CHAPTER 265: DISAPPOINTMENT (3)

Matilda waited patiently by the door for Penelope’s return from the palace.

The room was already cleaned, and a dress was set out for Penelope to change into. All Matilda needed now was for her lady to return home.

Winston brought a glass of water for Matilda.

"You have been cleaning since her grace left home. You must drink something so you do not faint when she returns. She will be worried if you fall," said Winston.

Winston admired Matilda’s hard-working ways. Matilda didn’t rest until Penelope was taken care of.

"Thank you," Matilda said, accepting the water.

Matilda drank the water without taking a break to catch her breath.

"It is good to be so focused on making sure your lady has what she needs, but you must take care of yourself. I understand wanting to be so perfect, but you shouldn’t make your lady worry," said Winston.

"When are you going to going to mingle with the other maids?" Winston asked, seeing Matilda as lonely.

When Penelope was not present, Matilda did her work and then waited for Penelope to return.

"I am still working even now," Matilda replied.

"You have finished with your work. Her grace allows you to rest when you are not working, and there are plenty of maids who rest at this hour. You should speak with them," Winston advised Matilda.

Matilda stood up since she spotted the carriage returning. "I shall speak to the other maids when I am ready. As for now, I must tend to my lady. Thank you for the water. I will do better to take breaks."

Matilda walked to the door to open it and made her way down to where the carriage would stop. She couldn’t wait to see Penelope.

Going to the palace was always dangerous, so Matilda wished for Penelope to return without being harmed.

The carriage door opened, and out stood Tyrion with Penelope in his arms.

"Prepare a bowl of warm water and a cloth for our room," Tyrion instructed Matilda.

Matilda bowed her head and left without needing to be told twice.

Tyrion lifted Penelope inside their home. He knew that she wasn’t asleep and only pretended to be so she would get out of speaking about their deal.

Rather than wake her like Penelope assumed he would, Tyrion decided to keep her in his arms.

"Your grace," Winston greeted Tyrion. "Shall I prepare a bath for you?"

"Not yet. Did anything happen in our absence?" Tyrion asked.

"A few letters addressed to you both and a visit from the town guards, but I sent them off. Oh! There were some flowers in a vase delivered for Penelope, but since there wasn’t a name, I have left them outside. Should I bring them in?" Winston asked.

"Burn them," Tyrion replied.

"Right away," Winston answered, his head bowed as Tyrion walked by him.

Tyrion carried Penelope from the front door up to their chamber. Once inside, he laid her on the bed and started to take off his shirt.

Tyrion didn’t take his eyes off Penelope as he discarded his shirt. He was curious how long she could keep up this act for.

Matilda soon came with what Tyrion requested and left it inside the room since Tyrion was going to clean Penelope himself.

"My wife spoke of not feeling well, so have some medicine prepared for her. There are medicines which I brought from the palace. Tell Winston to show you the one to help with pain," Tyrion said, thinking of how much Penelope hated medicine.

Matilda left the room with her other task in mind.

Tyrion once again looked at his little actress of a wife.

Penelope would do well in the theatre by playing a woman who fainted.

"You know, the medicine I am sending for has an awful taste. It will be brewed like a soup, and you will have to drink a bowl of it. Since you are fast asleep, it will be easy to make you drink it," said Tyrion.

As expected, Penelope opened her eyes and sat up.

"I am feeling much better," Penelope said, disgusted by the thought of medicine.

Penelope hated the taste of bad medicine. It was why whenever she was sick, Penelope tried to hide it from her parents.

"You looked to be in pain while you rested. You moved your hands in a circular motion to calm your stomach. Be a big girl and drink the medicine."

"I don’t need any medicine. I am warning you that if you come anywhere near me with a terrible concoction from the palace, then you will be the one needing medicine. I am not in pain. I can only feel that it will soon happen. You misunderstood why my hand was there," Penelope said, willing to fight if needed.

"Then explain it to me," Tyrion said, needing answers.

Tyrion didn’t know everything a woman faced, but he was willing to learn, and he could only do so if Penelope was honest with him.

"It struck me that if I bleed, I am not with child. I had not thought of it before that moment," Penelope revealed.

"I didn’t realise we were in a rush to have a child. Is it what you want, or is it because others will start to question you?" Tyrion inquired.

"It is a little bit of both. We have not been married long, but already the questions about a child will soon pour in. I wondered if the future months when I bleed will bring disappointment," said Penelope.

With each cycle, blood meant they had to wait longer for a child.

"I am not in a rush, Penelope. We are not in a position where we are in a rush for heirs. It is a challenge that Teo and his wife will face. I do know there is pressure on ladies to be with child soon, but I am not in a rush for it," Tyrion assured Penelope.

Children would come when the time was right, and as the days passed, Tyrion wasn’t so certain he wanted a happy time in their lives to be here in Lockwood.

"I have never walked a day in your shoes to know how it feels to be questioned about the duties given to women, but I hope it brings you some comfort in knowing that I will not rush you," Tyrion said, walking to the bed to sit beside Penelope.

"I am never concerned about you pressuring me. I think I am thinking too far ahead into the future. Neither of us is ready to become anyone’s parents," Penelope said, moving on from her concerns.

"Says who?" Tyrion asked since he was ready.

"I say it. It wasn’t that long ago that I turned to my mother for all that I needed. How am I to be responsible for someone else? Rather than a child, we should have another pet," Penelope suggested.

"No."