“It is just a coincidence.”
Ophelia sent her a scowl before leaving to meet her guest in the parlor.
Lord Gibbs was in a brown leather jacket and black breeches. Ophelia thought he could have seemed more handsome if not for the hatred she was beginning to develop for him.
“Morning, Miss Campbell,” he said with a slight bow and a warm smile.
“Morning, my Lord,” she managed to say, maintaining a straight face.
“Can we talk outside? With a chaperone of course,” he added.
“I shall ask Emily to come with us. Excuse me.”
Some minutes later, the three of them were walking in the garden; Emily was walking a bit closer behind them.
“So, I believe your mother must have told you of my proposal,” he started.
“Indeed, she has. But I am surprised you would propose to me,” she replied.
He chuckled. “Why should that surprise you, my lady? I have been trying to get closer to you ever since you ended things with Christopher, you should have expected this.”
She was surprised he could say all that without even a little bit of remorse. “But I thought I also made you realize that I am not yet over your friend, my Lord.”
He stopped in his tracks and faced her. He was still smiling but her anger was boiling up gradually.
“Miss Campbell, I hope you know that I saw you first, I love you first and he stole you from me.”
“No. I never knew that. This is between you and Christopher, it has nothing to do with me.”
“But it does have everything to do with you now, or did your mother not tell you what I wrote in the letter?” he demanded. The amusement has left his eyes.
“Only that you proposed,” she replied with contempt.
“And that if you do not accept that proposal, your family is going to end up in debts and you will be ruined!”
Ophelia smiled. This was what she had been trying to explain to Emily.
“So you know about the tax, then?” she asked.
“Of course, I do. He is my grandfather and I am only trying to help you. You should realize that,” he replied.
“No, I think you are only trying to force my hand, my Lord. This is not love, this is something else. Please excuse me before I say something regrettable.”
With this, she picked her leave while Emily followed.
Chapter 33
When she got to her room, she sat on the bed with a short gasp.
“His manner was intolerable, Ophelia,” Emily said. “You have been right all along.”
Ophelia said nothing, she knew she had been right all along, they were just too blinded by his niceties not to have seen it.
Emily came to sit beside her. “What are you going to do now?”
“I do not know, Emily. I have to think about it.”
Some times later, she was the only one in the room as her friend had left. Ophelia was deep in thought. First, she thought of her suitors who had stopped coming for no reason.
Well, she had not really been giving them a good welcome. Still, it was a bit strange that all of them had stopped coming all at once, and the letters have stopped.
It was a surprise how things have ended when she turned down Christopher’s affection. Could he have something to do with it? She thought but was not certain. It has also happened when Lord Gibbs started showing up. Even if the men had grown weary by her cold response to them, what about the secret admirer?
She tried to put that aside and instead began to think about her current predicament. Lord Gibbs was suddenly someone she could not trust.
How could he say all those things to her without even flinching a bit? She had actually felt as if he had had this plan all along. All of a sudden, she wished that things had worked out well between her and Christopher.
Perhaps she had been too harsh on him. She could have forgiven him and they could have been together. Now, she was in a fix. It was either she went with Christopher or her family would be ruined.
* * *
Lord Benjamin Gibbs, the Baron of Salsbury
“So are you saying that you suspect your friend was the one that had come that day?” Luke asked.
They were both at the gambling hell as usual and he has just fed him back of all things that have happened.
“Yes. The description best suits him and I do not have people that come visiting,” Benjamin replied.
Luke sighed. “We need to act fast for I am having a bad feeling about all these.”
Benjamin slammed his hand against the table angrily. He was angry, very angry. He could not understand how ladies can be so silly.
“Does she not see that I am only trying to help her and her family?” he demanded. “She has no idea how much she is supposed to be grateful for this!”
“A lady ought not think twice as regards something like that,” added his friend. “She has no choice but to marry you and you must make her realize how ungrateful she is.”
“I plan to do that,” said Benjamin. “At the same time, I am going to start imposing the tax from this weekend. Initially, it was supposed to be next month but now, she has forced my hand.”
“And what about your friend? What happens if someone ends up telling him all that has happened?”?”
“Well, I shall be ready for him,” replied Benjamin as he puffed his cigar. “And about the young lady, I shall write a letter to her, telling her how much time she has to make her decision.”
* * *
Christopher Crampton, Viscount Barrington
Rebecca took in a deep breath as she listened to all her brother had said.
