Penny grinned at Matt's comment, unaccountably pleased that she would have the opportunity to spend a bit of time with him while he wasn't supposed to be working. "Oh, tea would be lovely," she said, clapping her hands together in delight. "I should enjoy that very much."
With a giggle, Penny scooted the book a little closer to Matt so that he could have a better view when she noticed him taking a peek. "I appreciate the thought," she said sincerely, "but you're right, my parents likely wouldn't have taken too kindly to visitors they didn't invite in themselves. My mother, well, she's very particular about things at the house and she'd just die if she knew I was coming to town on my own, particularly if she knew I was making friends with boys!" As expected, Penny's cheeks turned peek as she even mentioned the sensitive subject. "I would have liked company, though. It's a shame sometimes she's so particular," she mused with a sigh.
But the story quickly recaptured her attention and she was a bit eager to tell the tale this time, having already told it to her sister. "Oh, I was fine. I was perhaps riding a bit too fast but I never expected someone to be there and she must have not been paying attention but we're both fine, I assure you. You know who it was? It was the Princess Evangeline, can you believe it?" she exclaimed.