Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Ophelia!" Rosalina's loud exclaim brought a smile to Ophelia's face, who was already beginning to get used to Rosalina's rambunctious greetings. "You took so much time in coming. Everyone has been asking for you and Amy."

"I had to make sure Amy was well-fed before I could come," Ophelia replied apologetically, hearing voices from inside the drawing room.

It had just been two days since their arrival in London and Rosalina had already arranged for a large dinner party to be organized at Edward's manor, including their families, to introduce everyone to Amy. Ophelia was already getting hints of Rosalina's extremely friendly nature, and she was certain that in all their time in London, Rosalina would definitely be engaged in multiple such gatherings.

"Excellent." She smiled. "Come, I shall introduce you to everyone."

Ophelia had no reason to object, even when she felt extremely nervous before meeting Rosalina and Edward's family. She simply needed to keep reminding herself that she was only Amy's nanny and nothing else, which basically made her invisible. She had no reason to worry at all.

With a comfortable grace, Rosalina laced her arm with Ophelia's and almost dragged her inside the drawing room, which was already filled with people. Everyone became momentarily silent as they entered, which was eventually followed by a loud cheer as a couple of young men and women made their way towards them, their arms extended towards Amy.

Ophelia was surprised at the easy love they showed, her gaze glancing towards Edward, who remained seated on the sofa, his expression withdrawn. He glanced at the spectacle but immediately looked away as if even the sight of it did not interest him. Ophelia did not doubt that. He was still completely distant, not having once visited Amy since they had come to London.

"Give her space to breathe," Rosalina shouted, but everyone almost ignored her.

Amy began to laugh at the attention, a little surprised at first. Ophelia handed the little girl to one of the young women, unsure of who she was. However, her striking resemblance to Rosalina was enough indication of the two of them definitely being sisters. Since Amy had never been much of a reserved child, she easily settled in with everyone despite everyone being a perfect stranger to her, and her happy countenance rejuvenated everyone as she was showered with love.

"She is such a darling little girl," the woman Ophelia thought was Rosalina's sister commented, making everyone agree.

"She has always been that way," Ophelia quickly added, continuing to stare lovingly at Amy. It was almost unreal how much more she was beginning to love her every day.

"Ophelia, I must introduce you to everyone," Rosalina said as a lull in the conversation followed, pointing to those present one after the other, "And all of you must get acquainted with the most delightful person you will ever come across, Miss Ophelia Jennings, who is Amy's nanny."

Rosalina's parents, the Baron and Baroness of Silvester, were extremely kind and welcoming, as were her younger sisters, Raina and Rowena. Her older brother, Lord Marcel, was just as warm as his sisters, and Ophelia did not feel uncomfortable in his presence at all. The extended cousins varied through ages, the youngest being Owen, who was just twelve, and the oldest being Edward, who was the quietest among them all. Ophelia could not believe how he even survived in such a friendly and loud family, considering his own silent nature.

Or perhaps he had not always been this way?

Ophelia was unsure.

"Amy looks exactly like Margaret," Rosalina's mother commented when she finally had the chance to hold the child, making Rosalina wonder what Margaret must have looked like. Although the entire family shared similar features, so it was hardly much of a surprise.

Ophelia sat at one end of the large drawing room, her gaze constantly drawing towards Edward while he remained indifferent to the entire scene. Everyone else was occupied with Amy, but Edward kept his gaze averted as if he was not even a part of the room or was a stranger to everyone in attendance.

His attitude pained her.

"Miss Jennings, is it alright if I leave her on the floor?" Raina asked, trying to hold Amy in her arms while she kept trying to jump out of them.

"Yes, absolutely." Ophelia smiled, knowing how much Amy loved crawling these days. "Now that she is growing, she wishes to be left alone all the time and always wants to crawl about. It is perfectly alright."

Raina nodded, carefully leaving Amy on the floor, who immediately had a huge smile on her face at the freedom. She began to laugh loudly, making everyone around her stare at her in complete awe. Ophelia glanced at Edward, who was also staring at her, his expression completely neutral.

Every time she looked at him, she could not help remembering the dreams she kept on having almost every day. He had become a constant part of them, his presence almost magical and unreal as the pair were always extremely close to one another in such settings. Ophelia wanted to stop having them, but it was not under her control since thinking about him was not something she could just stop.

"Amy," Rosalina called out to her from the sofa, and Amy began to crawl towards her just as Owen started calling out to her from the other end.

Ophelia laughed at the utter confusion on Amy's face as everyone began to call out her name from around the drawing room, and she would only be halfway towards someone when someone else would call out. Amy had not had this much interaction with people since she was born, and Ophelia was glad to see that despite being around these many people for the first time, she did not seem troubled at all.

She was basking in the attention, clearly enjoying it.

