The Mistress

Chapter 3

"He proposed Agnes!" Penelope yells bursting in my room. Waking me from my slumber.

I roll over in my plush bed about to kill her but I realize that I must keep my cool. I sit up in my bed and remove a piece of slobbered hair from my mouth.

I stretch. "Wait what now?" I ask again

"Preston proposed!" She exclaims coming to my bed and jumping on it.

"Well did you accept?" I ask again slowly

"Well of course." She says happily

"When did he propose I ask?" Realizing that is a bit early in the morning for her to come barging in my chambers with news of the wedding proposal.

"Just moments ago!" She exclaims "we spent all last night together, after I left your room he three pebbles at my window and asked me to come see him." She says blushing

"Oh... What did you all do?" I ask hoping it wasn't what I thought. Not that I would be upset or anything, but everyone has assumed that I would lose my virtue before she did, out of wedlock that is.

"Well, we talked and walked by the stream, under the star light. We watched the sun rise and then he proposed. And he kissed me Agnes! For the first time." She says smiling "and it was passionate."

"That's great Penelope." I say getting out of bed and opening the curtains.

It strikes me that I've never really kissed a man. The old count Jackson tried to lay one on me but all he managed to do was get a peck before I pulled away in disgust.

"I hope you don't mind me telling you even after our discussion last night. You are still my bestfriend and perhaps Preston will still allow me to serve Isabel." Penelope says

Her words take me back and I turn away from the window to face her. I never thought about how restricting it truly is to have a husband.

"I think it should be your choice whether you stay with Isabel or not. Not his." I say sternly

"Well you know that's just not how it's done Agnes." She says in disbelief

"Well. That's how it will be in my life. No matter how much I want to marry, the man I do settle down with will not control me." I state.

"You sound as if you have a choice Agnes. We aren't that lucky. We don't get to fall in love. We don't get to pick out the things we like in a man and the things we don't. It's just not the way it is. So I hope you don't get hurt when reality hits you." Penelope says bluntly

She's right. Not that I would ever admit that. But I stay silent.

The doors open and Isabel enters. "So are you girls getting packed for our big adventure to France!" She says excitedly

Isabel is not one to enjoy staying cooped up inside one place for long, and she had been here with Rene for a long time. Not leaving even to visit her parents.

"Oh Isabel I can't go, not with the engagement to be planned." Penelope states

"Wait a moment Isabel knows about the engagement?" I ask a little disappointed I was the last to find out.

"Well yes he had to get me Vincent before he could propose, I knew about it before she did." Isabel says happily "but I certainly understand Penelope, we should be back from France in time to come to your wedding."

My heart sank at the fact that I'm going nuts to have to face French court alone, and I won't be here to help my bestfriend plan for her wedding day. But my loyalty was to Isabel still.