The Persuasion Parallel, Chapter Six
Title: The Persuasion Parallel
Author: mrssnape13 (immortalbeloved13)
Spoilers: None
Rating/Warnings: G/ AU
Word Count: 3,469
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Summary: An unfortunate incident brings things crashing down on the group in Lyme
Chapter Six: Blighted Prospects
The curious wits, seeing dull pensiveness
Bewray itself in my long settled eyes,
Whence these same fumes of melancholy rise
With idle pains, and missing aim, do guess.
Some, that know how my spring I did address,
Deem that my muse some fruit of knowledge plies;
Others, because the prince my service tries,
Think that I think state errors to redress.
But harder judges judge ambition’s rage,
Scourge of itself, still climbing slippery place,
Holds my young brain captived in golden cage.
O fools, or over-wise: alas, the race
Of all my thoughts hath neither stop nor start
But only Stella’s eyes and Stella’s heart.
--Sir Philip Sidney, Astrophil and Stella Sonnet 23
The party left Jersey just after dawn and was in Lyme by noon.
The young ladies were so eager to see the ocean that they stopped along the beach before even going to the inn to settle in and refresh themselves.
Stephanie and Bernadette ran up and down along the water’s edge, squealing and cooing over the various trifles that they came upon in the sand. Leonard and Leslie followed along in their wake.
Penny stood in the nice, cool sand-it was mid-September, so the weather along the shore was on the chilly side-and was content to watch the waves crash. She inhaled deeply, exhilarating in the fresh air, and licked her lips, enjoying the salty taste.
Someone came up beside her.
“It appears that the air is agreeing with you, Miss Elliot,” Sheldon said, smiling gently at her.
Penny prayed that her blush could be written off as a reaction to the crisp air.
“I cannot believe that I have lived this long and have never seen such a sight before,” she murmured, admiring the way the sun glinted off of the water.
“I myself was around your age when I first saw the sea,” he replied. “It remains one of my favorite memories of that time, among many other pleasant ones.”
His eyes were soft as he watched her, gauging her reaction.
Penny’s heart was pounding.
Did he mean…?
Suddenly, there came a loud cry from further down the beach.
“Cooper!”
Their heads whipped around in the direction the voice was coming from.
There was a man there. He was about the same height as Sheldon, with closely cropped curling hair and an amiable look. He walked with a distinct limp, helped along by a cane.
“Harville!” Sheldon cried, trotting over to his friend and pulling him into a firm embrace.
Everyone followed Sheldon and he turned to them to make introductions.
“This is my dear friend, Captain Stuart Harville.”
Warm ‘how do ye do’s’ were exchanged all around and names were given.
“And this,” Sheldon said, at last coming to Penny, “is Miss Penelope Elliot.”
“Ah, so this is the lovely young woman who has never seen the sea!” he exclaimed, bowing deeply and smiling up at her.
Penny found herself blushing again and bowed her head.
“It is good to meet you, Miss Elliot.”
“Likewise, Captain.”
He nodded and turned back to Sheldon, clapping a hand on his shoulder.
“Now, you must all come and meet Elinor, and then we will all have dinner at the inn.”
. . .
Dinner was a riotous affair. The food was wonderful and the conversation even better.
Penny rather liked Harville and his wife Elinor. They seemed like good, honest people. Their friend Captain Wolowitz was very kind as well.
He and Penny had been seated together at the far end of the table. He had seemed too melancholic for conversation, but Penny had managed to make him comfortable. Now they were chatting like old friends.
“Sheldon tells me you have a great liking for poetry, Miss Elliot.”
“Oh my yes! Do you enjoy it as well then?”
“I didn’t until very recently. When I found out that Fanny had died, the only place I could find any peace of mind was in a book. I particularly enjoy Byron and Sidney.”
“My love of poetry has only taken root in this last decade, also as a result of some unfortunate circumstance. If you like Sidney, Captain, please allow me to recommend Petrarch.”
He smiled at her for the first time.
“Ah, Petrarch. Now there is a kindred spirit;” he cleared his throat and continued softly. “S’amor non é, che dunque é qué i’sénto?”
“One of my favorites, sir. Your Old Italian is flawless.”
