Ophelia was listening to the woman intently. When the words sank in, her eyes filled with tears. “Damnation,” she muttered, looking away. “I was hoping for someone… someone I would not like.”
Greenie thought it was a strange thing to say. “But why?”
Ophelia blinked rapidly, trying to chase the tears away. “I don’t know,” she said. “I suppose because… because my heart belongs to someone else. Someone I wanted to marry. I was hoping that Sir Creston would give me a reason to be indifferent and not feel any remorse over it.”
Greenie understood now. “Lass, I’m sorry for ye,” she said sincerely. “I cannot imagine not marrying the man I love. But I’ll give ye a word of advice—don’t take out yer sorrow on Sir Creston. He’s done nothing to deserve it.”
Ophelia took a deep breath as she wiped at her eyes. “I know,” she said. “I will not be unkind. I am expected to be a dutiful wife and that is what I will be.”
“Good,” Greenie said gently. “And he’ll be a dutiful husband. Ye must keep that in mind when ye meet him. Any man would be honored to marry ye.”
Ophelia simply hung her head, resigned. “Thank you,” she murmured. “Your words are appreciated.”
Greenie patted her on the shoulder and went back to combing her hair. Truthfully, Ophelia was a lovely woman, but she was a lovely woman with a heavy heart. In Greenie’s opinion, she was too young for such a burden. Although she knew Creston, she didn’t know him well enough to be able to predict just how he’d react to a sensitive young wife whose heart belonged to someone else.
That was going to be tricky.
For them both.
A knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts, and the first thing she did was rush to the tray of empty dishes and shove them far under the bed before answering. Ophelia was so frightened that she ended up burping, loudly, something Greenie had to cover for because the person at the door was none other than the lady’s mother.
My grandfather starved me and my mother let him.
Nay, Greenie couldn’t let the woman know that her starving daughter had been fed.
The subject never came up, thankfully, because the mother had come to announce that Sir Creston had arrived, so Ophelia was hastened into the garments on the bed and the jewel case was brought forth. Her mother, a flighty thing, seemed most concerned with the fit of a dress that was loose and voluminous to begin with. Greenie didn’t understand it, but it wasn’t any of her business, anyway. Once the young lady was dressed andher hair properly combed and adorned, the mother practically dragged her out of the chamber and into the common room beyond.
Greenie couldn’t help but hope for the best for both Creston and the lady.
Difficult situation, indeed.
CHAPTER SIX
“Creston, meet LadyOphelia de Camville, granddaughter of the Earl of Sidbury,” Royston said. “My lady, this is your betrothed, and my brother, Sir Creston de Royans.”
Creston wasn’t expecting the vision before him.
He was damn sorry he hadn’t cleaned up before coming to The Black Cock.
Before him stood a vision that he couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams. Ophelia de Camville was an exquisite beauty, every inch a nobleman’s daughter, with light brown hair that had copper and gold flecks in it and eyes that were nearly the same color as her hair. Her face was oval, with wide cheekbones, and lips that were full and pink. Clad in an exquisite silk garment with gold embroidery, and with gold jewelry around her neck, she looked like something that had just stepped through a window from heaven.
Creston was genuinely astonished.
“My lady,” he managed to say. “It is an honor to meet you. I hope your journey to Blackchurch was pleasant.”
Ophelia forced a smile. “It was pleasant, indeed, my lord,” she said. “The roads were good, fortunately.”
Creston nodded. “The weather has been dry this far north,” he said. “How has your weather been in the south?”
“Dry,” Ophelia said. “But everything is much greener here in the north. I’ve never seen so many trees. Is the hunting good?”
It seemed, to Creston, that she was verging on nervous chatter. Not that he blamed her, because nervous chatter was better than heavy silence. He’d only brought up the weather simply to keep the conversation going, and she’d taken the bait. It gave him a chance to watch her mouth as she spoke, and he had to admit that he was pleasantly surprised. She was well spoken, with a soft but clear voice, and he could have looked at that face all day. There was something about her eyes that was both warm and mysterious, something that he found quite enchanting.
A most unexpected reaction.
“It is quite good, I hear,” Creston said. “The Earl of Exmoor’s lands surround Blackchurch and we are permitted to hunt when we have time, which is rare. Do you like to hunt, then?”
Ophelia shook her head. “I admit that I do not,” she said, a genuine smile tugging at her lips. “Other than wild boar, I think animals in the forest are quite majestic. I cannot bear to kill them.”
