Another drop landed on her forehead, then another, and within minutes, the gentle drizzle became more persistent. Penelope pulled her coat tighter and quickened her pace.
Perhaps it would pass, she thought. Rain often did.
She had barely walked another few minutes when the rain became heavier. "Wonderful."
She pulled the hood of her coat over her head, but it did very little. Water collected along the edges and dripped down her neck. Her dress quickly became damp at the hem.
Penelope glanced behind her. The road was almost empty now. The carriage that had passed earlier was long gone.
She lifted her hand when she saw another approaching in the distance. "Please..."
The carriage came closer. Penelope stepped farther toward the roadside and waved frantically in the air, silently hoping and praying, but it did not slow.
She watched helplessly as it passed. As if that wasn't enough, the wheels struck a puddle, and a sheet of muddy water splashed across the lower half of her gown.