"Amy," Rosalina's father, the baron called out again, and she began to move towards him but stopped midway when his attention faltered and he started talking to his son.

Amy looked up as Ophelia kept her eyes on her, making sure she did not accidentally hurt herself or crash into furniture when Amy began to make her way towards Edward, whose eyes widened as he noticed her. Although he did not turn her away or look elsewhere as Amy silently continued to crawl till she was at his feet, her hands raised slightly in the air as if urging him to pick her up.

Ophelia watched as Edward bent down, patting Amy softly on the back, a flash of love crossing his eyes momentarily.

Did I really see that? It truly happened?

She could not believe her eyes. The expression had been too brief, but she had witnessed it, and it was enough to give her hope. She could see that Edward did not hate Amy the way he pretended to, and a part of his heart just might have a soft corner for her somewhere. It only meant that if Ophelia tried hard enough, Edward just might allow his love for Amy to emerge and put aside everything he felt.

Ophelia knew it was going to be difficult, but definitely not impossible.

The drawing room was pushed open as the housekeeper entered, her eyes seeking Edward, "My Lord?"

"Yes, Mrs Connor?"

"Dinner has been served," she informed. "All of you must make your way to the dining room."

"We will be right there, Mrs Connor," Rosalina replied before Edward could say anything.

Ophelia stood up from the sofa, quickly fetching Amy from the floor while she resisted all attempts at being held, quite comfortable in her position on the floor. Despite her attempts at escape, Ophelia managed to pick her up and quickly consoled her to stop the little girl from crying out loud.

"I will take Amy to the nursery," Ophelia told Rosalina, who scrunched her eyes at the announcement, immediately beginning to shake her head.

"Absolutely not!"

"Do you want to hold her throughout dinner?" Ophelia asked, completely confused.

"No, I meant, you shall join us for dinner, and so will Amy," Rosalina explained, "I can hold her while you eat. It is not going to be a problem at all."

"Oh no, I do not wish to intrude upon your family dinner."

"It is hardly an intrusion, Miss Jennings," Rosalina's father chimed in, "It is an informal family dinner, after all, and we will be pleased to have you join us."

"It will only be a lot more work along with Amy," Ophelia tried to object again, not wanting to take advantage of their hospitality.

She did not want anyone in the house to consider her as being too frank for just a nanny and trying to indulge with the family, considering such a thing would also be noticed by the servants. Rosalina and her entire family were extremely inviting, yet Ophelia had no wishes to overstep.

Edward stepped forward, his eyes trained on Ophelia, "You must join us, Miss Jennings."

She stared at Edward, unsure how to deny him when he had not even posed it as a question. She was not capable of saying no to him; hence, she simply nodded in agreement.

"Of course, My Lord."

***

"Marcel, you quite literally left me alone in front of all those goats!" Edward laughed, debating on a story his cousin had told in a completely false way to favour himself: "I had no way of going home. What was I supposed to do?"

"Walk home!" Owen added, laughing alongside everyone.

"I am sure that was the plan till he came across the carriage," Rosalina said, "But only if he had taken help from that carriage, he would not have been between us right now."

"Why not?" Ophelia asked, softly wiping the moisture from the corner of her eyes.

"That carriage belonged to Lady Cuthbert, and she was travelling alone," Rosalina explained, "her husband happens to be a very possessive man, and had he seen Edward with her alone, Edward would have been challenged to a duel."

"And," Edward added, "I would have killed him in the duel, which is why I would still be present here."

"Awfully confident, Cousin," Raina remarked.

"So, how did you return home?" Ophelia asked, making Edward focus all his attention towards her.

He could see the surprise on her face since it was her first time witnessing this side of him. The playful side, where he took part in conversations and did not keep to himself. He could only wonder about the opinion she must be forming.

"I sneaked inside the carriage carrying her hefty amounts of trunks and hid myself till we reached back to London."

Everyone burst out laughing at the explanation, including Ophelia, and Edward's heart warmed watching her in this manner. She was beautiful and looked even more beautiful when laughing open-heartedly. It was immaculate to witness how she had meshed in with his family, completely comfortable. He could see how everyone already adored her, and she was very much a part of the family, hardly appearing different or as if it was the first time she had met them.

Something about her presence was refreshing in a way where everyone liked her immediately.

He needed to stop thinking about her even though he had not been able to stop for days now. Ophelia had become a part of his thoughts like no other, and he could hardly do much about it. The path he was treading on was dangerous, and Edward needed to back away as soon as possible.

I cannot marry her. It is simply impossible.

He could never consider marrying a nanny. Not after what he had done to Margaret. Not after the way he had ruined her life.

Hence, trying to create distance between him and Ophelia was his only choice, and he would do that immediately.