“You speak Italian?”
“No, I am only just able to read it. Just enough for Petrarch.”
Captain Wolowitz smiled briefly at her before his face became somber once more.
“Fanny used to love to read you know. I…am still not sure how I will ever do without her.”
Penny’s heart went out to him. For the first time in many a year, she knew what it was to feel fortunate. Sheldon may have lost his heart to another, but at least he was still around to play a part in Penny’s life, no matter how small. Captain Wolowitz could not boast of the same luxury.
She felt an irrepressible urge to say something, anything to comfort him.
“Time…will make it easier to bear. I cannot say that it will make you forget, but it will make you accustomed to everything. I have no doubt that you will rally.”
“You are very kind Miss Elliot, but I feel that I will not move on. Before I met Fanny, I was a bit of a cad. She changed me, made me a better man. I do not expect any other woman shall ever move me so deeply.”
“I cannot believe your prospects so blighted forever,” she began. She caught sight of Bernadette flirting with Sheldon at the other end of the table and felt the bitterness of her words as they applied to her own situation. She steeled herself and returned her gaze to Captain Wolowitz.
“You are younger than I am; if not in feeling, then in fact. You will heal in time and be happy with another, I am sure of it.”
He gave her a look that said he didn’t quite believe her.
“Until then, might I recommend a greater influx of prose in your daily reading regimen?” she quipped.
Captain Wolowitz chuckled and flashed her a smile that was genuinely happy.
They continued to converse animatedly for the rest of the meal and when they parted ways for the night Penny acknowledged to herself that the evening had been great fun.
. . .
Sheldon had snuck off with Stuart after dinner in order to take stock of the book shop.
From the moment he went through the door, he was in love. Stuart had books on every subject imaginable! Gads of books! Mountains of books! Forests of books! Cascades! Swamps of books! More books than one person would ever be able to read in a lifetime! Sheldon had to restrain himself from seizing the contents of several shelves at once.
Stuart had put aside some special editions he had recently procured, feeling that Sheldon would find them to be of particular interest.
He ended up purchasing several volumes-Stuart had offered them as gifts, but Sheldon would not hear of it-and then they decided to head back to the inn so that Stuart could fetch Elinor and return home.
As they were walking along, they heard a vast deal of noise coming from the beach. Curious, they decided to investigate and found Penny and Bernadette running about in the shallows and laughing hysterically.
“You go on ahead Stuart. I shall keep an eye on them, just in case.”
“As you wish. Goodnight, Sheldon,” he said, briefly hugging his friend.
“Goodnight, Stuart. Thank you very much for the books. They should prove to be very helpful for the project I’ve been working on.”
“Think nothing of it.”
. . .
Penny had felt restless after dinner. Captain Wolowitz had gone back to Captain Harville’s house, and the others were all busy at the loo table.
After some time, Bernadette came to sit by her.
“Too much loo for one evening?”
Bernadette laughed.
“Decidedly too much!”
Penny smiled at her old friend.
“What would you say to escaping to the beach for a while?”
Bernadette beamed at her.
“Penny, I’m not sure if it’s this sea air, but I must say that I admire the spirits you’ve been exhibiting since we arrived here.”
Penny winked at her and they went to fetch their coats.
She knew it wasn’t the sea air. Penny had been making slow but steady progress toward some form of resigned contentment, but her earlier conversation with Captain Wolowitz had truly opened her eyes to her situation. She had a new perspective, and was determined to henceforth create her own happiness in life. She could not rely on another to do so for her. She had to be content with herself; she saw that now.
When the girls reached the water’s edge, the air was still brisk but comfortable. Penny still reveled in the scent of salt in the air and the light touch of the spray on her hair as the waves crashed against the shore.
“It’s glorious, isn’t it?” Bernadette breathed beside her.
“Yes.”
“When I am a navy wife…” she trailed off, biting her lower lip in embarrassment over her slip of the tongue.
Penny was silent, her buoyant spirits of minutes before deflating just a bit. She supposed she could not blame Bernadette for fancying Captain Cooper, whilst she still loved him herself. She tried to remind herself that it did not matter. She should be pleased to be witness to the impending happiness of two people very dear to her.
