AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Would you be quiet?” Ophelia pleaded and shushed her, looking to the trees around them. “I might as well have told the town crier at this rate.”
“My apologies, allow me my shock.” Margery took her arm and they walked on, hurrying forward and checking the trees around them. “Are you certain of this, Ophelia? You do not know the man. Not at all. We only know what we have heard in gossip, and I am certain he is an arrogant man.”
“That was an opinion based on seeing the man one time at a ball where people were gossiping about him,” Ophelia reminded her friend. “I do not think he is arrogant. Perhaps a little full of himself, but kind, too.” She thought of all that had passed between her and the Duke of Northmore so far, before settling on one thought. “He’s a troubled man, of that I am certain. His real heart, he does not wear on his sleeve for everyone to see.”
“You are confident of this, then?” Margery asked, quite frenetic in manner. “You are going to marry a man you have just met?”
“To avoid marrying a man I detest? Yes!” Ophelia said with vigour.
“Well, when you put it like that.”
“It sounds quite sane, does it not?” she asked with a smile, hoping her friend would agree with her.
“Sane is not quite the word I would use…” Margery trailed off.
Seeing a group of people coming the other way down the path, Ophelia took her friend’s arm and steered her in a different direction, so they could continue to walk alone.
“I feel strangely sane, but it is also the only option I have. I intend to see this through.” She spoke quickly. “I await a message from the duke today, telling me how things have progressed with the solicitors. He will also let me know when a special license can be obtained.”
“And? When do you intend to marry?”
“In under a week.”
“A week?” Margery spluttered. Ophelia pulled her friend off the path and into the clumps of trees.
“I am beginning to think you have quite forgotten how to whisper at all,” Ophelia said to Margery, watching as the lady calmed herself, breathing deeply.
“You are delivering the surprises quickly today, forgive me.” She fiddled with her reticule in front of her. “Now, is there anything else I should know?”
“Yes, one thing.” Ophelia breathed deeply, building up the courage to ask her friend for this favour. “If the marriage is to be legal, we need witnesses.”
“Oh, no.” Margery stood straight, seeing where she was going with this.
“Would you come and be my witness, Margery, please?”
“Well, I hope you take a bouquet with you to this rushed and scandalous wedding,” she said with a small smile. “I hope to be the one to catch it.”
Ophelia smiled and hugged her friend.
By the time Ophelia returned home later that day, she and Margery had discussed many things. Ophelia had kept the kiss with the Duke of Northmore a secret, deciding that was something she and the duke alone should know, but everything else, Margery knew. She promised to come to the wedding as a witness and would wait for word of when the ceremony was to be.
As Ophelia stepped in through the door of the house, she was surprised to find the butler restless, fidgeting between his feet.
“Is all well?” she asked quietly.
“Lord Chester is here, Miss Townsend,” he explained in a rush, glancing toward the closed door of the dining room. “He is quite insistent on spending the evening with you and his aunt.”
Ophelia was touched that the butler had observed enough of the behaviour in the house to notice her fear of him. “Thank you for the warning,” she said.
She would have gladly run from the house again, but she could not. If she was to stop Gertrude’s suspicions from being raised, then she had to play along for now and make it seem as if she would marry Lord Chester.
“Also, this arrived for you today.” The butler presented a sealed envelope.
“Thank you.” Ophelia recognised the wax seal on the envelope as belonging to the Duke of Northmore. Tearing through the wax, she found a small note.
Dear Miss Townsend,
All has been arranged as discussed and the special licence will be with me late tomorrow evening. If all is agreeable to you, we can wed in St Catherine’s church on Grey Street at nine o’clock in two days’ time. Write back to me with your word.
