𝖯𝖱𝖮𝖳𝖤𝖠|𝖢.𝖡 (𝖿𝗍.𝖩.𝖭)

Chapter IX-Ophelia

𝓞𝓹𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓪'𝓼 𝓐𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓿𝓪𝓵

Soon enough, they docked in Port Royal, and as Ophelia disembarked from the HMS Endeavour, she was immediately greeted by her father, who wore a displeased expression at her delayed arrival. "Ophelia, dear, why weren't you on the Dauntless?" her father inquired. Ophelia had hoped he would forget to ask, but now she needed to think quickly and come up with a plausible lie to avoid worrying him. "I decided to sail with James after noticing that he was on the ship," she responded, hoping her answer would suffice.
"Which ship is it?" her father pressed further. Ophelia couldn't quite explain why, but the thought of revealing the name of the ship unsettled her. She chose to evade the question and diverted the conversation to the upcoming grand event-the wedding of Elizabeth and Will-as they climbed into the waiting carriage. As the door closed, Ophelia cast a glance back at the HMS Endeavour, hoping to catch a glimpse of James or Cutler, but they were nowhere to be seen. Once they arrived home, she immediately retired to her room, sinking into her sheets, exhaustion weighing heavily upon her.
She knew that tomorrow would arrive all too soon, and with it, she would be subjected to thorough questioning from both her father and sister. However, she preferred not to dwell on that for the time being. Instead, her thoughts drifted back to the dinner, finding a sliver of enjoyment in James's expression when he realized he had no choice but to offer her some form of compensation once again.

The next morning, she was rudely awakened and before she could voice her discontent, she was pulled out of bed, evidently running late. It took her a moment to fully grasp the significance of the day, and she hastily got ready with the assistance of her maids before setting off alone in a carriage to the wedding venue. Rain poured incessantly from the sky, creating a gloomy atmosphere unfitting for a joyous occasion. Ophelia couldn't shake the sense of foreboding that settled upon her as she took in the scene that unfolded before her upon arrival.