She cleared her throat.
“You know, I’ve never been in the sea either,” she said, smirking mischievously.
Bernadette quirked an eyebrow at her.
Both of their faces sported wide grins as they tossed aside their shoes and stockings and ran about in the shallows.
Penny gasped aloud as the icy water hit her skin. At first, she could feel the bones in her feet aching from how very cold the water was, but then she grew more comfortable and just stood there, marveling at the waves lapping at her legs.
Next to her, Bernadette turned around and let out a loud gasp.
Penny turned as well to see what the matter was, and had to bite back an alarmed giggle when she saw Captain Cooper standing a few yards away from them, primly holding their discarded belongings.
“While I understand the call of the ocean to be most alluring, might I be so bold as to recommend that you both come in? Any longer in that water and you will both catch your death of cold.”
They obliged and he led them to the steps of the Cobb, handing them his handkerchief so that they could sit and clean the sand from their skin.
He politely turned his back as they put their stockings back on.
Penny cleared her throat when they had finished and Captain Cooper offered them each an arm. Penny took it gratefully.
She wasn’t sure whether or not it was the anonymity of the dark that gave her the courage, but she found herself leaning into Captain Cooper’s side and resting her head gently against his shoulder.
. . .
Sheldon was grateful that it was dark, because his cheeks were burning.
That same darkness also spurred him on. No one else was able to see it, but he squeezed Penny’s arm softly and crooked his shoulder so that her head could rest more comfortably there.
And if he pressed a light kiss to her hair when he turned his head pretending to look behind them at the sea, well, no one saw that either.
. . .
The next morning, Penny and Stephanie decided to walk the Cobb after breakfast. Stephanie had felt left out when Penny and Bernadette had not invited her along the night before, so Penny was attempting to make amends for the oversight.
“Bernadette tells me that you two had an unexpected chaperone as well!” Stephanie said, giggling and taking Penny’s arm.
Penny’s heart sped up a little at the mere mention of it.
Stephanie sighed.
“He’s so gallant.”
“Indeed.”
Stephanie scoffed.
“You don’t have to play coy with me, Penny. Bernadette told me how obliging Captain Cooper was when your fatigue got the best of you. She said you could hardly hold your head up, and that he most kindly offered you his shoulder.”
Penny could make no reply.
Stephanie paused, obliging Penny to stop, and they both looked out over the water for a moment.
“You know, I think they’re going to make a match of it.”
“You…you do?”
Penny’s mouth was suddenly very dry.
“I do.”
She turned to smile at Penny, who did her best to smile back.
“Bernadette says that he has been fairly obvious as to his intentions.”
Penny felt like a fool.
He was never one to be a silly man. She knew he would not lead her friend on. He was obviously serious about Bernadette.
She had not been sure, but now she knew that she had only been imagining that brief kiss she had thought she felt on the top of her head last night.
Sheldon-Captain Cooper must have just been acting that way because she was Bernadette’s friend.
Of course he no longer loved her.
Her continuing folly disgusted her.
They were soon met by Captain Cooper and Bernadette. She had wanted to take the air and he had made himself available to her.
The group walked about for some time before heading back to the inn, where the others were just finishing up preparing for the day.
As they were about to ascend the steps, a gentleman in mourning coming down the Cobb appeared at the top. He very politely stepped aside and let them climb up.
He appeared to take immediate and particular notice of Penny.
Her already pretty features had been made more so in the last couple of days by the sea air’s restoring a youthful bloom to her complexion. She was conscious of looking remarkably well; better than she had in many a year.
The gentleman tipped his hat to her as she walked by and she averted her gaze, feeling her cheeks flush.
Her eyes met Captain Cooper’s. He appeared to be amused, but there was something else in his expression that Penny could not quite identify.
. . .
Sheldon caught the other man casting an admiring glance at Penny and his good opinion of the moment before concerning the man’s manners evaporated.
It was abominably rude of him to be flirting so openly with a young woman he had never seen before. How could he possibly know that Penny was not already married or betrothed to someone else?
He checked himself.
He was being irrational.
