She had to keep reminding herself of her position before Edward not to lose herself in the fantasy of his love. She had nothing to dwell over or worry about since he was being nothing but kind towards her. Kinder than she could have ever imagined.
Could he be in love with me? Ophelia shook her head at the mere absurdity of the thought.
“We are home,” he whispered, and Ophelia turned to look at the other side of the mansion appearing before her.
She wished she could ask Edward to ride for a little longer so the two of them could stay this way, but she knew it was not proper. Even as a nanny, she had to maintain her distance andboundary with him as of now. He stopped the horse right by the front gate, his gaze dropping on Ophelia.
“I will make sure the physician arrives promptly.”
Thank you, My Lord.”
He jumped down and helped Ophelia as she limped back inside the mansion, almost glad that her boots had torn off because otherwise, she would never have shared such a beautiful moment with Edward.
***
Edward felt restless.
In his heart, he knew the reason behind his restlessness, but he had no desire to accept it. Ophelia had not come down for dinner for the past two days, and he had been unable to converse with her. It was a routine he had come to enjoy, but she needed her rest.
The physician had been called, and Mrs Bailey had informed him that Ophelia’s foot was drained and bandaged, but she had been asked to rest and not walk unnecessarily for a few days at least. Hence, Edward was glad she had been resting. Just today, he had gone to town and bought her a new pair of buttery boots, their softness reminding him of Ophelia, and had sent them to her through a maid.
They were quite like her old boots, which had been worn out entirely.
He walked inside his study, his mind still on her beautiful blonde hair, when he found a small note placed under a paperweight on his desk. Edward quickly extracted it, the writing unfamiliar.
Thank you.
“Ophelia,” he whispered involuntarily, certain that it had been her behind the note. She must have understood that the boots came from him. A smile graced his lips, which immediately vanished as there was a knock on the door, and Mrs Bailey entered inside shortly after.
“My Lord,” she curtsied.
“Is everything alright?” he asked her, suddenly finding himself worried for Ophelia.
“Yes, of course, My Lord.”
Edward looked at her expectantly, knowing she would never trouble him without reason. She must have something to say.
“I came to inform you that Lady Rosalina sent a message today from London. She will arrive to see you here in three days.”
“Rosalina is coming?” Edward could not help being slightly excited, already looking forward to Rosalina’s arrival.
If he had a favourite relative, it had to be Rosalina, considering she had been his closest cousin and an excellent friend. As per the letter she sent him a few months ago, she had recently got engaged to Lord Randolph Syke, the only son of the Viscount of Kilfort. Edward had been ecstatic at the news, having studied with Randolph at Cambridge and knowing he was a man of excellent character and insight.
“Yes, she conveyed how she misses you and is quite excited to be coming soon.”
“Excellent!” Edward clapped his hands, feeling elated after several days. “Make sure the preparations are up to mark and everything is to her liking.”
Mrs Bailey nodded and assured him she would do that before exiting the study. Edward was already looking forward to the next few days; with both Rosalina and Ophelia present, the house just might feel alive again.
Chapter 11
“Mrs Bailey?” Ophelia walked inside the kitchen, finding Mrs Bailey and the cook discussing something with staunch attention. Like the rest of the manor, the kitchen was a flurry of activity, with extreme preparations underway.
After almost five days of complete rest and being confined to her bedchamber, Ophelia finally stepped out, confused about what was happening in the house. However, the rest had completely healed her feet, and she was back to feeling perfect. She had even tried the new boots that Edward had given to her, and they looked extremely beautiful on her.
“Miss Jennings!” the cook exclaimed, seeing her, and Mrs Bailey, too, erupted into a smile.
“I see you are finally walking again. Are you feeling well?” Mrs Bailey asked her. Ophelia nodded, truly feeling her best. She had still been taking care of Amy throughout her rest, and both of them stayed confined inside the room unless Mrs Bailey or some other maid took Amy out for a stroll.
