Who: Penny Brisbois, Humphrey Spebbington, the Brisbois clan What: Penny plays a dangerous game. Where: The gardens... When: Later, Sunday the 19th Rating: A bit questionable, not gonna lie. Status: Threaded, complete.
Though Penny had harbored the hope that Humphrey Spebbington would be insulted by Genevieve's outburst and refuse to marry her, such was not to be the case. When Penny and Gen returned to the party, they found him to be delighted, apparently very much taken by Gen's 'spirit'. Fortunately, this meant that though she was quick to shoot them many angry looks, the elder Penelope Brisbois was too busy flattering the wealthy marriage prospect to concern herself with disciplining her poorly-behaved daughters.
Thus, the girls would have to put their plan in action. It was with her stomach twisting into knots of fear that Penny indicated for her sister to keep both Spebbington and their mother occupied while she found a discreet place to slip the tiny vial from her corset. She tugged the stopper loose, though she hesitated before bringing the eerie pink liquid to her lips. What was she doing? Penny wasn't a risk-taker by nature and of all the risks she had taken thus far, this one was by far the greatest. And yet, this was the only one she was taking for someone else rather than her own amusement and pleasure. With a trembling hand, she lifted the potion to her lips and downed it before she lost the courage to do so.
The potion tasted unexpectedly sweet, almost sickeningly so, leaving a strange taste in her mouth, one that Penny wasn't certain she liked. She felt suddenly light-headed, as though her head was in the clouds. She had to force herself to remember the mission at hand, forcing her mind onto Humphrey Spebbington, the mad who she would have love her.
It must have been working because it was almost as though that light feeling swept through Penny's entire body. With a determined sigh, Penny dropped the empty vial into a nearby decorative vase and returned back to where her mother and sister were conversing with the poor victim of the twin's scheme. Perhaps it wasn't her place to intrude on the conversation; her mother did give her a strange look as she stepped over, but she did her best to ignore her, focusing her attention on the gentleman instead.
"Pardon me for interrupting," she said politely, dipping a small curtsy. "I was merely interested in meeting the betrothed of my dear sister."
After that, Spebbington had eyes only for Penny. It was a strange feeling, like something clicking together that fit, but the potion worked and Spebbington, much to Mrs. Brisbois' disapproval, began following Penny around like her dog usually did. Anxious, Mrs. Brisbois eventually excused herself and Penny imagined she was seeking out her husband to sort out this mess.
With a wink to her sister, Penny invited Spebbington out into the garden to walk with her, keeping her tone demure as she could manage. She did all she could to keep her voice from shaking as she flattered him and she could see the desire in his eyes growing with each smile she offered him. It was a frightening thing, that desire, and yet, Penny found herself drawn to it. Perhaps it was the potion but the more she played the charade, the easier it became.
And they were alone, though, Humphrey put a hand around the curve of Penny's waist, surprising her. She felt a chill down her spine, fear mingled with the strange newness of a man's touch on the swell of her back. But also, there was surprise; she hadn't intended to let it get this far this quickly.
"We musn't," Penny whispered breathily but Spebbington took her resistance as token. Indeed, it was difficult to tell because Penny's head was increasingly muddled as the man drew her nearer. She could feel his hands on her, searching her, exploring her. "No, it's not..."
It was then that Spebbington silenced the young Brisbois girl with a kiss. At first, she was too stunned to react and the man took her lack of resistance for compliance, continuing to draw her nearer with increasing passion. Alarmed, even in her addled state, Penny knew something was wrong, that this shouldn't be happening.
"No!" she said as forcefully as she could, attempting to press the feeble weight of her person away from Spebbington. It was proving more difficult than Penny anticipated, though, and her struggle had little effect.
"My love..."
"No!" she cried again, louder, hoping against hope that Gen had followed, that someone could hear her.