“You caused this,” she said as soon as he finished. “If you had listened to me in the first place, all these would not have happened.”
Christopher who was sitting in his bed was sober. He knew his sister was right and now he was regretting all those times he had used in defending his friend.
“So, now that you have her cousin, helping to get her back, what would you have me do?” she finally asked.
“I need you to speak to her.”
“About you?”
“Of course, Rebecca. I need you to put in good words for me. Tell her to give me one more chance and I will come through. I shall not disappoint her again, this is a time she needs me most. For if Benjamin forces her hand with the inflation of this tax, she would have no choice than to succumb.”
“But how sure are you that she is not already interested in him?” asked his sister.
“If indeed she is, he would not have a reason to do what he just did. You do not have to force someone to love you. What he did is very selfish and can only be due to her resistance.”
Rebecca sighed. “I shall do what you want me to do but, how about you? Are you not going to talk to father and mother about her?”
“That is the next thing I am about to do.”
Rebecca left some minutes later leaving Christopher in his room. He was busy planning and thinking. At first, he thought of what would happen if he finally speaks with Ophelia’s father and then she turns down his proposal.
She could not have possibly grown fond of Benjamin is such a little time. The way he was rushing things and trying to force her into marrying him has revealed a lot to Christopher. He has come to understand that Benjamin was very desperate.
It was as if he was actually running out of time or probably afraid that someone would eventually take her away from him. The only person that could put Benjamin on edge was no one else apart from him, Christopher thought.
Another thing he has realized was that, his friend was not a normal person. With the way he had spoken and behaved while at home, which Christopher had witness alongside the way the doorman had reacted, it was all Christopher needed, to know that his friend was really sick.
* * *
Later that night, Christopher went to his father’s study. He was busy working on some files on his table when Christopher walked in.
“Son, i
s everything alright?” asked his father as he paused from his work.
“I would like to talk to you of something important, father.”
He could see the curious look in his father’s eyes as he straightened up and closed the file in his hand. “Well then, don’t just stand there. Grab a seat.”
Christopher gathered his courage and stepped forward to sit in front of his father.
“What is this about?” asked his father.
“Father, it is about the person I would like to marry.”
His father’s eyes lit up in excitement as he heard this. “Wonderful! Just what I need to hear. So whose daughter is this?”
Christopher hesitated for a while before saying, “The Campbell’s daughter.”
His father’s curiosity vanished immediately upon hearing that. They stared at each other for some time until his father gasped. “Are you out of your mind, son?”
Christopher expected that and made no reply.
“Is it not the same girl that turned down our invitation to meet her?”
Christopher nodded.
“I do not understand what you are doing, son but I am not going to waste my time talking about this.”
“Father, please. It wasn’t her fault. I told you what happened and I love her still.”
“So, have you spoken to her to be certain that she wants to marry you?”
“Er…not really, father. I have barely spoken with her.”
His father gave him another quizzical glare. “This is insane, son! What are you doing? You are yet to speak to her and I’m afraid, I do not have the interest in wasting my time or your mother’s. What happens when she turns your invitation down?” Christopher sighed and decided to tell his father everything. He told her all that transpired with Benjamin and things he had later discovered about the proposal.
“Your friend went behind your back?” his father said after listening.
“Yes, father and now he is trying to impose the marriage upon her.”
“Hmmmm,” his father smiled slightly. “What an opportunist! But son, do you not see that you are making a very big mistake?”
“How so, father?”
“You are yet to speak with this lady, I suggest you let Rebbecca talk to her her first, before inviting her over.”
Christopher was relieved. “So that means I can invite her?”
“Well, you seem so determined about her,” said his father. “I have never seen you been so committed to our business since she came into the picture. If she is the one responsible for this new you, then I would like to meet her. But I hope you know the consequences you would be facing?”
“I know that I am declaring war between my friend and I,” he responded. “But she is worth it.”
“I am happy to hear that. Aside that, this is marriage, Christopher. There is no break, you two are going to be together forever and I want you to think this through…..”
Christopher stood up with a reassuring smile. “Trust me, father. I have thought it through. She is the one I want to marry.”
“She must be really special…”
“Yes, she is, father. She is indeed special.”
* * *
Miss Ophelia Campbell
Ophelia sat beside his father who was lying in his bed. His health has improved but he still needed a lot of rest as the physician has said.
