You can stay...

Penny broke into hard sobs and her body was now quivering under the impact of her tears.

"Mother and father always made me believe you were a bad person and..." She paused to sniffle. "I believed them. I always did what they said because I thought they were right. I've been a fool and I just realized it. I'm so sorry, Eleanor. Please forgive me!"

Angered and yet confused, Eleanor's heart tightened in concern for the crying girl. Standing up, she tried pulling Penny by the shoulder.

"Stand up, Penny. I have no grudges against you at all." she whispered.

That was the truth. She had never harboured any ill feelings against the girl. When Alexander had brought in his mistress and her child, she had actually disliked the child. Then it dawned on her that the child was not at fault, she didn't chose to be born to a cheating couple.