illicit affairs. | bridgerton

Chapter Two

⠀⠀Though heavy eyes couldn't help but causing a commotion, Ophelia had made it through the carriage ride to their new home in Grosvenor Square; once the people of the streets had made an appearance, she absolutely couldn't help but peeling them open to get a better look. Such a peculiar little street, a sweet thought to Ophelia, perhaps I might like it here . . . For a short moment, a yellow dress had caught her eye followed by meeting eyes with a young woman before she had finally heard her name being barked by her father. How she despised her wandering mind at moments, off in other places of the world.
⠀⠀"Ophelia— Oh, oh . . . good, you're paying attention," A small grumble ensued. Behind the façade of a gruff man, Phillip Wynn had plenty of considerably odd quirks. The slight grumble after he spoke, the way he seemed to make his eyebrows dance at the slightest bit of excitement. "This coming weekend, it seems that there's an opportunity to present yourself to the ton . . . not quite Her Majesty, but you must make a fine impression." A pang hit Ophelia's stomach— perhaps it was the soft cheese from breakfast?
⠀⠀But with an almost unstomachable sweetness, honey locks had been cast behind Ophelia's shoulder and she had agreed. After all, the ton would be abuzz about her— it had to be a surefire way to ensure her name was spread amongst the marriage pool. As a matter of fact, Ophelia could clearly remember the buzz of the Diamond of the Season and Lady Whistledown in her mother's meetings with the other ladies. Even Marie had been aimlessly enthralled in the drama: after all, Daphne Bridgerton seemed to be involved in many a scandal and the Featheringtons as well. Both of whom the Wynns had yet to meet— but soon enough, unbeknownst to her, she had already set sights upon one of the less notorious of the bunch.
⠀⠀"Papa, might we— after we are settled in as much as we can— take a stroll around the Square?" Truthfully? Ophelia didn't want to be cooped away in the skeleton of a temporary home until there was at least a little bit of their life there. Items from her father's travels had filled the home, now en route to the Square and to the Wynns. And perhaps a walk could clear her mind a bit from the things she would rather run from.
⠀⠀Ophelia's mother had shot a look toward Phillip, soon raising a brow; the man had simply grabbed her hand with a loving squeeze before nodding toward his daughter. As of late, the man had created what seemed like an invisible wall between him and Ophelia— they had never been quite close, which she had never truly understood until she got old enough to, but the love was truly there (even if it didn't always feel as such).
⠀⠀"Well, I don't see why not . . . Might you explore the garden until we can make it out to the shops, darling?" Daintily plucked brows quickly raised at the mention of a garden; when Ophelia fell ill at the age of twelve, the young girl had absorbed as much knowledge as her body could allow. Her teacher had soon provided stacks upon stacks of books, beautifully bound and filled with countless knowledge on . . . flowers. Yet Ophelia had soon fallen in love with each and every flower she could find, especially once she'd regained her health. Planting a hug around her father and mother, Ophelia had scurried to the garden with a lightness to her steps that couldn't hide her excitement. Eyes wide with wonder had absorbed the colours, perfect petals surrounding each and every inch they could possibly find.
⠀⠀"Oh, how beautiful . . . lilac! And the roses, how darling!" Lost in her own train of thought, Ophelia had quickly began to look at the flowers with a trained eye, not minding the occasional buzz. After all, she'd been taught to leave them be and they would leave you— or at least that's what her mother told her. But as Ophelia admired each and every bud, suddenly the appearance of a stranger standing in the adjacent yard with dark locks that caught her eye almost immediately.
⠀⠀And suddenly her heart began to pang within her chest for seemingly no reason at all.
⠀⠀Who is that?