A Lady To Redeem A Rakish Lord (Historical Regency Romance)

by Lucinda Nelson

  “What do you think is the meaning of this?”

  Christopher’s eyes were red and he was clearly disturbed. His breathing had also become erratic.

  “I do not know, Benjamin. I do not know how to explain this.”

  “You need to be calm, Christopher,” said Benjamin. “At least, we need to first understand what must have led to this.”

  While they talked Lady Rebecca came in, but frowned on seeing her brother.

  “What happened to you, Christopher? Why do you look so troubled?” She asked, coming over to them.

  None of the men responded and then she saw the letter in Benjamin’s hand.

  “Is that from Ophelia?” she asked and Benjamin nodded, handing the letter to her.

  She went through it and looked as surprised as they all were.

  “Did something happen that night?” she asked Christopher.

  “Apart from her cousin who I think does not like me, I do not know who else must have talked to her into changing her mind about me. I will write another letter to her to ask for an explanation and…” he said, standing up.

  “No!” Rebecca stated. “Do not write anymore letters. I myself shall go talk to her. I need to hear from her myself.”

  * * *

  Miss Ophelia Campbell

  Ophelia was in her room, forcing herself to read and try hard not to think of how Christopher would have reacted to seeing her letter.

  Her mother and her friend were discussing the situation in the parlor while Ophelia remained in her room. Emily had finally decided to tell Mrs. Campbell about what Ophelia had witnessed for Ophelia was too embarrassed to speak of it herself.

  She was hoping they would have been done with it when the door instantly opened and Emily came in.

  “What is it?” Ophelia asked. “Does mother want to speak with me?” she asked.

  Emily shook her head. “No, but someone else is here,” she replied.

  Ophelia felt her heart skip a beat as she thought it was Christopher but then, Lady Rebecca came in shortly.

  “My lady,” said Ophelia, gathering herself up to curtsy.

  “Oh, please, Ophelia. Do sit,” she said. “What happened to you? You do not look to happy to see me. Have we offended you?”

  Ophelia said nothing for a while. She could not bring herself to say anything.

  “Ophelia, you must tell me why you have declined to meet with my parents. My brother is deeply troubled, and I would like to know the reason you have decided this. We are friends, you can tell me.”

  Ophelia opened her lips to speak but her words failed her. So, Emily came to her aid.

  “Lady Rebecca, I’m afraid, Ophelia does not wish to see your brother anymore.”

  “Yes, I read that in the letter, Emily. What I do not understand is the reason behind her sudden change of mind.”

  Emily sighed. “Your brother has broken her heart.”

  Rebecca looked from one girl to another. “No, he did not. He would have told me if something happened that night.”

  “Well, I’m afraid even he does not know that Ophelia knows of his misgivings, my Lady. You must let Ophelia do what is best for her.”

  Lady Rebecca walked to Ophelia and took her hands in hers. “Even if you do not wish to see him anymore, do you not wish to be my friend anymore as well? I was not the one who offended you. I have yet to understand all of this.”

  Ophelia inhaled and then told her everything that happened and how she had witnessed Christopher being with another woman at the dinner on New Year’s Eve. When she was done, Lady Rebecca was quiet for a while.

  “So, you see, I cannot allow myself to be another victim,” stated Ophelia.

  “But you are the only one that he wants to introduce to our parents. I assure you, he is serious about you,” Lady Rebecca stated.

  “I understand,” said Ophelia. “But just like a Leopard never loses its spots, your brother has shown that he does not plan to change from his corruptive nature and everyone will start pointing fingers at me, questioning my reputation. Please, my reputation is very important to me, no matter how little it is. I do not desire to marry a man who will be sleeping around with other women.”

  With this, Rebecca was quiet.

  “I understand if you do not agree with me,” continued Ophelia. “But this is my decision, I do not wish to continue with him and…”

  “I support you,” Lady Rebecca said suddenly.

  Both Ophelia and her friend stared at her.

  “You do?” asked Ophelia.

  Rebecca nodded. “I know one or two things about unfaithfulness in marriage and believe me, it is a nightmare. I do not want you to experience the same.”

  After this, she embraced Ophelia and they talked further before she took her leave.

  * * *

  Christopher Crampton, Viscount Barrington

  Christopher listened as his sister furiously recounted Ophelia’s accusations against him. He could not believe his ears.

  “But I have changed,” he declared frantically. “I have changed, I swear!”

  Lady Rebecca shrugged angrily. “How can she be so sure of that when she saw you with someone else?”

  “That was not what she thinks. She misunderstood the situation between Lady Justina and I. I will show her. I must tell her,” he said, standing up.

