Update!
“Who are you?” Penelope realized she’d been holding her breath. She exhaled.
“I am Mrs. Eloise Palmer.” Eloise’s smile broadened. Her face filled with warmth and generosity. “And you are the second Mrs. Anderson, are you not?”
“Well, yeah.” Penelope’s tears dried. “Sort of. I’ve only been an Anderson for a little while. I married Brad. I’m Penelope.”
“A splendid acquaintance met.” Eloise looked at a book she held open in her lap. “This is First Love by Ivan Turgenev. Do you know it?”
“I … I … don’t read very much.” Penelope started to feel faint again.
“A pity. A lovely woman reintroduced it to me recently.” Eloise brushed her fingertip along the page, looking for a particular line. “I do believe it played a not inconsequential part in her fall.”
“Her fall?” Penelope couldn’t understand what was happening.
“Ah, here it is.” Eloise read aloud, “No! I cannot love people whom I find that I look down on. I need someone who would himself master me, but then, goodness me, I shall never come across anyone like that. I will never fall into anybody's clutches, never, never.” Eloise looked up from the book. “That is you, is it not? You looked to your good husband to master you, but he cannot. You seek to fall into someone’s clutches, but fear opportunities passed.”
“Brad?” Penelope rubbed at her temples. “No. He … I mean … yes … he takes care of me.”