Every night, Ophelia would come by the bed and sit. Even if her father was sleeping, she would not wake him, just like that moment. Her ,mind was faraway.
She was thinking of how fast her life was fast changing. She remembered how she had met Christopher at the fair, the circumstance in which they had met made her realize that, for her, it was a love at first sight.
She thought of the kiss they shared and she bit her lips. She was going through the moment again but a great sadness enveloped her. If only things were different, she thought.
Her mind went back to Benjamin and the sadness was fast turning into anger. How would she marry someone like that? Someone that care less about her family but about his own intention?
“Are you alright, daughter?” her father asked.
She quickly snapped out of her thoughts and took her father’s hands in hers. “Yes, father,” she managed a smile while squeezing her father;’s hands softly.
“You have both a mixture of sadness and anger on your face and yet, you are smiling. You know you can tell me anything.”
Ophelia sighed. Her father was the only one that understood her completely in the house.
“I do not want to marry Lord Gibbs, father,” she said sadly. “I know we do not have a choice but I am so sorry that I caused this upon us.”
“Nonsense!” said her father. “You caused nothing. Whatever is happening has nothing to do with you, but has everything to do with Benjamin. It is your choice, daughter. You know I shall never force you to do anything you do not want to do. If you do not want to marry him, the choice is yours.”
While Ophelia slept that night, she kept thinking about everything her father had said. There was just one difference between both her parents, while her mother would impose her will upon her, her father would always give her a chance to make her own decision, no matter how terrible the consequence would be. He always wanted her to learn from her mistakes and blame no one for her choices.
At the same time, she knew this was a time to give back to her family. If there was a chance for them to survive financially, this was it. She also knew that she would never forgive Benjamin for doing this to her.
Chapter 34
Miss Ophelia Campbell
Ophelia was in her room with her friend. They were still going over the conversation she had with her father the previous night.
“So, what are you going to do?”
Ophelia shook her head. “I have no idea, Emily. I do not know what to do. Not getting married would ruin my family, and getting married would ruin me. I am in such a dilemma, I need help!”
Emily left the chair she sat on and rushed to embrace her friend who was now in tears. A knock in the door interrupted them and Emily stood up to get the door. It was a servant, holding a letter.
“This just came in for Miss, Ophelia.”
“Thank you,” said Emily, taking the letter from her and closing the door.
Ophelia wiped her face as she took the letter from her fried. She could see that it was from Lord Gibbs.
Emily joined her on the bed as she opened the letter with trembling hands.
Dear Ophelia,
I hope you do not hate me as it will be a great regret for me if you do not understand why I am doing this. I am doing this for you and for the love we share. I understand that things might seem a little bit rushed but I need you to believe me that it is all for a greater good. Your family will benefit immensely from this union, and I promise to make you happy. I apologize in any way that I have made you angry or made you doubt my intentions. I must admit that when it comes to you, I do not know how to behave. Your love has gotten me so confused, all I want is you. Everyone has their flaws, you are mine. I hope to get a final decision to my proposal within the next four days.Yours Affectionately,
Lord Benjamin Gibbs
“I cannot believe he would even write such a thing to you. Does he not have a conscience? Did he just give you time to accept his proposal?” asked Emily but Ophelia’s mind was elsewhere.
“I am beginning to understand why you never wanted this man in the first place. He is not a good person, Ophelia. You cannot marry him and at the same time, you have to protect your family….Ophelia! Are you even listening to me?”
Ophelia was looking at the letter and going through again.
“Emily, is it just me or do you not think that Lord Gibbs write the same way as my secret admirer?”
Emily frowned. “What did you see?”
“Here,” Ophelia said, pointing at a line in the letter-“ Everyone has their flaws, you are mine.”
“I do not understand,
” said Emily. “Where is the connection?”
“Hold on,” said Ophelia and she hurried towards the shelve and brought out a book which contained all the letters she had received from the Secret admirer.
One by one, they began to go through it together, searching for things that were similar.
They went through the first letter….
“Dear Ophelia,
I do hope that this letter meets you in a good condition. I must tell you something that has been going through my mind ever since I set my eyes on you. I cannot think, eat or drink without wishing you know how much you have captured my heart. Your return of affection would give me a greater hope in this uncertain world. I hope one day, you will get to love me as I have grown to love you. From your secret admirer.
A Lady to Redeem a Rakish Lord: A Historical Regency Romance Novel Page 24