The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride - Chapter 443

Chapter 443: Ruining your name (4)
“You say this now because Lady Tabitha isn’t present. You have only recently married into the Castro family, yet you have disrespected Lady Tabitha. It is no wonder that she doesn’t think you are suited for the prince. You don’t try to follow family tradition,” said Faye.

Penelope smiled, amused by the lecture Faye tried to give her. She looked away from Faye since Faye didn’t deserve more of her time.

“Lady Laura, I carefully read your invitation, and it said this is a gathering for married ladies. Was I wrong?” Penelope asked, addressing the host.

“No, it wasn’t wrong. All but one are married,” Laura answered.

“So, I have noticed. Since I am representing the palace, a guest list was sent to my home so I, along with the palace, would know who was in attendance for protection. Yet, that list doesn’t appear to be accurate. Do you know there could be consequences for this?” Penelope questioned, looking up at Laura.

“Well, I,” Laura stopped speaking, trying to think of the right words.

“If there were to be any changes, you were to inform me or the palace. No one has the power to order you to go against the king and queen’s order. What if you had invited someone the palace knows wishes to attack a royal? What would you have done then?” Penelope asked.

“You are taking this-”

“Be silent. You wish to live a life on the sidelines, so stay quiet there,” Penelope silenced Faye. “Now, answer me, Laura.”

“It came as an order from Lady Tabitha. I do not have the power to go against her wishes. I thought that as a Castro, it would be fine. Forgive me for what I have done,” Laura apologised.

Laura didn’t know there was this much conflict. She heard Tabitha and Penelope had clashed once, but thought it had all settled because they were family.

“You should have sent a new list to be safe. You could have cost your family a great deal of pain if something were to happen to me here. With that being said, the gathering should continue as the invitation said,” Penelope said, giving Laura the chance to make up for her mistake.

Priscilla smiled as she raised her glass to her lips, but Laura was starting to bore her. “You could not be so clueless, Laura. Your family’s fate hangs by a single thread, and you are not acting quickly.”

“Either the gathering resumes with the list I received, or I shall leave because it is not safe here for me. As the host, I will give you the power to decide,” said Penelope.

Laura faced Faye. Surely Faye would understand her having to choose to keep Penelope at the gathering instead of a young woman now known to be chasing a married man.

Laura didn’t want a lady like Faye in her home.

“Miss Faye, I will arrange for the servants to prepare your carriage. Your carriage as well, Cassidy. I apologise for both of you having to leave your homes only to leave so soon. I will make it up to you in the future,” Laura said, hoping the two ladies would calmly leave.

Faye did not move from her seat. “This will only further strain your relationship with Lady Tabitha.”

“My relationship is already strained if she wants my husband to have a mistress. The host has asked you to leave. You lack manners and decency when it comes to marriage, but surely you know how to behave in someone’s home,” Penelope said, questioning how Faye was raised.

Penelope hoped it wouldn’t become normal for ladies to openly seek out other ladies’ husbands as Faye did now. Marriages were to be respected.

“Look around,” Penelope said, bringing attention to the other ladies present. “Perhaps Tabitha’s support has gotten to your head, but you ignored that you sit in a room with married women. One or more have dealt with a woman like you, and it disgusts them.”

“This will stick with you forever. Tabitha ruined you to get what she wanted. No, you ruined yourself as well,” said Penelope.

Faye didn’t want to leave.

Tabitha’s word meant something, so Laura shouldn’t be so quick to send her away, but with no one standing up for her, Faye had to go.

Faye stood up, but she didn’t think of this as defeat. Tabitha spoke so highly of her and made her desire to have her with Prince Tyrion known. It didn’t sit well with Faye that Tyrion ended up with someone like Penelope, who always got her way.

“My mother and Lady Tabitha will hear of this,” Faye announced before walking away.

Penelope wasn’t worried about either lady. Tabitha had slipped up once more and was going to be punished this time.

Penelope was not going to let Tabitha’s punishment be that she would be sent out of town.

“As for you, aren’t you embarrassed?”

Laura was caught off guard by Penelope’s question as she thought it was directed at her.

“It has become an obsession at this point for you to keep chasing my grandmother. It is not that you want to apologise, but rather, you want to rub it in that you are married. You are one of the few mistresses who succeeded, but even then, you are not happy,” Penelope said, looking Cassidy in the eye.

Penelope didn’t believe the act Cassidy portrayed as though she was remorseful and truly wanted to apologise.

It was understood by Penelope and her siblings that Priscilla didn’t want to be near Cassidy, so why couldn’t Cassidy understand it?

“Is it not what you thought it would be? You married my grandfather, yet you don’t seem satisfied. Is all the excitement gone now that he doesn’t run to you anymore? Have you realised he just used you to pass the time when upset with my grandmother?” Penelope asked.

Priscilla poked Penelope for using the word grandmother a bit too much.

“If your marriage is not what you imagined it to be, don’t trouble others to make yourself feel better. I’m curious if you face the feeling that he might get bored with you and have another lady. It is the price of wanting him. If you truly are apologetic, leave her alone,” Penelope advised Cassidy. “The town is big enough for the two of you.”

Cassidy clenched her fist. She wasn’t here to speak with Penelope, but after all that was said, she turned to walk away.

Laura walked behind Cassidy to see for herself that she was leaving. Though the tension had all settled, she still felt nervous.