Penelope said nothing. She opened her mouth. Then closed it.
"I thought as much," he said.
At last, his expression softened. "I am not asking you to remain here indefinitely. I am asking you to allow me to look after you for a little while."
Penelope looked toward the window. The rain had not eased. If anything, it had grown heavier. She could barely make out the street beyond the glass.
She sighed. "How long?"
"I would prefer to keep you here for a few days."
Her face paled. "A few days?" She repeated.
"Yes."
She stared at him in disbelief. "Doctor, that is absurd."
That would jeopardize all her plans. The garden gathering was just tomorrow. There was no way she could miss it.
"Perhaps," he said. "But I would rather be cautious."
"I cannot simply disappear from my own home for several days," It was her own turn to be displeased.
"You would not be disappearing," he said. "Your family would know where you were."
Penelope gave him a pointed look.
