Chapter 9

(Chapter song ‘Right Girl, Wrong Time' by Jon Langston)

PENELOPE As I walk through the woods, I can hear the music already. My father walks ahead in his best suit and I wear my Sunday dress. It’s yellow with flowers. My hair is curled and pinned and my hands are covered in white gloves. I gently lift my skirt as I step on the forest path.

My father has barely spoken to me since the event with the fallen. It saddens me, but I understand. It was not something I’m proud of. I can feel his aversion to me. He’s scared. I wish I could tell him not to be, but I also feel fear if I do, he won’t hold back like he did. So to protect my skin, I won’t say a word.

“Penelope.” He barks as he steps into the town alleyway.

“Yes, father.” I pant. He’s a large man. Keeping to his steps is hard.

“I’ll be with the Sheriff. Stay in sight, young lady.” He looks at me with a stern eye.

“Yes. I just need to meet Mr. Pembrooke. Like I said.” I stand in front of him like an obedient child.

“Fine, but keep your mind.” He points to me.

“Yes, sir.” I squeak.

He turns and stomps toward the sheriff. I blow out a breath, fix my dress layers and my hair. I prepare myself for the handsome man sitting on the bench.

He's becoming a bit of an obsession of mine. Only because new clues have arisen. Edward's mystery is slowly unraveling.

First clue. When I met Edward, he had this air about him. One that sounded debonair, but he also had this toughness about him.

When I ran into him the day before last, it’s like he didn’t know who I was. He seemed preoccupied and nervous. We had a nice conversation, but it didn’t feel the same as before. Like he was a different man. Today, he was the same as before. This peaks my curiosity. Especially after what I heard earlier today.

People have what the gamblers say, tells. Little things that give them away when trying to hide a lie. These tells may be a habit. Something they do outside of the conscious mind.

Edward is no exception. His tone of voice, the way he walks even what he says. ‘It’s entirely my pleasure.’ I’ve only heard that expression said to me twice. Once just earlier today from Edward and another from the outlaw in the barn before I passed out. This has me thinking. The only thing I can surmise is that Edward is not who he says he is. I think he and the outlaw are acquaintances, at the very least. I hope to find out tonight.

Why? The outlaw of course. He is something that hasn’t left my mind since that day. I still feel him on me. I don’t know why I’m so drawn to him. He’s a criminal. A brute. He has no class or manners, yet I want to be close to him. I want to learn about him. I want…

“Penelope.”

I smile as I approach the bench in front of the tiny fence. “Edward.” I say shyly.

He looks so handsome in his blue suit and derby hat. His smile sparkles in the night light. He lifts his hat and approaches me.

“That is a lovely dress.” He grins.

I look down at my plain green dress. “Thank you, but it’s not really much.”

“It’s just fine.” He leans to me. “You look beautiful.”

This has my face flush.

He offers me his right arm and we walk to the gathering.

“This looks like quite the hoedown.” He smiles.

I clear my throat. “Yes. A fun town social.” I lower my head and think he’s trying to hard to be like the other cowboys here. He really should just be himself.

When we approach the outside dance floor, I’m filled with delight watching young and old dance, whistle and hoot as the banjo and fiddle players belt out their songs about drink and merriment.

The women are dressed in their best picnic or day dresses and the men are in their finest suit jackets. Everyone’s here to relax and have a time with friends and family.

The lanterns light the floor as if it was day and the wood floor shakes as boots and heels hit it with amusing energy.

They all have partners and waltzing around the floor. Some couples were silly as they bounced around to the high beat music making me giggle. I laced my fingers in front of me.

Edward turned to me and bowed. “Would you like a dance, Miss.”

I tilted my head to him. “Yes, I would.”

He took my hand and held my waist. I placed mine one his shoulder. He lead us onto the floor. We waltzed, hopped and spun. Skipped and laughed. I’ve never met such a wonderful dancer. My heart raced as our eyes met. Both our faces were lit up in tooth filled grins.

As things progressed, I felt a flush of heat between us. As the song ended, he dipped me and I laughed an honest to goodness laugh. He brought me up. He, too, was chuckling.

I had to catch my breath. It was a while since I moved like that.

“My, that was wonderful. Thank you.” I say as we move to the railing surrounding the floor.

