Genevieve couldn't help her laughter, though she tried to stop herself, if only to keep from embarrassing her sister too much. "I'm sorry, Penny. I don't mean to say that either of you have to have talked about it. I only mean that you cannot know for certain what he thinks until he's told you!"
She shook her head at Penny's prim and proper tone. "It wouldn't be so bad, love, if you were to marry him one day. He works in a shop, and that's not so very different from what Papa does. There are worse men you could be with, after all. Perhaps...Perhaps you shouldn't discount it too soon- what if he's the one to make you really happy someday?" She fell quiet for a moment, biting her lip. "Sorry, Penny. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. And- you know that even if he did want to court you, he wouldn't do anything until he knew you wanted him to."