In the House of Secrets

Chapter Thirty-One | Penelope and the Plan

Penelope had spent most of the evening trying to figure out why Beckett was scowling.

She had seen him scowl many times before, but unless she was mistaken, Penelope thought that had been changing lately. It had been warming to watch him smile more.

But she did not feel warm now. Because when she approached Beckett on his way to their chambers for the night, he was awfully short in responding to her.

"Have you thought more about how we shall catch Lawton in his treason?" she asked, struggling to keep up with him as he took quick strides through the hallway. She could still hear the laughter of guests downstairs; the night was still young, and Beckett did not usually leave until she did. But this evening was different.

Beckett did not slow down. "Yes."

"And?" she pressed.

"And the most obvious approach would be to tail him." He sighed. "However, I am not certain I want to sacrifice time waiting for him to incriminate himself."

Her stomach sank at the implication that came with his statement. He did not want to waste time, did he? She could not help but wonder why that was. Why was he suddenly so intent on finishing something they had let drag on?

"We'll likely want to lure him out there, " he continued. "Perhaps we could fabricate a note or something of the sort. And then Griff and I shall await his arrival at the shed."

"And me?" Penelope asked.

"And you will undoubtedly be busy caring for your guests," he replied sharply. "The ones who are not smuggling goods on your estate."

Beckett stalked into his chambers, and Penelope stopped in her tracks, just inside the door. Fire roared in the grate, and the crackling was all that could be heard throughout the room.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, keeping her voice low when she would have preferred to yell.

Beckett stared out the window, not turning around. "What?"

"Why are you shutting me out when just earlier you told me that we were in this together?"

When Beckett replied, his voice was equally low. Barely a murmur. "That was before I realized there will never be a we."

Penelope shut the door behind her, closing them into the room filled with shadows. "Beckett..." she started. "What are you talking about?"

He finally turned, and Penelope nearly gasped at how torn his expression was. Her anger melted away, and concern took its place.

"You are married," he said, his jaw ticking.

She blinked twice before frowning. "Yes."

Beckett nodded, but something she could not name passed over his face.