Adrian studied her, but it was not done in anger. Rather, it was confusion that took his visage, as if he truly had no idea what she was so upset by.
“I do not understand,” he spoke slowly. “Are you saying you wanted me with you last night?”
“Why is that so strange? It was our wedding night. Is that not the point?”
“And then what?” he pressed. “What did you think might happen?”
“I –” She went to speak but caught her tongue, as she truly had no idea what her answer would be. “This is all so new to me, Adrian. In time, perhaps I will grow used to it and find my place. But until I do, it would be nice if you…” She shook her head and laughed bitterly. “If you saw things from my perspective. To spend one night with me, to ensure that I was not alone. Is that really too much to ask for?”
It was subtle, but she could have sworn that she saw a smirk reach his lips. Of course, he smothered it quickly, back to the same emotionless expression that he always wore.
“I do wonder, are you aware of what you ask…”
“I have been perfectly clear.”
“No, I do not think…” He shook his head and sighed. “Traditionally, the wedding night is the first night that a husband and wife become intimate with one another.” He looked right at her, making sure his point was clear. “As in, were I here, we would be expected to go to bed with one another.”
Ophelia’s eyes widened. “What? No! I did not…” She leaned back, looking around as if to check that nobody else was in the room. Oh yes, and her cheeks flushed so pink that her face started to burn. “I did not mean it like that!”
“You see now why I was so confused.”
“I only meant…” She grimaced and leaned in, dropping her voice. “Please know that I was not implying that you and I… I would never…” Somehow, she felt her cheeks flush even further. “That was not my meaning.”
“I did not think that it was.” Thankfully, Adrian did not laugh at her or appear to judge. “We spoke of such things; having an heir is my meaning. And you made it quite clear, as did I, that this was not the intention of our marriage.”
Ophelia had never felt so embarrassed!
She cursed silently to herself, unable to believe what she had said. All she had wanted was to make it known how upset she was, the first time ever she had thought to complain. And this was the result!
“Forget that I said anything…” She mumbled and looked down at the table. “Please.”
“There is no need to be embarrassed,” Adrian said simply.
“Easy for you to say…”
“I do wonder,” he continued, still speaking plainly. “Such things, while not discussed openly, are still known by young women. Did your mother not teach you?”
“My mother?” She looked up and blinked as if surprised. “I thought you knew? My mother, she passed away when I was very young.” She winced as if from pain. Although Ophelia had no memories of her mother, she did not like to speak of her.
“I am sorry,” he said, almost as if he believed it. “I had no idea. Might I ask how?”
“Oh, it is not great story,” she sighed. Ophelia was going to leave it at that, but Adrian continued to watch her, a sense that he was interested. It was not much, but that he cared about her at all… well, it meant something. “She died giving birth to my brother. Sadder still, he died only a few days later. That is why it is just my father and I.”
“Which is why you are so close,” he said for her.
She smiled, often the case when thinking about her father. “We are that. He is all I have in this world, as I am all he has.”
Adrian said nothing for a moment, chewing over her response. Ophelia assumed that would be the end of the conversation, always under the presumption that he had no desire to get to know her. Once again, a startlingly common occurrence, she misread him completely.
“But that is not entirely true either,” he said.
“What do you mean?” she asked quickly.
“If the two of you are so close, I cannot help but wonder why he sent you away as he did? For three years, you told me. I would think that if you were as close as you claim, he would never have done such a thing.”
“Oh…” Ophelia blinked and her stomach knotted.
There was a good reason for what her father had done, just as there was a good reason that Ophelia did not like to speak about it. Until now, she had managed to avoid the topic with Adrian, just as he had not bothered to press her on it.