Of course the other man could not help but be struck by Penny. Sheldon was usually immune to such things, but even he could understand how beautiful Penny was. Even within the last two days, she had taken on a radiance that he had not seen in her for some time.
He caught her eye as she passed the gentleman.
Her face was glowing.
For the millionth time that day, he thought back to her actions of the previous night.
He wanted to propose then and there, but knew that such things required more time, especially in their case. He would have to tread carefully, given their past.
For the moment, he was satisfied to know that he loved her, and there was the chance that she still loved him as well.
. . .
The next morning, Penny was hurrying downstairs to breakfast when she ran into the same gentleman from the day before. He was attempting to come upstairs. He jumped up and stepped aside on the landing so that she could pass.
Penny was able to get a better look at him this time. He was not a handsome man, but his countenance was pleasing enough and his manners, for all appearances, were quite good.
“I beg youw pawdon miss,” he said, bowing as well as he could in the confined space.
“Not at all, sir. Good morning.”
“Good mowning.”
. . .
Breakfast was a mostly quiet affair until there was the loud racket of a coach pulling up before the inn. It was decked out in mourning, as was the footman.
“It must belong to that man you all met yesterday, Penny,” Leslie observed.
Her suspicions were confirmed when the gentleman in question appeared. He stepped up into the coach and it pulled away.
Leslie immediately harangued their waiter for information.
“Do you know the name of the gentleman who just left?”
“Yes, ma’am, a Mr. Barry Elliot.”
The words were scarce out of his mouth before Leslie turned back to Penny with an excited gasp.
“Penny! That is the heir to father’s estate! Why did you not tell me that he was the man?”
Leonard intervened.
“Now my dear, I’m sure Penny could not have known him. If I recall correctly, she has never seen him before this day. After all, she was away at school when he last visited your father.”
Leslie completely ignored her husband, but her tone was less severe when she once more addressed her sister.
“Did he have the Elliot countenance? Oh, I’m sure he did! It’s a shame I did not get a proper look at him!”
Before Penny could even begin to formulate a response, Leslie turned back to the waiter.
“Did he mention any family at Omaha Hall?”
The poor man gave her a perplexed look.
“No ma’am, he did not mention any family.”
He bowed and seized the opportunity to retreat from the room before Leslie could interrogate him further.
Penny’s cheeks were burning with mortification at her sister’s behavior.
She was very grateful indeed when Captain Cooper spoke up.
“He is, no doubt, the very man you believe him to be. Your Barry Elliot has recently lost his wife, and this Barry Elliot was in mourning. Ockham’s Razor would suggest that he is in fact your relation.”
Penny gave him a small smile, but checked herself as she caught sight of Bernadette beaming at him.
He had probably spoken up for her, anyway. After all, Leslie was Bernadette’s sister-in-law, making Bernadette just as susceptible to gossip about unseemly relatives.
. . .
Bernadette insisted on returning to the Cobb after breakfast to take a turn and the others were entirely at her disposal.
She also wanted to walk along the beach. She stood at the top of the steps and let Captain Cooper descend ahead of her.
“Captain Cooper! Catch me!”
She clearly caught him by surprise and, although he turned as quickly as he could and held out his arms, it was not enough.
Bernadette had been too high up, and had jumped too far out.
She fell to the pavement and her head hit the stone with a sickening thud.
There was an immediate onslaught of screams and panic.
Penny ran over to her friend just as Captain Cooper was bending over her, all wide eyes and trembling hands.
Bernadette was mumbling incoherently. They were only able to catch one word, repeated over and over: “Sheldon.”
Penny forced herself to shut out her emotions for the time being.
She pulled out her handkerchief and handed it to Sheldon.
“Press this firmly to the wound and keep it there.”
She looked up at the others, who had all surrounded them and were wringing their hands.
“You lot! For goodness’s sake, stop fussing and fetch a surgeon!”
“But we don’t--"
“There’s no time, Leonard! Captains Harville and Wolowitz will know where one is. Go get them and return as quickly as you can!”
She turned back to Bernadette and took her hand, pressing it and murmuring comforting words.
She steadfastly ignored Captain Cooper; she could not think of him just now, or she would lose her composure.