He takes off his hat. “You’re welcome.”

Our eyes got lost for just a moment.

I turn and lean on the railing. “So, Edward. Tell me about Oxford. What’s it like?”

He leans his back on the railing. “It’s nice. It’s not as loose as this place.” He giggles. “It’s nice. Proper. Beautiful.” He rolls his head to me and I shy away with a smile.

“What do you do there?” I ask.

“I have a farm. I’m attending medical school. There’s a big call for doctors.” He says.

“Yes. A fine profession. Saving lives.” I play with my gloved fingers.

“Nothing compared to saving souls.” He whispers.

“Well, a soul is nothing without a body.” I lean to him.

“That’s very true.” He chuckles. “Very true indeed.”

He turns and leans his side on the railing. “I think you’d love it there.”

“I would?” I raise a brow.

“Yes. I have a large farm with your choice of horses. A very large house with several rooms. So much space for walks and picnics.” He casually ticks his lip.

I'm certainly impressed, but I'm not sure if that’s what I want. I’m sure every woman would life a life of luxury, but as a woman of the church, luxuries are not what we’re taught to focus on. We are taught that a man’s heart is worth more than the gold in his pocket.

He crosses his arms and looks down at me. “You wouldn’t have a care in the world. If you came to Oxford with me, I could keep you and lavish you with adoration and the finest jewels. You’d have your pick of fine dresses and people at your beckoned call. Penelope, you’d be a queen in my home.” He smiles.

I let out a quiet giggle and slightly lower my head. “That does sound nice.” I turn and lean my back on the railing. My eyes fall to my father and Sheriff Jackson who are whispering to each other. “I would certainly be overwhelmed by such glamor, but I’m not so sure…”

“You don’t want to be rich?” He asks.

“It’s not that I wouldn’t appreciate it. I would. I just…What about the church?” My eyes meet his with this serious question.

“You wouldn’t need it.” He stood straighter and spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. “I will be your church.”

This causes me to laugh. “You? How will you be my church?”

“The love you feel for your church, you can put in me. I will put that love in you too. You can do charity work if that's what makes you happy, but toiling away now, that’s not a life for a respectable woman.” He says as he leans to me.

I smile and shake my head. “I don’t do it out of love for the church. I do it for the love I feel for the Lord and the people. It makes me feel good when I can save people. I don’t need to be saved, Edward. I don’t need your money.”

“Penelope. You’re so beautiful. You may not want my riches, but I would be honored to give them to you. To keep you as my wife.” He breathes.

“It’s a very flattering offer, Edward. You are too kind, but I don’t really know you. I’m not even sure if we have that kind of connection yet.” I stare at him as I make my stand known to him.

“Walk with me.” He pushes off the railing and motions away from the dance floor.

“Ok.” I listen and head to where he wants me to be.

We walk down the street and turn toward the woods. Edward is very sweet. He’s kind and gentle, but there’s something inside saying he’s just not right for me. It’s not that I’m not flattered by his courting proposal, far from it. My father would certainly be grateful for the riches. It’s not who I am. I like simple things. Simple lives. I don’t want to be larger than life. I don’t need to fanciful to be happy. I just need someone who can fulfill me and I him. That’s all.

We stop on the path.

Edward turns to me. “Penelope. You are a smart woman. You know a good man when you see one, right?”

He steps close to me, forcing me to step back against a tree trunk.

“I’d like to think so.” I say as I slightly turn from his advance. My hand covers my bosom.

He leans closer. “I’m right here, Penelope. Everything you want laid at your feet and a husband to worship the ground you walk on. Isn’t that like a dream?”

His lips are very close.

“Edward…This isn’t right.” I whisper.

“It is. You need me, Penelope.” He looks into my eyes and then his lips meet mine. He grabs my wrist and pulls it off my chest.

I feel an overwhelming urge to stop this. It doesn’t feel comfortable at all.

His tongue found mine and there was an air of familiarity to the kiss. It was sensual, but it didn’t feel honest or true.

I push him off me. “Edward!” I scowl. I move my hand to strike his cheek and he catches it.

His brows come together. His lips press together as his face changes to a glare.

I grow concerned as his face changes to something that I believe I’ve seen before. My heart flutters because the whispers in mind start and he now looks at me with eyes that terrified me, but burned my desire.