  “Do not attempt to write any more letters to her, Christopher. I think it is rather too late for that.”

  Christopher stared at his sister. “No. You cannot tell me to give up hope on the only woman I have ever truly loved.”

  “You might have lost her for good brother. I am sorry,” said his sister. “I warned you several times in the past not to indulge in those things you did and now, see what it has cost you. I shall go home now.”

  Christopher watched as his sister left. He could not believe that this would mean the end of everything with Ophelia. He loved her too much and he wasn’t willing to let her go just like that. Contrary to what his sister said, he went to get his writing materials. He could not give up without at least fighting for her, with telling her the truth of that night and explaining that he was no longer a rake.

  * * *

  Miss Ophelia Campbell

  “Ophelia!”

  Ophelia turned around as her mother opened the door of her room. She had been busy laying on her bed before she heard her mother’s face.

  “Boris is here,” announced her mother.

  “Boris?” she asked. “Who is Boris?”

  “Oh! How could you have forgotten Boris Angleton so soon?”

  Ophelia immediately remembered the Angleton’s son, the one in the army whom she had insulted the other day.

  “You do not look excited that he is here,” said her mother.

  “Why should I be? I do not like the man and the last time we met, it was not an amicable parting.”

  “Well, surely, Boris does not dwell on such matters. Come dear. I need to brush your hair.”

  “My hair is just fine, please, mother,” retorted Ophelia before leaving the room, followed by her mother.

  * * *

  “Hello, once again, Boris,” she said as she saw him. There was nothing different about him. He was still as ugly as the last time she had seen him except for the new coat he was wearing. He looked the same. In his hands was a bouquet of freshly picked daisies.

  “Hello, Ophelia. How do you fare?” he asked, handing her the flowers.

  She collected them and put in the basket on the table. Then they both sat on opposite couches in the parlor.

  “I must apologize for my rudeness the last time,” Ophelia started.

  “No, I should be the one to apologize,” he insisted. while they were in conversation, a letter came for Ophelia. She immediately colored when she realized it was from Christopher.

  “Do you wish to read that now?” asked Boris after a while. Then she realized she had been staring at the letter, contemplating on whether to read or to toss in the fire.r />
  “I am so sorry,” she said. “Do you mind if we take a walk?”

  * * *

  Just as she had expected, the walk was as boring as the one they had the last time.

  “You seem awfully quiet today,” he said after a while. “You have also been distracted since you got the letter. I hope all is well?”

  Ophelia thought of something to say. “Well, my father got back yesterday from his numerous journeys and has been sick. I am just worried about him and I must go back inside to tend to him.”

  Peter looked surprised. “You must have told me this before. I am so sorry that you had to leave him because of me. Please, I shall take my leave now so that you can tend to your father.”

  Ophelia was happy hearing this. She hated the fact that she used her father’s illness as an excuse to be rid of Boris, but was grateful that it worked regardless. When she finally got back into the house, her mother was waiting.

  “Well, did he propose?” asked her mother.

  Ophelia shook her head in surprise. She sometimes could not believe the things that came out of her mother’s mouth.

  “I heard that a letter came for you, from the Cramptons?”

  Ophelia nodded while taking a seat.

  “Have you gone through it?” her mother asked.

  “No.”

  After this, her mother said nothing but left for her father’s room. Ophelia turned to look at the letter which was on the table and thought of throwing it into the fire.

  Chapter 24

  Christopher Crampton, Viscount Barrington

  For some time, Christopher sulked and mostly stayed in his room. He could not stop thinking about his past and how it had affected his chances with Ophelia.

  So distraught was he that his mother had to intervene. “You do know that she is not the only woman in this world, son,” his mother said to him that morning. She had come to meet him in the room, where he lay in bed, brooding about everything.

  “No, mother, you are wrong. She is the only woman in this world for me,” he replied.

  “But now that she wants to have nothing to do with you, what do you plan to do about it?”

  “I will do whatever it takes to win her back,” he replied. Then he sat up to sit comfortably on the bed. “Perhaps, if we host another event and invited her family….”

  “No. You are not hosting any other events in this house until I say so. What is wrong with you? Get a hold of yourself son! The business needs you, and so does your family. I do not want to come back here and still see you lying down like someone who is experiencing a great calamity. Besides, she was not in your class. She did you a favor by turning you down. At the same time, you are belittling yourself with this whole thing.”

  Christopher said nothing but watched as his mother left the room. It had been a week since everything since Ophelia had severed ties with him, but it felt as if it just happened the previous day. An abysmal start to the new year.