All that was left was to hope and to wait for the surgeon to arrive.
Author: mrssnape13 (immortalbeloved13)
Spoilers: None
Rating/Warnings: G/ AU
Word Count: 3,469
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Summary: An unfortunate incident brings things crashing down on the group in Lyme
Chapter Six: Blighted Prospects
The curious wits, seeing dull pensiveness
Bewray itself in my long settled eyes,
Whence these same fumes of melancholy rise
With idle pains, and missing aim, do guess.
Some, that know how my spring I did address,
Deem that my muse some fruit of knowledge plies;
Others, because the prince my service tries,
Think that I think state errors to redress.
But harder judges judge ambition’s rage,
Scourge of itself, still climbing slippery place,
Holds my young brain captived in golden cage.
O fools, or over-wise: alas, the race
Of all my thoughts hath neither stop nor start
But only Stella’s eyes and Stella’s heart.
--Sir Philip Sidney, Astrophil and Stella Sonnet 23
The party left Jersey just after dawn and was in Lyme by noon.
The young ladies were so eager to see the ocean that they stopped along the beach before even going to the inn to settle in and refresh themselves.
Stephanie and Bernadette ran up and down along the water’s edge, squealing and cooing over the various trifles that they came upon in the sand. Leonard and Leslie followed along in their wake.
Penny stood in the nice, cool sand-it was mid-September, so the weather along the shore was on the chilly side-and was content to watch the waves crash. She inhaled deeply, exhilarating in the fresh air, and licked her lips, enjoying the salty taste.
Someone came up beside her.
“It appears that the air is agreeing with you, Miss Elliot,” Sheldon said, smiling gently at her.
Penny prayed that her blush could be written off as a reaction to the crisp air.
“I cannot believe that I have lived this long and have never seen such a sight before,” she murmured, admiring the way the sun glinted off of the water.
“I myself was around your age when I first saw the sea,” he replied. “It remains one of my favorite memories of that time, among many other pleasant ones.”
His eyes were soft as he watched her, gauging her reaction.
Penny’s heart was pounding.
Did he mean…?
Suddenly, there came a loud cry from further down the beach.
“Cooper!”
Their heads whipped around in the direction the voice was coming from.
There was a man there. He was about the same height as Sheldon, with closely cropped curling hair and an amiable look. He walked with a distinct limp, helped along by a cane.
“Harville!” Sheldon cried, trotting over to his friend and pulling him into a firm embrace.
Everyone followed Sheldon and he turned to them to make introductions.
“This is my dear friend, Captain Stuart Harville.”
Warm ‘how do ye do’s’ were exchanged all around and names were given.
“And this,” Sheldon said, at last coming to Penny, “is Miss Penelope Elliot.”
“Ah, so this is the lovely young woman who has never seen the sea!” he exclaimed, bowing deeply and smiling up at her.
Penny found herself blushing again and bowed her head.
“It is good to meet you, Miss Elliot.”
“Likewise, Captain.”
He nodded and turned back to Sheldon, clapping a hand on his shoulder.
“Now, you must all come and meet Elinor, and then we will all have dinner at the inn.”
. . .
Dinner was a riotous affair. The food was wonderful and the conversation even better.
Penny rather liked Harville and his wife Elinor. They seemed like good, honest people. Their friend Captain Wolowitz was very kind as well.
He and Penny had been seated together at the far end of the table. He had seemed too melancholic for conversation, but Penny had managed to make him comfortable. Now they were chatting like old friends.
“Sheldon tells me you have a great liking for poetry, Miss Elliot.”
“Oh my yes! Do you enjoy it as well then?”
“I didn’t until very recently. When I found out that Fanny had died, the only place I could find any peace of mind was in a book. I particularly enjoy Byron and Sidney.”
“My love of poetry has only taken root in this last decade, also as a result of some unfortunate circumstance. If you like Sidney, Captain, please allow me to recommend Petrarch.”
He smiled at her for the first time.
“Ah, Petrarch. Now there is a kindred spirit;” he cleared his throat and continued softly. “S’amor non é, che dunque é qué i’sénto?”
“One of my favorites, sir. Your Old Italian is flawless.”
“You speak Italian?”
