Read Online Never Had a Dream Come True by Jennifer Wenn - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Wenn
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she found the one where Mr. Wells kept the journals about travelling.
What wouldn’t she give to be able to travel around the world to visit all these wonderful places she had read about in journals such as these? All her life she had not been farther away than Windsor, and even then she could still see the roof of Chester Park glistening in the sun. With a forlorn sigh, she headed back to where Thomas was searching through piles of unsorted books. Why bother with dreaming about travelling to distant places when she had no money of her own to spend on anything, not even a book.
“Look at this!”
Thomas looked like a young boy who’d just caught his first fish as he handed her a small leather-clad book.
“ Poetry from the Heart .”
“Such a good book,” Thomas breathed. “You really should buy it. I have two copies of it already, and I promise you it will be worth every penny spent.”
“I’m sure it is. But I would prefer borrowing yours, when I visit your home.”
Thomas froze and Penny blushed, mortified. Had she been too forward now? She must have spent too much time with the Darling family these last months, as she would never have been this direct otherwise.
“I would be honored if you were to visit my home.” Thomas gave her his sunny little-boy-smile, which seemed to brighten the whole store. “As a matter of fact, why don’t I scribble down an invitation for your family to come and dine with me later this week? I think that would be most suitable, don’t you?”
Penny nodded, thankful that he was willing to overlook her brazen way of inviting herself. She wasn’t used to socializing with anyone other than the Darlings, and for the first time she couldn’t help but wonder how she would be accepted in London by the ton . She had a sinking feeling no one would notice her at all, except for comparing her to her sister and finding her uninteresting and ignorable in contrast. Her destiny was to become a wallflower, one of those debutantes who sat on the outskirts of a ballroom, forever watching society from the outside.
Accepted but not wanted.
Not an unusual place for her, she thought wryly.
Thomas interrupted her pitiful state of mind with another excited yelp, and she shook the doomsday feelings off her shoulders. There was no need to stand here feeling miserable over the unalterable. Much better to enjoy this moment of solitude with the man she hoped to marry.
Three hours later they walked out of the dusky shop and put a whole pile of newly bought books and journals into the carriage. The maid, who had been napping on the seat, awoke, and Penny urged her to follow them to the Devil’s Folly—the local inn—where they were to have their afternoon tea.
When they entered the inn, Penny was surprised to find it crowded with cheerful gentlemen and ladies enjoying each other’s company.
Thomas put his hand against the small of her back and guided her through the crowd until he found a small table in a corner where no one else seemed interested in hiding.
“Here we go.” He sounded surprisingly relieved. Penny bit back a smile as she sat down on one of the chairs, carefully choosing the one which gave her the best view of the rest of the inn.
It was a bad habit of hers, wanting to watch other people. Or, considering her future wallflower life, maybe it was one of her best qualities. It was something to amuse herself with during the long hours of a ball. People tended to forget her presence, and she had more times than she could count overheard things which weren’t meant for her delicate ears, or seen things she wasn’t supposed to have seen.
During her younger years she had worked this quality into perfection when she realized how close she could come to Rake without him noticing. Her ears had turned rather red sometimes, but on the other hand she knew there wasn’t much she didn’t know about her childhood Prince Charming. Not even his parents had such deep insight into their
What wouldn’t she give to be able to travel around the world to visit all these wonderful places she had read about in journals such as these? All her life she had not been farther away than Windsor, and even then she could still see the roof of Chester Park glistening in the sun. With a forlorn sigh, she headed back to where Thomas was searching through piles of unsorted books. Why bother with dreaming about travelling to distant places when she had no money of her own to spend on anything, not even a book.
“Look at this!”
Thomas looked like a young boy who’d just caught his first fish as he handed her a small leather-clad book.
“ Poetry from the Heart .”
“Such a good book,” Thomas breathed. “You really should buy it. I have two copies of it already, and I promise you it will be worth every penny spent.”
“I’m sure it is. But I would prefer borrowing yours, when I visit your home.”
Thomas froze and Penny blushed, mortified. Had she been too forward now? She must have spent too much time with the Darling family these last months, as she would never have been this direct otherwise.
“I would be honored if you were to visit my home.” Thomas gave her his sunny little-boy-smile, which seemed to brighten the whole store. “As a matter of fact, why don’t I scribble down an invitation for your family to come and dine with me later this week? I think that would be most suitable, don’t you?”
Penny nodded, thankful that he was willing to overlook her brazen way of inviting herself. She wasn’t used to socializing with anyone other than the Darlings, and for the first time she couldn’t help but wonder how she would be accepted in London by the ton . She had a sinking feeling no one would notice her at all, except for comparing her to her sister and finding her uninteresting and ignorable in contrast. Her destiny was to become a wallflower, one of those debutantes who sat on the outskirts of a ballroom, forever watching society from the outside.
Accepted but not wanted.
Not an unusual place for her, she thought wryly.
Thomas interrupted her pitiful state of mind with another excited yelp, and she shook the doomsday feelings off her shoulders. There was no need to stand here feeling miserable over the unalterable. Much better to enjoy this moment of solitude with the man she hoped to marry.
Three hours later they walked out of the dusky shop and put a whole pile of newly bought books and journals into the carriage. The maid, who had been napping on the seat, awoke, and Penny urged her to follow them to the Devil’s Folly—the local inn—where they were to have their afternoon tea.
When they entered the inn, Penny was surprised to find it crowded with cheerful gentlemen and ladies enjoying each other’s company.
Thomas put his hand against the small of her back and guided her through the crowd until he found a small table in a corner where no one else seemed interested in hiding.
“Here we go.” He sounded surprisingly relieved. Penny bit back a smile as she sat down on one of the chairs, carefully choosing the one which gave her the best view of the rest of the inn.
It was a bad habit of hers, wanting to watch other people. Or, considering her future wallflower life, maybe it was one of her best qualities. It was something to amuse herself with during the long hours of a ball. People tended to forget her presence, and she had more times than she could count overheard things which weren’t meant for her delicate ears, or seen things she wasn’t supposed to have seen.
During her younger years she had worked this quality into perfection when she realized how close she could come to Rake without him noticing. Her ears had turned rather red sometimes, but on the other hand she knew there wasn’t much she didn’t know about her childhood Prince Charming. Not even his parents had such deep insight into their
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