“Not that I know of, but this was around the age my father died, your grandpa, and it just has me worried about your well-being. I want you taken care of. You don’t have any brothers to look after you, or even an uncle. It’s just you and me Penny. I don’t want you alone in life.” Her father reached forward and grabbed her hand in his own. “Just give this man a chance.”
“I appear to be given no choice in that matter, I’m giving him a chance, just don’t think I want to marry him. How fast are you rushing us into this? Do I even get time to get to know him at all?” Penny asked. She didn’t want to admit to her father, that the wedding bed scared her. She’d heard good things and bad things about it, and one of the maids a year ago had been forced on her wedding night with her husband that her family had chosen for her, and she’d described sex as the most painful, horrible experience. Hearing the maid confide what it had been like, had her scared it would be like that with an uncaring husband who didn’t care about how she felt.
“What’s his name?” Penny realized she’d never even asked.
“Flynn.” Her father told her. “Flynn Hartford. I hear he’s some relation to the Hartford Financial group, the family that started it anyways, and that’s where he made a lot of his money before he got into ranching. He’s upper class Penny, he may be a rancher these days, but his roots are old money.”
“Why should old money, or new money make any difference to me?” She asked confused. Money was money. People were people, being a good person or a bad person rarely had to do with the amount of money they had, or how long they’ve had it.
“It may not matter to you, but you kept impressing on me you didn’t want to have someone marry you for your money, I made sure he fit the bill. He’s got so much money he almost makes us look poor.” Her father, Dick, told her. “Just try not to make his life a living hell before he even gets to know you. I don’t want to travel all this way just to have you screw this up. I’m serious about cutting you off and being done with everything if you refuse to find a way to make this work.”
“I already told you I’d behave myself.” She reminded him. Although she had hoped if he’d changed his mind and called it off, her father wouldn’t have blamed her and maybe she could have gotten out of it. Sighing, she sat back and realized this was going to be a very long trip.
Chapter 2
Penelope was in Flynn’s house, the maid had shown her to a room in the large, sprawled out house that boasted at least twelve bedrooms, and had indoor plumbing. Even her home back east hadn’t had indoor plumbing like this. She didn’t want to say she was impressed; it would have ruined her tantrum she was having in her head about everything. Her father and her had taken a carriage there from the train station when they arrived a couple weeks later. She was tired, moody, miserable and feeling sick from the train. Her stomach was still rolling from the constant movement.
She was unpacking, telling the maid to leave her too it. She didn’t want to snap at a woman she didn’t know, and she was in a bad enough mood she didn’t want to take it out on anyone else. Unless Flynn was stupid enough to come introduce himself. She’d gladly take a bite out of him.
Her father had wisely disappeared into his own bedchambers to unpack. He was planning on leaving directly after the wedding, which was supposed to happen in a week. Penny was determined to find a way to get Flynn to change his mind about it, and her. She knew her father would be unhappy, but if it wasn’t her idea and refusal, then he couldn’t really take it out on her.
Could he? Penny shook her head and decided it shouldn’t be a problem.
A knock at the door came and she ignored it. She didn’t want to see anyone. When the door opened, she refused to give the person the satisfaction of turning around.
“Are you going to introduce yourself to me darlin’ or just keep your back to me?” A gruff voice said as the door shut quietly.
“Go away.” Penny said, refusing to turn around. She assumed this was Flynn, and didn’t want anything to do with him.
“It’s my house, I’ll go away when I’m good and ready to go away. I’ve already spoken with your father. Charming man. I am here to meet you now. Be a good girl and turn around so we can say hello to each other.” Flynn said.
“And if I refuse?” Penny retorted, sounding sarcastic. She knew she was being a pain in the butt, but she didn’t care. Her trip made her grumpier, and all the good intentions of trying to make her father happy had gone out the window the longer she’d spent on that train.