Concealed behind a pillar beneath the eaves stood Penelope's thin frame.
Despite the heavy cloak wrapped around her shoulders, an icy chill from within her soul penetrated straight through to her bones.
In the shaded alcove, Jasper and Ivy shared laughter and intimate conversation, his every movement crossing well beyond the boundaries of sibling affection.
"What woman wouldn't recognize those signs?" Penelope mused bitterly to herself.
Though her heart broke and rage consumed her, Penelope couldn't bear to dwell on the implications any longer.
"This scandal is too horrific to even acknowledge," she thought, her pulse racing. "Should anyone discover this, it would bring complete disgrace upon the entire Fairfax household."
What filled Penelope with even greater despair was the stark truth that nobody would accept her word.
