The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride-Chapter 156: Battle of women (1)

The next day, Penelope travelled with Lily to attend the gathering Lady Tabitha was hosting.

Priscilla would arrive to escort Lily in place of their mother.

"Are you prepared for this? You’ll be walking right into a trap," said Lily.

"I know," Penelope replied, looking away from the window to face Lily. "I cannot avoid her forever, and I won’t. I’m not going to disrupt my life by avoiding events where Tabitha will be."

"Good, because I am looking forward to a good show. I am here for you if you ever need help. An insult to you is an insult to me, and I can’t have that," said Lily.

Penelope smiled.

"Tyrion told me a story about how Tabitha once tried to get Hazel’s sister to turn on her. I am lucky that I don’t need to be concerned about her getting in your ear," Penelope said.

Penelope could count on Lily’s loyalty to never change. They had never once welcomed any who spoke about the other to their side.

"Lady Tabitha will never be able to turn me against you. We have our differences, but we are quite the same in many ways. I am quite expensive if she wants to win my favour. I might amuse her only to let her down in the end," Lily plotted for a moment, but didn’t like the plan.

Lily didn’t want to consider fooling Tabitha that her bribes were working since she didn’t want to pretend that she was turning on Penelope. It wasn’t something she could do, no matter how helpful it would be for Penelope.

The town would forever think that there was a moment when Lily turned her back on Penelope, even if the true plan was shared.

Penelope gazed outside at the home belonging to Tabitha. "We are here. Take one moment to enjoy the peace while we have it," she said.

"When will grandmother be arriving?" Lily asked, looking forward to Priscilla’s arrival.

"She should be on time so we are not left alone, but we can handle ourselves until she arrives," Penelope replied.

The carriage door was opened by Damien, who helped the sisters out.

Already, Penelope noticed a few familiar faces. Ladies who didn’t attend the gathering when it was held in the previous location each year were present today.

Penelope smiled.

Had Tabitha looked into who she wasn’t close to?

Was that why Amelia and Octavia were present?

"This will be an interesting day," Penelope said, eager to see who the other guests were.

Penelope searched for Priscilla’s carriage, but did not see it around.

This did not make Penelope worry since she knew Priscilla would keep her promise.

Penelope looked down at where Lily held her hand to offer support.

"Let us go in," Penelope said.

Penelope ignored the looks from the young ladies and their mothers standing outside. She didn’t have time for their questions since the real challenge was inside.

Penelope and Lily were greeted by a maid who led them inside to where the guests were to gather.

"Lady Penelope Castro and Miss Lily Collins," the maid announced.

Heads turned after the announcement. All eyes were on the door where Penelope and Lily walked.

Penelope kept her head high as she followed the maid to her assigned seat. It didn’t come as a surprise that their seats were at the same table as Tabitha. After all, Penelope earned the right to sit there.

"Lady Tabitha," Penelope and Lily curtsied as they shared their greetings.

"Lady Penelope," Tabitha said, eyeing the young woman who was the source of her family’s current state.

Penelope followed Tabitha’s gaze to Lily, the twin without a ring on her finger.

"Lady Tabitha, I am Penelope Castro," Penelope said, bringing Tabitha’s attention to herself.

Tabitha looked away from Lily to the one addressing themselves as Penelope. "Are you certain?"

"I have been Penelope for all my life. It would be silly for me to suddenly be Lily now. Just like it would be silly for me to question if you are Tabitha Castro when it is quite obvious you are," said Penelope.

"You!" Exclaimed a lady Penelope did not know.

"I have just cleared up that I am Penelope, and the lady standing beside me is my sister, Lily Collins. I am wearing a ring on my finger, so that should be helpful. It is a lovely day, is it not, Lady Tabitha?" Penelope asked as she sat down. "Your home is marvellous."

Lily sat down on the chair beside Penelope’s. She doubted that Tabitha couldn’t tell the difference from the start.

"It is a good day," Tabitha said, moving on from the unfortunate moment. "Penelope," she said, addressing the right twin. "How kind of you to be here as your sister’s escort. It must be strange for you to do that when you are the same age."

"Lily, you must marry soon, so you are not left behind."

Lily smiled. "We are twins, but we don’t need to do everything together. I will not rush to get married because Penelope is now married. I will take my time to find a husband, but thank you for the advice."

"There are still many weeks left until the season, which gives the young women time to find a suitable match. I wish they would all understand there isn’t a need to rush," Tabitha said, her words aimed at Penelope.

"Lily should have a grand wedding. Don’t you agree, Penelope?" Tabitha asked.

"My sister should have the wedding that her heart desires. A wedding isn’t to please the town, but to bind two people together. What matters most is the love between the couple, not how grand the wedding is. Wouldn’t you agree, Lady Tabitha?" Penelope asked, placing the attention back on Tabitha.

There was a moment of silence as Tabitha stirred her tea with a spoon.

"Love matters, but there is an expectation of a wedding when it comes to people of a certain standing. There is much the town expects when a lady like Lily or you is to marry. A grand wedding should be held," said Tabitha.

"Well, doing something to please the town is an awful way to start a marriage. You’ll be expected to measure up to the town’s expectations of you, and that pressure is not what any lady needs," Penelope replied.

Tabitha disliked that they were dancing around the fact that Penelope didn’t have a proper wedding.

Tabitha was ready to directly address it until she heard a name she hadn’t approved of for the invitations.

Tabitha looked up to see Priscilla making her way to the table.

"Do not look so surprised to see me. Surely, you didn’t think you could trouble my granddaughter and I wouldn’t show," Priscilla said, going to stand behind Penelope. "Your stubbornness has aged you poorly, Tabitha."

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