  He also had not heard anything from Lady Rebecca and Benjamin was yet to be back from where he travelled to. He didn’t know what else to do than to just lie in his bed and brood all over again.

  He thought of paying her a visit, but he knew it would seem as if he was pushing her to forgive him because of his title. How else would he show her that he had truly changed? That all those times were not part of him anymore?

  He sighed. His sister would not speak to him because as she had said, he had refused to listen to him during those times. Now, he had to clean up his mess by himself.

  Yet, he didn’t know how to. His mother had said he needed to focus on better things and move on. He wanted to do that but he could not.

  He desperately wanted to prove to her that he had changed but how would he do that when she never gave him a chance?

  * * *

  Lord Benjamin Gibbs, the Baron of Salsbury

  The last few days had been Benjamin’s happiest days. Just as Luke had advised him, he waited for about a week before planning to gain favor from Ophelia and win her heart.

  “But, I hope she does not realize how long I have been waiting for a moment with her? I do not want it to be too obvious,” he said to Luke.

  “You just have to be more careful and carefree. You do not make it seem as if you know everything. Try to be her friend…”

  “Friend?” asked Benjamin. “I do not have time for that. Do you know how long I have been waiting?”

  “Well, you do not have a choice. It’s either you be more careful or you ruin everything.”

  Benjamin sighed. “Well, I shall pay her a visit tomorrow, as a concerned friend,” he said smugly.

  “And I shall be here, waiting to hear how it goes.”

  * * *

  Miss Ophelia Campbell

  It had been several days since she last received a letter from the Cramptons. A part of her was relieved while the other part missed it and was hoped for more.

  She was sitting in the garden talking with her mother. The physician had just left her father’s room. According to him, more rest would help him get better quickly.

  Her mother went on lamenting about possibly losing her husband, and how poor they would become if he did pass since Ophelia had no one to marry.

  During this time, her mind went towards the men she had met. Boris Angleton was the last person she would think of marrying. The secret admirer no longer sent her messages, strangely at the same time Christopher’s letter has stopped.

  “But the Angleton’s are indeed very comfortable, if you marry them, you are going to be rich….”

  Ophelia sighed. She wasn’t happy. She had not been happy since she stopped talking to Christopher. It was like her only hope was dashed to the ground.

  Meanwhile, a carriage drove up to their cottage and halted close to the garden. On seeing the carriage, something leapt in her and her heart wished it was Christopher in the carriage. However, she was surprised when Lord Gibbs came out.

  “Isn’t that the Baron?” asked her mother, looking at Benjamin intently.

  “Yes, he is,” replied Ophelia as she stood up with her mother while Benjamin approached them.

  “Lord Gibbs,” said Ophelia’s mother as when he approached them while Ophelia curtsied. “To what do we owe this honor?”

  Lord Gibbs smiled. “Good morning, Mrs. Campbell, and you too Miss Ophelia. How do you fare?”

  “Very well, my Lord,” replied Ophelia. She was curious to know why Benjamin had come.

  “I shall send the servant to come up with a cup of tea, please excuse me,” Ophelia’s mother said before leaving.

  “Please sit,” said Ophelia to Benjamin who sat next to her.

  “I hope there is no problem?” she asked.

  “Well, I am here on behalf of my friend,” he replied.

  Ophelia inhaled a quick breath. “Well, Lord Gibbs, there is no reason for you to have come at all. I have told your friend my true feelings and that is how it is going to be. I am sorry to have wasted your time in coming here.”

  “But you have not wasted my time at all,” he replied, standing up as Ophelia’s mother came in with a servant who had a cup of tea.

  “Mrs. Campbell, I hope it would not be too much trouble if I ask you to kindly chaperone your daughter to the Hyde Park?”

  Ophelia and her mother exchanged a look of surprise. She was surprised because he has not bothered to ask her first if she would like to go before asking her mother to chaperone.

  “But of course,” said her mother excitedly. “I shall be happy to do so. Come, Ophelia. We need to go change.”

  Before Ophelia could hesitate, her mother was already dragging her off.

  * * *

  “Mother, I do not like this,” she said as her mother brushed her hair.

  “What are you talking about?” asked her mother excitedly.

  “What does he want? Why has he come? Do you not think this a bit strange?” she went on.

  “No. The only thing that will be strange is if
you do not allow Lord Gibbs to be a potential suitor before turning him down. Your chances of getting a husband just increased, darling. Do not ruin it!”

  Ophelia was quiet. She knew that the only thing on her mother’s mind was for her to get married regardless of how she felt about the man. And he held a title, which meant that she would be financially stable. Finally, they were dressed and went back out to meet Lord Gibbs who was now waiting by his carriage.