Chapter 53: Gifts (4)
"What is this?" Penelope inquired, staring at the second carriage placed before her today. "Send it back."
"Why? It is a gift to you. A gift which makes all the other gifts the other ladies will receive look small," said Lily.
"It is a royal carriage. I am not a royal, therefore I am not to have it. It must be sent back. Gerald," Penelope called to the butler. "Take the flowers out, but arrange for the carriage to be sent back to the palace."
"No!" Lily exclaimed. "Whatever happened to it would be rude to deny the gifts from the crown prince? This counts as a gift, so you are being very rude right now. Isn’t she, Isabelle?"
"She is. Can we go inside?" Isabelle asked, excited to see the inside.
"No," Penelope replied, sticking to her decision. "I know why he is doing this, but how did he find out that I received a carriage today?"
"Perhaps there is a spy in our home," Lily answered.
"Or a sister who is enjoying all of this. That book in your hands," Penelope said, her eyes narrowing in on the book Lily now tried to hide. "It is Eleanor’s book. Our mother said that we cannot read it."
Lily tucked the book under her arm since it would be unladylike for her to be seen with it.
"I understand why she doesn’t want us to read it. Aunt Eleanor can be quite descriptive. You must focus on the gift that you cannot send back," Lily said, trying to take attention away from her book.
Lily continued, "This is good for you, Penelope. Just when the other gentlemen were not sending you gifts to get your attention, you were sent two carriages. Who can say that their courting gift was a royal carriage? You must enjoy it."