Chapter Text
At 10 years old, in 1806, Penelope Featherington was old enough to see that the entire family will soon be ruined by her father’s gambling. She had no intention to be a damsel in distress. She will find a way to work. The only situation opened to genteel young lady such as herself was to be either a governess or a lady’s companion. She was much too young to be a governess. So she secretly placed an ad in the newspaper who made a clear mention of her age.
One week after, she recieved only one reply. A marchioness Ahearn living near Cork told her that she will come the day after the letter to interview her.
The lady was about 65 years old, was quite blunt and honest. She told Penelope that she wished to travel until her death. She wanted to start with faraway lands while she was still healthy. She will only travel in Europe when her health status demanded it.
After several interviews, the marchioness spoke to Penelope’s parents so they could allow her departure. Quickly guessing the bad financial state of Lord Featherington, she had a private interview with Lady Featherington and told her that she will put each month a sum to keep them afloat but they will have to economize and reduce their staff. A part of this sum will also go to the eldest girls dowries and Lord Featherington will not have access to it.
So after these transactions, Penelope and the marchioness embarked in March on a boat set to Egypt. The marchioness had two burly servants to act as their protection. They settled there for six months. Then they settled in India for one year. The first six months they travelled in the north of the continent, before going to the south the second part of the year 1809. They took a boat to travel to China and settled one year there. Then they went to Japan for one year.
Then they left for Australia and New Zealand where they settled for another two years. In 1814, they settled in Turkey. It was there that the marchioness first felt that she will not live long so she wrote her last will. In each country they settled, Penelope made friends with local people and maintained correspondance with each of them. In 1815, they settled in Greece. Penelope knew what that meant when they went to this country. So she did everything she could to make these last days as joyous and normal as she could. In November 1815, the marchioness asked Penelope to attend at her bedside.
The marchioness told her she wished to adopt her and make her her heir. She never had any children and she was a marchioness in her own right and could transfer her title to anyone. Penelope was speechless. The marchioness encouraged her to publish her travel diaries and told her that she had been a joy in her last years. Penelope cried. She loved working for the marchioness who treated her like a daughter and not an employee.
The adoption ceremony took place the next morning and the marchioness died in the same evening. The marchioness had wanted to be buried in the country she was settled last during her travels.
A day after arrived a letter from the marchioness sollicitor arrived. Penelope was asked to come as soon as possible in London to be informed of her former employer’s will and transfer the estate into her safekeeping.
Penelope in her mourning clothes began the long journey back to England always accompanied by the two servants who had always protected them during their travels. She took a boat to the south of France and travelled by coach towards the north of France. She has booked a passage from Calais to London.
So in March, she arrived in London. After resting, she sent word to the sollicitor of her arrival and that she will come to see him the next day.
The next morning, well rested, she walked into the office of Walter Dundas. The sollicitor read to her the last will of the marchioness confirming she was her heir with the title attached to it. From now on, she will be called as the most honourable Lady Featherington Ahearn. The estate was thriving and giving her comfort and security for life. She could choose not to marry if she wanted. If she marry, her husband will become a marquess and if she had a daughter, her title will pass onto her.
Penelope only asked to see if the funds allocated to her mother were well spent. She was reassured that Portia seemed to manage it quite well with the advice of the stewart chosen by the late marchioness. Her two eldest sisters have recently married to untitled men but seemed content in their marriages. Penelope asked to slightly increase the sum to help for the house expenditures.
During their travels, she had exchanged many letters with her mother and their relationship who was frought with tension before has evolved into an amiable one.
In her next letter, Penelope told her mother that she was now settled in London for the season. She reassured her that she was well protected and provided for. She also informed her that she will come for a visit in December for Christmas. In July, August and September, she will travel to Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
As the 1816 season opened and news of her arrival and rise in fortune, many calling cards were left in her house and she recieved a summon to the palace which she attended immediately. During their travels and when she came out while in Turkey, Penelope have not been idle in her studies. With the marchioness, she had observed the differences in various high society events. The marchioness has her trained to make polite conversation with gentlemen and ladies of all stations and flirt while maintaining propriety.
The queen who was with Lady Danbury asked her about the circumstances of her travels. Penelope understood that the queen was trying to ascertain that the Ahearn estate has not been left into greedy hands. But shortly she could see that the queen was reassured.
She left the palace and returned some calls.