“No, I am only just able to read it. Just enough for Petrarch.”
Captain Wolowitz smiled briefly at her before his face became somber once more.
“Fanny used to love to read you know. I…am still not sure how I will ever do without her.”
Penny’s heart went out to him. For the first time in many a year, she knew what it was to feel fortunate. Sheldon may have lost his heart to another, but at least he was still around to play a part in Penny’s life, no matter how small. Captain Wolowitz could not boast of the same luxury.
She felt an irrepressible urge to say something, anything to comfort him.
“Time…will make it easier to bear. I cannot say that it will make you forget, but it will make you accustomed to everything. I have no doubt that you will rally.”
“You are very kind Miss Elliot, but I feel that I will not move on. Before I met Fanny, I was a bit of a cad. She changed me, made me a better man. I do not expect any other woman shall ever move me so deeply.”
“I cannot believe your prospects so blighted forever,” she began. She caught sight of Bernadette flirting with Sheldon at the other end of the table and felt the bitterness of her words as they applied to her own situation. She steeled herself and returned her gaze to Captain Wolowitz.
“You are younger than I am; if not in feeling, then in fact. You will heal in time and be happy with another, I am sure of it.”
He gave her a look that said he didn’t quite believe her.
“Until then, might I recommend a greater influx of prose in your daily reading regimen?” she quipped.
Captain Wolowitz chuckled and flashed her a smile that was genuinely happy.
They continued to converse animatedly for the rest of the meal and when they parted ways for the night Penny acknowledged to herself that the evening had been great fun.
. . .
Sheldon had snuck off with Stuart after dinner in order to take stock of the book shop.
From the moment he went through the door, he was in love. Stuart had books on every subject imaginable! Gads of books! Mountains of books! Forests of books! Cascades! Swamps of books! More books than one person would ever be able to read in a lifetime! Sheldon had to restrain himself from seizing the contents of several shelves at once.
Stuart had put aside some special editions he had recently procured, feeling that Sheldon would find them to be of particular interest.
He ended up purchasing several volumes-Stuart had offered them as gifts, but Sheldon would not hear of it-and then they decided to head back to the inn so that Stuart could fetch Elinor and return home.
As they were walking along, they heard a vast deal of noise coming from the beach. Curious, they decided to investigate and found Penny and Bernadette running about in the shallows and laughing hysterically.
“You go on ahead Stuart. I shall keep an eye on them, just in case.”
“As you wish. Goodnight, Sheldon,” he said, briefly hugging his friend.
“Goodnight, Stuart. Thank you very much for the books. They should prove to be very helpful for the project I’ve been working on.”
“Think nothing of it.”
. . .
Penny had felt restless after dinner. Captain Wolowitz had gone back to Captain Harville’s house, and the others were all busy at the loo table.
After some time, Bernadette came to sit by her.
“Too much loo for one evening?”
Bernadette laughed.
“Decidedly too much!”
Penny smiled at her old friend.
“What would you say to escaping to the beach for a while?”
Bernadette beamed at her.
“Penny, I’m not sure if it’s this sea air, but I must say that I admire the spirits you’ve been exhibiting since we arrived here.”
Penny winked at her and they went to fetch their coats.
She knew it wasn’t the sea air. Penny had been making slow but steady progress toward some form of resigned contentment, but her earlier conversation with Captain Wolowitz had truly opened her eyes to her situation. She had a new perspective, and was determined to henceforth create her own happiness in life. She could not rely on another to do so for her. She had to be content with herself; she saw that now.
When the girls reached the water’s edge, the air was still brisk but comfortable. Penny still reveled in the scent of salt in the air and the light touch of the spray on her hair as the waves crashed against the shore.
“It’s glorious, isn’t it?” Bernadette breathed beside her.
“Yes.”
“When I am a navy wife…” she trailed off, biting her lower lip in embarrassment over her slip of the tongue.
Penny was silent, her buoyant spirits of minutes before deflating just a bit. She supposed she could not blame Bernadette for fancying Captain Cooper, whilst she still loved him herself. She tried to remind herself that it did not matter. She should be pleased to be witness to the impending happiness of two people very dear to her.
