Thirty-Seven: Penelope Peters
2297 Words
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Penelope Peters
My Mum died in February. It was the second month of the new year, when I was sixteen years old. She died in the deadliest terrorist attack that Wales had ever seen in its history. A bombing at the local school. She was a teacher from the middle of nowhere that did nothing important a day in her life. At least if you asked important people. To me, though, she was the most important person in the world, and she was gone.
I didn’t expect anyone but the town to go. I got in, and I stayed with my uncle at his place. When I got there, he gave me a big hug, and Annie was there too, along with Seamus. Jasper would stay with me, and he came in.
Uncle looked him up and down. “Are you the boyfriend?”
Jasper chuckled. “I did have that privilege once upon a time, but no. I am no longer the boyfriend.”
“You’re tall and mean looking,” he said.
“Uncle!” I blurted.
Jasper smirked. “I’m a member of the Guard, sir. My Father is Cromwell Jefferies.”
Uncle harrumphed. “He’s a good man.”
Jasper chuckled. “Well, he’s a good Captain anyway. I’ll be sure to tell him that you said so. Sorry for the intrusion. But under the circumstances, we thought that Miss Peters have protection.”
I glared at Jasper. “Don’t you dare start calling me Miss Peters.”
“Things are going to change, Pen. We’re not going to be you and me any longer once Lord Crowe---”
Uncle harrumphed again. “Let’s get you both inside. It’s starting to snow again.”
Uncle opened the door wider for us, and Jasper moved out of the way to go first. I stared at him, annoyed, but he only smiled. I went into the house and Uncle had cooked dinner for us. After, I went outside with Seamus, Annie, and Jasper.
“So, you’re the ex-boyfriend?” Seamus asked as he smoked a cigarette.
Annie winced. “Seamus, don’t do the tough guy thing. It’s unappealing.”
“I’m not trying to do the tough guy thing, Annie. I’m trying to make conversation,” said Seamus.
Jasper smirked. “Yeah, I’m the ex-boyfriend.”
“It was mutual,” I muttered.
Jasper laughed. “Damn well wasn’t mutual, caru. I’d take you back in a heartbeat if you wanted me. I know when I’m in a losing game, so I don’t try to win battles that I don’t stand a chance in.”
I blushed. “Jasper.”
He placed a hand on my shoulder. “It’s alright, Pen. I understand what we are to each other. What we have to be to each other.”
Seamus chuckled. “Seems I’m not the only one who knows where they stand. Tell me, I know he’s the Prince. But is he good enough for her?”
Jasper shot me a look. “She’s Penelope Peters. No one is good enough for her. But when it comes to the two of them, it doesn’t much matter. They’re like the tides and the moon. They’ve got a pull that only they can explain.”
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” I muttered.
Seamus smirked. “He’s seen the way that you look at each other. He knows.”
Annie glanced over at me. “What do you expect? The boys have always fallen over you, Penelope. You’ve never noticed because you’ve always had your head in a book.”
Seamus nodded. “There were more than a few boys that I had to fight off.”
“No, you didn’t,” I insisted.
“It’s true!” Annie seconded. “Don’t you remember him getting into a fight with Todd Bledel?”
“And Jeffery Jameson,” Seamus added.
I blushed again. “I thought you liked getting into fights.”
“No one likes getting into fights,” he said. "But there were so many boys that wanted to get the little virgin that I had to keep you safe.”
“You did not,” I told him.
“It’s true. Pen can take care of herself,” Annie agreed, “but you do inspire a sort of craze in people.”
“You’re all crazy.”
“People like you, Pen,” said Seamus, “nothing wrong with that.”
“You make it sound like I’ve got some kind of control over them. I don’t.”
“That’s the beauty of it,” said Jasper, “you don’t even know that you’re inspiring people. You’re trying to bring good into the world. That’s why everyone likes you, and that’s why everyone believes in you.”
“Piss off,” I told them, not believing a word that they said.
“You’ll see,” said Jasper, “they told us to bring extra help in for the funeral tomorrow.”
“Why?” I asked.
“The same reason that you got held in a tower. You make people want to change, Pen.”
“You’re all crazy,” I told them.
I wanted to believe it. The looks they shared between each other said something different, and I wasn’t sure that I believed that. “I’m going to bed, because I have to bury my mother tomorrow,” I said, “please don’t start bowing or doing anything weird.”
I gave them a warning look, and then I went into the guest room that I was staying in. I tried to sleep but couldn’t.
I kept on having that same dream, of being on the floor and the man in red coming to shoot Cadoc. In the morning, I woke, and dressed, wearing all in black. As I dressed, there was a knock on my door.
“Penelope?” Jasper’s voice asked.
I opened the door. Jasper in his official uniform, his dress blues, was a sight to behold. He looked like a World War One soldier.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“No,” I admitted with a shake of my head, “but I don’t have much of a choice, do we?”
