Free Never Had a Dream Come True by Jennifer Wenn Page A

started the trip back home, but Penny didn’t mind. The comfortable silence was a perfect ending to a perfect day.
    She sneaked a look at him where he sat silently staring at the road ahead of them, and she found herself wishing the sleeping maid long gone so maybe they could share a kiss. Or two.
    “What are you thinking about?” Thomas asked her as he caught her staring at him, and without thinking she opened her mouth and spoke.
    “Kissing you.”
    The world turned quiet and the earth stopped moving as Thomas stared at her in disbelief.
    “Oh, my God,” she gasped mortified. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I’m so sorry.”
    “Y-you were thinking a-about kissing m-me?” Thomas stuttered, and Penny nodded hesitantly, humiliated.
    “I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears gathering in her eyes. Tears over a relationship destroyed by her dimwitted behavior before it had a chance to start.
    “Don’t be,” he said softly and put a hand under her chin, forcing her to look into his warm, chocolate eyes. “I’m not.”
    “You’re not?”
    He shook his head, a tender smile on his face, before he cast an eye around to make sure they were alone. The chaperoning maid slept soundly in the back of the carriage as Thomas leaned forward and softly placed a chaste kiss upon Penny’s shivering lips.
    As he lifted his head again she gazed dreamily up into his warm eyes. “Oh.”
    Thomas laughed. “Was that a pleased ‘oh’ or a disappointed one?”
    “Very much pleased,” Penny said breathlessly. “It was a very perfect first kiss. Thank you.”
    He grabbed her hand and hauled her closer, until her side was pressed tightly against his. “First kiss ever, or first kiss with me?”
    She laughed. “First kiss ever, I’m afraid. My life has not been filled with gentlemen yearning to kiss me.”
    “It is I who should thank you,” Thomas admitted as he unknowingly echoed her earlier thoughts. “I don’t think I have had such a perfect day for a long time, and I’m so glad I spent it with you.”
    A perfect beginning on a perfect life filled with perfect days. Life couldn’t be more promising than this, Penny thought as they slowly drove down the lovely country road back toward Harveyfield.

Chapter Seven
    “Merry Christmas,” Francesca howled as she threw herself at Penny and gave her a hug worthy of a bear.
    “Merry Christmas to you, too.” Penny’s reply was somewhat muffled, as her face was hidden deep in Francesca’s curly hair.
    “I have waited so long for you to come! I thought you never would. I can’t believe how slowly the days go by when you long for someone so much as I have longed for you.”
    Penny laughed and gave Francesca a peck on the cheek. “I have missed you, too, but I have only been gone visiting my relatives in the north for a fortnight.”
    “So many days and so much pain.”
    Francesca winked and giggled as she dragged Penny away from the door and helped her remove her coat while the butler Ivanoff silently stood beside, waiting for his young mistress to finish the job.
    “Come, they are all waiting for us in the salon. Even Rake, who hasn’t been anywhere near here since August, and now we are finally complete.”
    “Fanny dear,” Penny laughed as they walked down the hallway. “I’m not a part of your family, and your family is complete without me.”
    “But I’m not. I need you to be near, dear sister of my heart, and especially when I have excellent news to tell you.”
    “You do?” Penny stopped midstride. “About what? Please do tell.”
    “He’s back.”
    “Rake? You just told me that.”
    Francesca rolled her eyes. “No, not Uncle Rake. I thought you were completely un-in-love with him and head over heels in love with Boring Saint Thomas.”
    “Oh, I am.”
    “In love with Thomas? Or not in love with Uncle Rake?”
    This time it was Penny’s turn to roll her eyes, and Francesca giggled in response. “No, I meant my man is back. Devlin Ross has