of these wet clothes or we will freeze to death.” Johnathan grabbed a blanket from the bed and shook the dust from it before wrapping it around his waist. Penelope just stood there, stunned at seeing him in such a state of undress.

“I am going to start a fire, hurry and undress, then wrap up in that blanket there, and get warm. We will find something to eat after we have warmed up.” He turned his back to her working at the hearth, luckily the owners had left a small pile of dried wood. She stripped her clothes as quickly as she could, grabbing another dusty blanket and wrapping it tightly around her shaking body. Once she had the blanket tied around her, covering her from neck to ankle, she walked to join Johnathan in front of the now blazing fire, stretching her arms out to the heat.

Johnathan made quick work of sifting through the mostly bare cupboards, finding a scare amount of food and setting down with her in front of the hearth, with a sampling a dried meats and fruit. They ate in silence, both still too chilled to exert more energy than it took to eat, Penelope realized she was much hungrier than she realized and she practically inhaled the items in front of her. After their food was gone, Penelope looked around the cottage, realizing there was only one bed. Before at the inn, she had slept on the window bench while he used the bed, but now, there would be nowhere else to sleep besides the floor or the small bed.

“Penelope,” Johnathan said her name quietly. She looked at him, his gaze resting on the small bed as well, Penelope shivered still feeling chilled, despite the fire before her.

“You are still so cold.” He hesitated, “ I am going to suggest something that you may not be agreeable to.” He said searching her face. “The best way to get warm and stay warm is for us to sleep on the bed together. You can stay wrapped in your blanket and then we can use mine to cover us both up, but body heat is what will keep us warm.”

 Penelope nodded her agreement knowing that he was correct about their need for warmth, her throat grew tight and she swallowed hard. She was unsure about what he was suggesting, but they both needed to stay warm right? So what was the harm as long as they just slept. Keeping the blanket snug around her she climbed on the bed and turned away from Johnathan, answering his with her actions since words seemed to have failed her. The bed dipped as he climbed up next to her, she stiffened as he spread his blanket over the top of them both. Slowly, he slid his arms around her, pulling her body close to his. Immediately she felt his warmth seeping through the blanket over her skin and she felt herself relaxing, despite the precarious situation she now found herself in. The smell of his skin enveloped her, and she found it easy to let his warmth lull her to sleep.