Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Who is it?" Edward asked, unsure of who was disturbing him after dinner.

Since he had asked Ophelia to keep Amy away from him, she had stopped bringing his niece to him for their good night ritual, thus no one else came to see him either after dinner. He already felt slightly annoyed today, his head consumed by thoughts. It was difficult for him to constantly see Amy throughout the manor or hear her laughing or someone calling out to her. He knew she was beginning to grow; he could see it himself, but he still did not want to see her.

"It's Miss Jennings," the soft voice called from behind the door.

Ophelia? Edward wondered what she wanted with him, but his heartbeat quickened slightly.

Now that he was distancing himself again, his interactions with her had also reduced, which was the only thing he disliked about the whole ordeal. He had begun to enjoy their candid conversations at breakfast and her presence around him when she brought Amy to visit. Something about her simply made him feel calmer. Hence, he could not help being a little intrigued at her visit.

"The door is open," he replied, and it quickly opened, Ophelia walking inside.

She was dressed in a simple peach-coloured maxi dress, her blonde hair falling in soft waves behind her as they were only partly tied. Edward did not know why he found her beautiful, but her allure was disarming, especially since she was not even trying to charm him. She was naturally beautiful and did not seem to realize it.

"My Lord," she curtsied once the door had closed behind her, and Edward turned his attention in her direction.

"Did you need something?"

"A word with you," she said, her words sounding a little firmer than usual.

Edward had always admired her courage, her strength of character, and belief in herself, far greater than just a nanny. He often wondered about her station, her confidence in herself, and how the two things hardly aligned. Something about Ophelia spoke of high breeding, and the way she spoke her mind, no matter the situation, was a clear sign of it.

"I am all ears," he replied, already having an idea of what this was going to be about.

He knew she had seen him today when he had turned away from her and Amy in the gardens, not wanting to interact with the child. He had not expected her to want to have a conversation with him about it but was already looking forward to it.

"I am aware you saw Amy coming towards you today in the gardens, and the moment you saw her, you turned around and went back inside the manor as if you did not want to see her, so please do not deny the accusation."

"The accusation?" Edward raised his voice at her word choice, unsure of how to react, "You are standing in my manor, inside my study, under my employment and holding me accountable for being ignorant towards my niece in the garden today?"

She was right, and Edward knew he had no reason to defend himself.

"Yes, My Lord," she replied, surprising him even further with her courage, "Because, unlike most people, I cannot sit silently when I witness injustice being unfolded before me. I have a heart and so does Amy. The way you behaved towards her today by completely ignoring her when she clearly wished to be acknowledged by you is extremely cruel and undeserved. Why behave in this manner with an innocent child."

"You have no right to question me, Miss Jennings," Edward said, still unable to feel angry towards her.

"I have every right to question you, and I expect an answer," she replied, refusing to back down.

"Might I ask who gave you this right? Where did it emerge from?"

"I have this right as Amy's nanny who wishes the best for her and cannot see her unhappy. You are her uncle, her only living relative, and her guardian, and she deserves to have love from you, yet you continue to hold it back from her, which is painful to both suffer through and watch. I implore you to become better and let go of this at once, at least for Amy's sake," she said, stepping closer.

"You, Miss Jennings, are forgetting your place!" Edward replied, taking a few steps towards her in his own rage.

"I do not care!" Ophelia all but shouted, "You are an awful uncle, and you must be better for her. She has already lost her parents, My Lord, and I do not wish her to lose you as well. She does not deserve such brutality."

"I did not ask for your comments and opinions on what Amy deserves and does not deserve, Miss Jennings. You have been hired to become her nanny, and it is about time you learn to respect the boundaries of your position and remember your place when conversing with me. I won't tolerate disrespect!"

"I don't care!" Ophelia thundered, stepping towards him until the two of them were face to face, their eyes boring in on each other. "I will give my opinions no matter what you think and believe, and it is your job as her last living relative to adhere to these opinions rather than act brashly."

"Are you quite done speaking?"

"No, I am not!" she replied, Edward's nonchalant behaviour working to make her angrier. "I won't be done till you understand what you are doing is wrong."

Edward opened his mouth to say something, but just then, she looked up, meeting his gaze as Edward felt a connection course through them. He did not know what was happening but neither of them could look away, the moment all too surreal. Her hazel eyes melted perfectly with her skin, making her appear even more beautiful in the candlelight.

