The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride-Chapter 123: A ball without drama (1)

When the carriage stopped, Damien opened the carriage door and stood back as Tyrion stepped out to offer his hand to Penelope.

Penelope accepted Tyrion’s hand and held the side of her dress as she stepped out. She looked up at the mansion, which was well-decorated with flowers and lanterns on the outside. She enjoyed her visits each year and intended to enjoy tonight.

"Do you see my father’s carriage?" Penelope asked, looking around for the familiar carriage.

Penelope ignored the other guests outside watching her and Tyrion. She was lucky that life as Penelope Collins prepared her for stares.

"It doesn’t seem like your father is here yet, but the Callahans are," Tyrion said, spotting Rafael and Rue amongst the crowd.

Penelope turned her attention to Rue since she would be an escort for Rue tonight, along with Rafael.

Penelope walked with Tyrion to enter the mansion.

"Prince Tyrion!" A man Penelope did not know blocked their path. "Congratulations on your marriage."

Tyrion stared at the man he did not know. "Who are you?"

Karl Thomas, a man who frequented the palace weekly, frowned.

Karl laughed, thinking Tyrion was joking. "You are good at making me laugh."

"I didn’t tell a joke, and I don’t know who you are," Tyrion replied.

"Thank you for congratulating us, but we must go inside. It is cold," Penelope said, in an effort to help the stranger.

Penelope noticed his gaze on her, then his eyes filled with panic before he looked away.

’Of course,’ Penelope thought.

He was one of the fools who thought a curse existed.

Karl’s reaction to Penelope speaking wasn’t unnoticed by Tyrion.

"I suggest you get out of our way. It won’t end well for you when I do learn your name," Tyrion said, planning to deal with the stranger later.

Karl cleared his throat. He had only come to speak with Tyrion, but accidentally locked eyes with Penelope.

Now that Tyrion was out of the palace, Karl and many others thought he would be looking for businesses to get his hands on since he would need more money. Karl wanted to be the first to approach, but now it seemed that he had blown his chance.

Karl stepped out of Tyrion’s way since the prince stared at him like he would kill him if he had the chance.

Karl pulled on the collar of his shirt as it suddenly felt tight.

Tyrion continued to walk with Penelope inside. He already felt annoyed by the people around him, but he was pushing on to let Penelope enjoy a night out.

"Prince Tyrion. Lady Penelope," Rafael greeted the young couple. "Thank you for the dress you sent to my daughter."

"Thank you," Rue thanked Penelope. "Though it is quite a lot. It feels like it is weighing me down."

"Perhaps it is because you are not used to the style. I assure you that it gets better in time," Penelope promised.

"It is because she tried to hide weapons under her dress," Rafael answered.

’What if I were to be attacked? I at least need a dagger to protect myself. Is it not bad enough that I left my sword behind, father?" Rue asked. What more would he take away from her?

"It is good you left it," Rafael replied. "You are to behave while you are at Penelope’s side. Thank you for doing this," Rafael said to Penelope.

While it wasn’t Rue’s first time in Lockwood, her visits were mostly when she was a young girl. Now she was present when she was of age to wed and of the age when many would judge her.

Rafael saw it as only fitting for a young lady he trusted to help Rue understand the ways of Lockwood.

"I will be near to watch over her all night," Rafael said.

He was still Rue’s escort, though she would be at Penelope’s side. Rafael wanted Rue to enjoy her time with young ladies her age and not be so concerned about war or weapons all the time. She had a youth to enjoy while it was still present.

"I will take good care of her,’’ Penelope promised.

Rafael trusted Penelope’s word and left in search of an old friend he had not seen since his last visit.

Rue picked at her hair, finding the style to be odd. She knew that others thought the same since they were giving her strange looks.

"It is strange?" Rue asked in a soft tone. "They are staring. The dress is too pretty for me."

Penelope held Rue’s hand to stop her from ruining her hair. "Nonsense. It all suits you well. You remind me of a beautiful flower."

Penelope noticed Rue had a habit of becoming shy when she was all dressed up, as she was now. Any other time, no one would be able to shatter Rue’s confidence.

"Why do you dress up in this regard for a ball? The shoes are pinching me," Rue said, wishing she could take them off.

"It is the season for finding love, so many will dress up to catch someone’s attention. Other times, it is to show off wealth. If you would like to join me, we can go find you more comfortable shoes tomorrow," Penelope suggested.

Rue’s eyes lit up with excitement. "We could go see the town without my father and your husband?"

Penelope nodded. "Yes, but we will need to take some guards with us."

"My guards can join us as well, along with Lily. I will inform my father about it," Rue said, momentarily forgetting about her pain. "Must I dance tonight?"

"If you are asked and you wish to dance, you may. If you want to dance, Tyrion can dance with you," Penelope offered.

"I will if you want to," Tyrion agreed. He liked that they finally remembered that he was present.

"I do not know all the ways of your town, but I do know I cannot dance with your husband. I don’t wish to dance since I am not good at it. I have stepped on many toes when I was tutored," Rue said, saving Tyrion’s feet.

’"Tyrion can handle it," Penelope said, laughing at his reaction.

Rue relaxed, her nerves about the ball going away now that she spoke to Penelope.

Penelope’s laughter was soon replaced by a stranger’s laughter and upon looking down the steps Penelope not long came up from, Rue saw a young lady whose face was familiar.

Amelia could not help her laughter once she noticed who Pennelope stood with. Was this the only young woman Penelope had to be friends with?

’She has become a joke,’ Amelia thought.

Amelia hoped her father was paying close attention to what she made Penelope become.