She cleared her throat.
“You know, I’ve never been in the sea either,” she said, smirking mischievously.
Bernadette quirked an eyebrow at her.
Both of their faces sported wide grins as they tossed aside their shoes and stockings and ran about in the shallows.
Penny gasped aloud as the icy water hit her skin. At first, she could feel the bones in her feet aching from how very cold the water was, but then she grew more comfortable and just stood there, marveling at the waves lapping at her legs.
Next to her, Bernadette turned around and let out a loud gasp.
Penny turned as well to see what the matter was, and had to bite back an alarmed giggle when she saw Captain Cooper standing a few yards away from them, primly holding their discarded belongings.
“While I understand the call of the ocean to be most alluring, might I be so bold as to recommend that you both come in? Any longer in that water and you will both catch your death of cold.”
They obliged and he led them to the steps of the Cobb, handing them his handkerchief so that they could sit and clean the sand from their skin.
He politely turned his back as they put their stockings back on.
Penny cleared her throat when they had finished and Captain Cooper offered them each an arm. Penny took it gratefully.
She wasn’t sure whether or not it was the anonymity of the dark that gave her the courage, but she found herself leaning into Captain Cooper’s side and resting her head gently against his shoulder.
. . .
Sheldon was grateful that it was dark, because his cheeks were burning.
That same darkness also spurred him on. No one else was able to see it, but he squeezed Penny’s arm softly and crooked his shoulder so that her head could rest more comfortably there.
And if he pressed a light kiss to her hair when he turned his head pretending to look behind them at the sea, well, no one saw that either.
. . .
The next morning, Penny and Stephanie decided to walk the Cobb after breakfast. Stephanie had felt left out when Penny and Bernadette had not invited her along the night before, so Penny was attempting to make amends for the oversight.
“Bernadette tells me that you two had an unexpected chaperone as well!” Stephanie said, giggling and taking Penny’s arm.
Penny’s heart sped up a little at the mere mention of it.
Stephanie sighed.
“He’s so gallant.”
“Indeed.”
Stephanie scoffed.
“You don’t have to play coy with me, Penny. Bernadette told me how obliging Captain Cooper was when your fatigue got the best of you. She said you could hardly hold your head up, and that he most kindly offered you his shoulder.”
Penny could make no reply.
Stephanie paused, obliging Penny to stop, and they both looked out over the water for a moment.
“You know, I think they’re going to make a match of it.”
“You…you do?”
Penny’s mouth was suddenly very dry.
“I do.”
She turned to smile at Penny, who did her best to smile back.
“Bernadette says that he has been fairly obvious as to his intentions.”
Penny felt like a fool.
He was never one to be a silly man. She knew he would not lead her friend on. He was obviously serious about Bernadette.
She had not been sure, but now she knew that she had only been imagining that brief kiss she had thought she felt on the top of her head last night.
Sheldon-Captain Cooper must have just been acting that way because she was Bernadette’s friend.
Of course he no longer loved her.
Her continuing folly disgusted her.
They were soon met by Captain Cooper and Bernadette. She had wanted to take the air and he had made himself available to her.
The group walked about for some time before heading back to the inn, where the others were just finishing up preparing for the day.
As they were about to ascend the steps, a gentleman in mourning coming down the Cobb appeared at the top. He very politely stepped aside and let them climb up.
He appeared to take immediate and particular notice of Penny.
Her already pretty features had been made more so in the last couple of days by the sea air’s restoring a youthful bloom to her complexion. She was conscious of looking remarkably well; better than she had in many a year.
The gentleman tipped his hat to her as she walked by and she averted her gaze, feeling her cheeks flush.
Her eyes met Captain Cooper’s. He appeared to be amused, but there was something else in his expression that Penny could not quite identify.
. . .
Sheldon caught the other man casting an admiring glance at Penny and his good opinion of the moment before concerning the man’s manners evaporated.
It was abominably rude of him to be flirting so openly with a young woman he had never seen before. How could he possibly know that Penny was not already married or betrothed to someone else?
He checked himself.
He was being irrational.