He shook his head. “They’re waiting for you.”
“Of course. Well, let’s get this over with.” I swallowed hard, and I walked out of the room. It would be the last time that I would visit as Penelope Peters. Once Lord Crowe adopted me, I would be Penelope Crowe.
Jasper walked behind me, ever the soldier. I walked out and my uncle was there, along with Annie. “We’ll drive you to the church,” uncle offered.
Jasper coughed. “I’m afraid, sir, I’ve got to take her. I’d be happy to take you as well.”
Uncle coughed. “No, no. It’s fine. We’ll see you there then.”
I walked over to give him a hug, then hugged Annie, and I followed Jasper outside into the snow. We took the black car to the church. As we drove, I noticed that the streets lined with people dressed in black. People that had flowers in their hands. People holding signs.
We support Coleum.
May the sun and moon rise again!
Independence for Wales!
We support Penelope Peters!
I stared, not knowing what to make of all the people that were there. “What is this, Jasper?”
“They came from all over,” Jasper explained, “we got word about it after the attack. Father had to send extra men. He wasn’t happy about it. Didn’t understand what all the ruckus was about, for one girl.”
We made the drive to the church, and I stared at them watching me drive past. These people had come out in support of me. It made no sense.
When we got to the church, I saw Cadoc out in the snow. He was there, waiting for me. I got out of the car and ran to him wrapping my arms around him. Cadoc buried his face into my neck.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “I’m sorry I couldn’t be here with you.”
“It’s fine,” I lied, “it’s fine.” I pressed my forehead against his, and I breathed him. I loved the smell. Cigarettes and scotch that he was too young to be drinking.
“Are you ready?”
I shook my head.
“Well, let’s go anyway.”
He slid his hand through mine and pulled me inside. I could hear the sound of cameras taking pictures and news crews nearby doing their parts. I didn’t remember much of the funeral. It wasn’t all for my Mother. It was for everyone who had died in the explosion. All I remembered was gripping Cadoc’s hand.
At the end of the funeral, the church door creaked open. A chilly breeze came in, along with the tall, imposing figure of Lord Crowe. He stood there, with leather gloves gripping a cane in his hand.
He didn’t say anything. He didn’t even make a move. He stood there in the back, waiting, as if to sweep me away.
“What’s he doing here?” I whispered.
“The adoption went through,” Cadoc explained, “father approved it this morning.”
“So, what, I’m going back to school after this aren’t I?”
“It depends on what he wants for you.”
“He might switch my school?”
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” said Cadoc, “let’s get through today, alright?”
“Alright,” I said.
I glanced back at him as the reverend finished talking. Lord Crowe stood there waiting. The funeral finished, and I went to the back where Lord Crowe was, holding Cadocs hand as I made my way over to him.
“Lord Crowe,” I said.
He smiled at me. “Penelope. Are you ready to leave?”
I stared at Cadoc, who nodded back at me as if to say that it was alright to go to. I went with him, and we left the funeral, as if we were stepping out of a party early. Jasper followed behind, and he got in the front of the car.
Lord Crowe and I got in the back seat.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “there never seems to be a good time to leave an occasion such as that.”
“It’s alright,” I told him, “I wasn’t keen on staying, anyway.”
“I understand.” There was a long pause as he stared at me. “I know we’ve entered an unusual predicament here. You are now a ward of the monarchy. My ward. That comes with certain responsibilities. But also, certain luxuries. You are no longer going to be Penelope Peters.”
“No?”
He shook his head. “No. You are going to be Lady Crowe. The King has made it so that you will inherit all that I have. You are my heir. At this moment, I control everything about your life. Until you turn eighteen.”
“What is it you need from me?”
“You are going to continue your education at Hollow Hills Academy. You turn seventeen this summer, yes?”
“Yes,” I said.
“This summer, you’ll be at court. Cadoc will be there with you.”
I stiffened. I stared at him. I wanted to ask him if this order had come from him, or from Cadoc. But somehow, I didn’t think that Lord Crowe would give me an answer.
“Alright,” I said, “what about college?”
“You will go, of course. We will have to wait for approval from the King.”
“Why?” I asked.
He stared at me. “Don’t ask why when you already know, girl. Now, you’ve got a month to recover. You’ll stay on my estate to adjust. This summer, you’ll stay with the royal family.”
“But I…”
“But what?”
“Nothing,” I said, “nothing.”
“Good.”
I caught Jasper’s reflection in the rear-view mirror. There was a slight look of displeasure on his face, but even he couldn’t say anything that would help my case. I belonged to the crown now. There was no denying it.
Even if I didn’t want to be with Cadoc right now, my future was being written for me. Exactly the way that I hadn’t wanted it.
- Writer