Why can't I seem to look away?

He could sense that she could feel it, too, as she stopped blinking, focusing on Edward alone. He could feel the heat between them, coursing into an electric tension as their hands slightly touched, with hardly any distance between their bodies.

Ophelia's breathing quickened as the pair stayed completely silent, Edward's mind going blank at the proximity. What was it about her that bothered him so much? Everything about the connection they shared seemed to feel deeper, growing constantly.

Just then, Ophelia blinked, backing away from him, and he backed away himself, the electric attraction that had been there moments ago still present. Although, he could sense how awkward she looked, and he, too, felt slightly vulnerable. The distance between them felt unnecessary, but Edward knew better than to try to come closer to her again.

"It's getting late. I will take my leave. Good night, My Lord," she said hastily, curtsying as she turned around.

Edward could not even mutter a good night back but silently watched her retreating form till the door closed behind her. What had just happened? And why did he not dislike it one bit?

***

The ballroom was filled with chandeliers lighting up the entire place magnificently. Ophelia caught sight of herself in one of the mirrors lining the wall, realizing how beautiful she looked in her green gown, which only made her hazel eyes stand out. Her blonde hair was tied up in a neat chignon, a few tendrils framing her face to make it appear softer. She had never felt prettier.

She looked forward, and just as she had wanted, Edward stood before her, his tux fitting him to perfection. He extended a hand towards her, and she placed her gloved palm in it as Edward led her to the dance floor. The set began to play, and the pair danced rhythmically, the music only making them soar higher and higher.

"You look beautiful, Ophelia," Edward whispered as she ran her hand over his black sleeve. He, too, was beautiful.

Ophelia opened her mouth, trying to tell him that, but she was so stuck in his enchanting blue eyes that words almost refused to come to her. He was everything she had ever wanted, and he was before her, holding her in his arms as they danced in front of the world.

She wanted to tell him she loved him, but the music was loud, and the thumping of her heart even louder. He held her very close, his hands encircling her waist as they continued to dance, the entire floor empty around them.

Ophelia looked around, and the ballroom was completely empty as well, just her and Edward alone. His blue eyes shone brightly as he continued to stare at her as if whispering sweet nothings.

"Keep looking at me, Ophelia," he whispered, his tone soft but demanding. "Keep staring here."

She opened her mouth to reply, but speaking felt impossible once again as if all the words she ever knew had been taken away from her. What was happening?

How was it real? How was anything about this moment real?

How had she been granted her biggest wish?

The love of her life.

"Edw …" She opened her mouth to speak, but her words drowned in the music, silence ensuing in her ears.

They continued to twirl around until her head began to grow dizzy, her eyes lost focus, and darkness filled her vision. Edward was beginning to fade, and Ophelia did not like that at all. Something was not right about this whole thing.

She opened her eyes, sweat beads forming on her skin as she continued to breathe heavily. Disappointment filled her, knowing that the ball had been nothing but a dream where she had been on the verge of losing everything anyway. She did not know if she should be glad it was only a dream, but it felt too real.

"Edward," Ophelia whispered, realizing how, in the dream, she had loved him.

She had wanted to tell him she loved him, but she could not do that.

"No, no," she said to herself firmly, "I do not love him. I cannot love him. It was nothing but a pathetic dream with no semblance of reality. I cannot love him."

Her words felt like nothing but false reassurance as if she was trying to believe something that was not true, especially after what had happened today in his study. She did not know what had come over her in the moment, but it had been impossible to take her eyes off him, and he also felt the same way.

They had shared a moment.

"Oh God," Ophelia stepped out of bed, wiping the sweat off her forehead as her eyes fell on Amy's sleeping form. She was sleeping soundly, and the little girl's presence allowed her to feel a little at ease with the whole solution. "I cannot begin to have feelings for Edward. Not now. Not ever."

She knew how terribly wrong it would be if something happened between them, considering that for Edward, she would always just be a nanny, someone far beneath his own position. Although, the dream could simply be about the conversation they had today, which had grown heated in mere seconds, and their eye contact had ruined everything.

Despite that, she was still proud of herself for standing up for Amy and making sure that Edward knew he was in the wrong. That had been her genuine intention with the whole thing, and she had managed to make it happen. However, whatever dreams she had or whatever she might feel towards Edward were temporary.

She was never going to let it grow into anything.