Of course the other man could not help but be struck by Penny. Sheldon was usually immune to such things, but even he could understand how beautiful Penny was. Even within the last two days, she had taken on a radiance that he had not seen in her for some time.
He caught her eye as she passed the gentleman.
Her face was glowing.
For the millionth time that day, he thought back to her actions of the previous night.
He wanted to propose then and there, but knew that such things required more time, especially in their case. He would have to tread carefully, given their past.
For the moment, he was satisfied to know that he loved her, and there was the chance that she still loved him as well.
. . .
The next morning, Penny was hurrying downstairs to breakfast when she ran into the same gentleman from the day before. He was attempting to come upstairs. He jumped up and stepped aside on the landing so that she could pass.
Penny was able to get a better look at him this time. He was not a handsome man, but his countenance was pleasing enough and his manners, for all appearances, were quite good.
“I beg youw pawdon miss,” he said, bowing as well as he could in the confined space.
“Not at all, sir. Good morning.”
“Good mowning.”
. . .
Breakfast was a mostly quiet affair until there was the loud racket of a coach pulling up before the inn. It was decked out in mourning, as was the footman.
“It must belong to that man you all met yesterday, Penny,” Leslie observed.
Her suspicions were confirmed when the gentleman in question appeared. He stepped up into the coach and it pulled away.
Leslie immediately harangued their waiter for information.
“Do you know the name of the gentleman who just left?”
“Yes, ma’am, a Mr. Barry Elliot.”
The words were scarce out of his mouth before Leslie turned back to Penny with an excited gasp.
“Penny! That is the heir to father’s estate! Why did you not tell me that he was the man?”
Leonard intervened.
“Now my dear, I’m sure Penny could not have known him. If I recall correctly, she has never seen him before this day. After all, she was away at school when he last visited your father.”
Leslie completely ignored her husband, but her tone was less severe when she once more addressed her sister.
“Did he have the Elliot countenance? Oh, I’m sure he did! It’s a shame I did not get a proper look at him!”
Before Penny could even begin to formulate a response, Leslie turned back to the waiter.
“Did he mention any family at Omaha Hall?”
The poor man gave her a perplexed look.
“No ma’am, he did not mention any family.”
He bowed and seized the opportunity to retreat from the room before Leslie could interrogate him further.
Penny’s cheeks were burning with mortification at her sister’s behavior.
She was very grateful indeed when Captain Cooper spoke up.
“He is, no doubt, the very man you believe him to be. Your Barry Elliot has recently lost his wife, and this Barry Elliot was in mourning. Ockham’s Razor would suggest that he is in fact your relation.”
Penny gave him a small smile, but checked herself as she caught sight of Bernadette beaming at him.
He had probably spoken up for her, anyway. After all, Leslie was Bernadette’s sister-in-law, making Bernadette just as susceptible to gossip about unseemly relatives.
. . .
Bernadette insisted on returning to the Cobb after breakfast to take a turn and the others were entirely at her disposal.
She also wanted to walk along the beach. She stood at the top of the steps and let Captain Cooper descend ahead of her.
“Captain Cooper! Catch me!”
She clearly caught him by surprise and, although he turned as quickly as he could and held out his arms, it was not enough.
Bernadette had been too high up, and had jumped too far out.
She fell to the pavement and her head hit the stone with a sickening thud.
There was an immediate onslaught of screams and panic.
Penny ran over to her friend just as Captain Cooper was bending over her, all wide eyes and trembling hands.
Bernadette was mumbling incoherently. They were only able to catch one word, repeated over and over: “Sheldon.”
Penny forced herself to shut out her emotions for the time being.
She pulled out her handkerchief and handed it to Sheldon.
“Press this firmly to the wound and keep it there.”
She looked up at the others, who had all surrounded them and were wringing their hands.
“You lot! For goodness’s sake, stop fussing and fetch a surgeon!”
“But we don’t--"
“There’s no time, Leonard! Captains Harville and Wolowitz will know where one is. Go get them and return as quickly as you can!”
She turned back to Bernadette and took her hand, pressing it and murmuring comforting words.
She steadfastly ignored Captain Cooper; she could not think of him just now, or she would lose her composure.
All that was left was to hope and to wait for the surgeon to arrive.