Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"Are you going to hold her all evening like that? She is already annoyed with you." Sarah laughed, but Ophelia nodded at the question. She had no plans of letting Amy out of her grasp now that they were finally together again. The few hours Amy had been away from her, Ophelia had felt as if she had lost herself. As if she had lost an important part of her body.

She could never part from Amy. She knew that.

"I am never letting her go."

"Your sister is right, Miss Jennings," Edward smiled. "Amy does seem a little annoyed. She has been trying to struggle out of your lap for hours now."

Ophelia sighed, letting Amy go at last, and the child immediately moved away from her, happily crawling once again. Amy was perfectly fine as if nothing had even happened to her, and Ophelia was glad to see that. That was all she had hoped for, and now that Amy was playing with Andrew as if nothing had even happened, Ophelia felt at peace.

She looked up and found Edward staring at her.

"Will you take a walk with me?"

Ophelia was surprised at the question but nodded, "Of course."

She stood up and led Edward towards the back of the house to their small garden, the two standing by the few plants her mother had planted there. Ophelia could have taken him outside the house but she did not want any of the neighbours to see them walking together and preferred the privacy of her own house.

"Are you okay after today?" he asked, concern in his eyes.

"I am," she nodded. "Are you not angry with me?"

"Why would I be angry?"

"I lost Amy."

"And we found her. If this is anyone's fault, it's Alice's and no one else."

Ophelia smiled, simply happy that everything had settled down.

"You are right."

"Truth be told, I … I do not know how to phrase this correctly."

"Whatever it is, you can tell me," Ophelia comforted him.

"It's just, I had a few things to say," he finally stuttered out, still appearing slightly awkward. What could this be about? Ophelia wondered.

"I am listening." She smiled again, hoping to make him feel better.

"I wanted to tell you a few things about myself. This is why I came here in the first place before all this happened."

In her panic, Ophelia had completely forgotten to ask Edward why he had come looking for her, and she realized he had come to see her. Although she still did not understand the reason behind it. After what he had heard her tell Alice, she knew she did not want to be with him in a personal capacity, but he was still her employer.

"What things?"

He walked around the tiny space, unable to meet her gaze. "Do you remember you once asked me why I disliked Amy or did not want to play with her and treat her with love?"

"I remember."

"I did not give you a proper reply at that moment, but it was mainly because Amy reminded me of Margaret." He sighed. His gaze was filled with a questioning glance, and Ophelia could see he was seeking understanding within her. "And reminded me of the fact that Margaret died because of me. Hence, seeing her made me feel miserable."

"What do you mean Margaret died because of you?" Ophelia was confused.

"I was there with Margaret when she was giving birth, and there were a few complications, so I had to go looking for a physician, but it was storming heavily, and I could not find a physician on time. The physician finally came, and he told me to save either Margaret or the baby, and I had to save the baby because that was what Margaret wanted. I killed my own sister."

"Edward," Ophelia whispered at the declaration, "you did not kill your sister. You did what she wanted, and you tried your best. How is it your fault?"

"I just wish I had been a better brother to her." He shrugged, tears in his eyes.

"None of this is your fault. Believe me."

Edward nodded. "I am trying my best to."

"I always thought you hated Amy because you did not like her father since he was a commoner."

"What? Who told you that?" Edward asked.

"The cook and Mrs Connor."

"I did hate Margaret's husband, but not because he was a commoner. I hated him because he was a drunkard and gambler and not good enough for Margaret. She had fallen in love and thought he would eventually get better, but that did not happen. She realized it much later, and she was already pregnant with Amy by then, so she had no choice but to stay with him."

Ophelia was stunned. She had not expected that.

"Oh."

"You must have such a low opinion of me," Edward said, appearing pained.

"No, no, it is not that," she tried to explain but knew it was useless.

"The reason I told you this about me, Ophelia, is to make sure that you know all my truth before I tell you what I came here to tell you."

Ophelia looked up at him as he approached her, taking both her hands in his. Her heart began to race at the touch, but she stayed put, trying to control herself.

"What do you want to tell me?" her words came out in a whisper.

"I am in love with you." Ophelia's eyes widened at the confession, unable to believe her ears. "And I wish to marry you if you will have me. Please."

Ophelia snatched her hands away, unable to believe what was happening. He loved her? But how could that be after everything he had said to Alice about her?

"I do not want you to love me out of pity, Edward. I heard what you said to Alice about not being able to love me because I am beneath you socially. Please do not saunter in here trying to prove your love when it doesn't even exist."

"What?" he looked shocked. "What was it that you heard?"

"Just the other night in the garden at the Cartwright ball, you were talking to Lady Alice in the gardens. I heard that."

Tears stung her eyes, but she remained in control, trying not to break down.

"It was all a lie to turn Alice's focus away from you because I was afraid she might want to hurt you if she found out that I had fallen in love with you. Which was precisely what she did."

"You don't have to lie, Edward," Ophelia whispered, unable to believe that he actually loved her.

"I am not lying!" Edward exclaimed, holding both her hands in his.

Just then, a pot suddenly fell beside them, and they looked up, finding Ophelia's mother standing at the threshold looking at them.

"He really is not lying, Ophelia," her mother sighed. "I can see that he loves you, and this is not out of pity whatsoever."

"Mama," Ophelia whispered, tears falling from her eyes. She turned towards Edward, "And I have not been completely honest with you about myself either."

"What do you mean?" He looked confused.

Ophelia could not understand what was happening to her.

Just then, the back door opened, and to everyone's surprise, Rosalina walked inside, Randolph beside her. Rosalina's eyes fell on Edward and Ophelia, the urgency in her eyes clearly imminent of her need to tell something. Ophelia was certain this was something about her. Had Rosalina somehow found out the truth?

"Edward!" Rosalina exclaimed.

"Lord Syke!" Ophelia's mother clearly recognized Randolph, shocking Ophelia even more.

"Viscountess Lockwood,' Randolph smiled, the only one still in control of himself, "Thank goodness I was right. I thought I had lost my mind since meeting Miss Jennings and could not place her."

"Viscountess?" Edward asked Randolph, turning to look at Ophelia in bewilderment.

"She is a Lady, Edward!" Rosalina said. "Randolph finally remembered how he knew Ophelia, and I had to rush to tell you so your decision would become even more firm!"

Oh, Rosalina.

"This is what you were hiding from me?" Ophelia nodded at Edward's question.

"I am the daughter of Viscount Lockwood, but my father passed away before Andrew was born, and we lost the title and the inheritance. My uncle became viscount and turned us out, and we had to move to Kent, and our condition got worse. I never tell anyone my real identity because it makes finding work difficult, so I also had to lie to you. I am sorry, Edward."

"My goodness."

"I had met the viscountess once, and since Lady Ophelia looks exactly like her mother, I thought I had met her," Randolph added.

"Lady Ophelia," Edward whispered, turning to look at her.

"Yes." Ophelia nodded, finally giving up her lie.

"Even if you were not a Lady, my proposal for marriage would have remained intact as it is now. Please believe me, this is not out of pity but pure love, Ophelia. The love I have for you."

"Edward," she whispered, unable to stop crying.

Ophelia could not believe that everything she had ever wanted was right in front of her eyes, and all she needed to do was get a hold of it. She needed to extend her hand and take it.

"Will you marry me?" he asked again, kneeling with Ophelia's hand in his. "Please?"

"I will."

She sobbed as Edward stood up, Ophelia's arms immediately going around his neck as they hugged one another. The moment they touched, she felt as if everything in the world was right again.

She had Edward.

Her Earl.

And she was finally going to be his Lady.