The woman took a step forward, turning towards Penelope who stood there unaffected right now, "Are you implying to call me a gossiper?" the woman looked deeply offended. With the little commotion and the atmosphere that had turned uncomfortable for some of them, Damien finally turned to find Penelope and Mrs. Raver who were standing face to face.
"Lady Penelope," Helen tried to gain back her attention, "If you think I deserve to win him back what are you doing here? Don't you think it is inconsiderate of you to speak to me like this, trying to give me hope while keeping him bound to you."
"Lady Helen," Penny used the same tone, "I am sure you, as well as anyone here, knows that Damien is not someone who can be bound by manipulation. He is a person of his own unless you never knew him at all. It is instead pathetic of you trying to put a false claim on me when you can't even win the man's heart fairly."
"I have done nothing wrong for you to call me out on not being fair," Helen glared quietly at Penny.
"How pathetic of you to not have a clean conscience. I thought we made it clear earlier yet here you are trying to spoil my name. Do you think Damien will notice you by trying something like that?"
"How dare you speak about me like that. You have been running your mouth so far when I have done nothing and also took your side. Is this how you repay someone's kindness?" Lady Helen brought tears in her eyes which didn't shed out of her eyes.
This girl must have been in the theater and not here, thought Penny to herself as her eyes narrowed down at her.
Damien, Elliot, and others came closer to see what exactly had triggered the conversation to this point. Seeing Damien walk towards them, Penny's eyes met where he raised his eyebrows as if asking her silently what happened and she sighed softly.
Helen continued to be the girl in front of everyone who had been wronged for helping a girl in need, "Lady Penelope, I forgive you," Penny stared at her, this young girl was quite an actress to put up a show like this in front of everyone. She had been minding her thoughts and words until this little stunt actress had started to throw mud at her, "I won't take the unkind words of false accusation to my heart."
"What's going on?" Damien was the one to ask, his eyes falling on Penelope in question without caring what Helen had to say while she stood there with a face filled with pity.
Penelope opened her mouth to answer him, "Just revisiting my previous status with the ladies and gentlemen," she gave him a tight smile.
"About you not being a slave?" he asked her.
"No, the one where I was a slave for some duration of time in Quinn's mansion," Damien made an O in his mouth, nodding his head.
Lady Helen noticed how the matter was resolving just by simple words which she had taken the effort to brew and stir. She wasn't going to let go of the opportunity like this go from her hand. She didn't believe that this slave who was supposed to bow down to her was Damien's fiancee. If she truly was, word would have spread long back about it. But she had heard nothing about it, not even a doubt of whisper which had reached her ear.
Her face turned small and dull, taking a deep breath which ended up in a sniffle. Elliot, who was standing behind her, peeked in the front to look at tears forming in her eyes.
"Lady Helen, are you alright?" Elliot offered the girl his handkerchief from his pocket, handing it in front of her which she took in her hand.
"Thank you," the young girl whispered, dabbing her non-existent tears that hadn't fallen down on her cheeks as she tried saving them for later.
Mrs. Raver, who had no business at all like before, decided to butt into their matter, taking Lady Helen's side by saying, "We were discussing servants and then went to speak about slaves. Helen here was empathizing with Miss Penelope but this lady has only been giving out false remarks. She also had the gall to talk back to me and Helen by saying she has to pursue you while she's clearly trying to manipulate people around her."
Lord Alexander turned his eyes from looking at Penny who stood quietly to the girl who sniffled behind Elliot's kerchief. He was gauging the situation on what was going on and who had truly instigated the topic, he asked Mrs. Raver,
"What do you mean by manipulating?"
"Milord," Mrs. Raver bowed her head, "Our families have come from pureblooded vampires for years now, this girl is nothing but bad blood. Not just by status but also by character. Look at the way she is looking at me right now!" Mrs. Raver exclaimed when she caught Penny glaring back at her.
On this remark, Penny turned her face away to look at the tall pillar knowing well her mouth was soon going to run on its own if this woman didn't keep her mouth shut. Most of the people around only enjoyed the ongoing drama as their life was pale and colorless, dull from living the same day over and over again unless they found something to feed on.
When Damien's eyes moved to the other people who were present during the matter, his eyes fell from one person to another which then met Mrs. Keith's who only subtly smiled at him.
"Mr. Quinn, I was quiet by myself but this woman here," Helen started, her bowed head raising up to look at him and the blonde woman who stood in front of her who was now not heeding to her words, "She tried to instigate me, telling me how I should pursue you."
Penelope rolled her eyes, "Isn't that what you are trying to do right now?"