Too Pensive to Notice

Chapter Two

"He's here," Elizabeth said breathlessly as she rushed into the Tisdale's library, where Ophelia was busy with her correspondence. Elizabeth was considered a part of the family and so was not introduced or asked to wait in any salon, rather sent directly to where Ophelia was.
"Who is here?" Ophelia said in an overly calm voice even though she knew exactly who her friend was talking about, but was afraid of letting anyone see how desperately she had been waiting for his return. Maybe he will finish his compliment this time, Ophelia thought.

"Andrew of course, who else?" and before Ophelia was allowed to respond in anyway Elizabeth continued, "and what is that look you have on your face, I can't seem to be able to analyze it?"

"Oh it's just that mother wants me to go on this picnic that the Mansfields are having." Ophelia was quick to respond and so her friend was not able to tell that she was lying, or partially lying that is. She really didn't want to go on that picnic.

"You'll tell me about the picnic in a minute, but please let me finish telling you about Andrew. I have been dying to tell you since his arrival last night." Again Elizabeth just kept going on, "he says that it has been even worse than we thought. The minute they arrived to Spain after their marriage, she changed to a different person and was no longer even interested in him..."
Ophelia couldn't let her friend continue at that and had to ask, "did he actually share this information with you?"

"Of course not, my mother claimed that she had heard me cough and was terribly worried that I was coming down with the flu and sent me up to my room directly after dinner."

"And you lurked behind the door didn't you?'' After Elizabeth's nod to that question, Ophelia announced that it was brilliant of her and urged her to continue, no longer being able to hide her curiosity to know the whole story.

"They became very distant and she even turned mean at times; yelling at the servants in the house and not receiving guests. Then suddenly she disappeared and although he searched for her, well you know the rest. The most important thing is that he has been mourning her death for almost six months now, which is more than what most of the ton does if you ask me, and mother is asking him to join in the social circles again," Elizabeth finished seeming relieved to having said everything she came to say.

Ophelia was not sure how to respond to what she has just heard, if her friend would just organize her thoughts and speak coherently it would make things easier so she just nodded and produced an agreeing sound.
"I told you all of this and you just respond with a barely audible I see," Elizabeth practically jumped off her seat.

"Let me order tea and some scones and then I can comment on everything you just said," Ophelia was trying to buy herself some time and collect her thoughts.

After Elizabeth's approval, Ophelia excused herself to call a maid and waited patiently at the library door until the tea set arrived with a plate of freshly baked blueberry scones.

"So unfortunately his marriage was well destroyed before she passed away?'' Ophelia asked rhetorically and continued with, "that must have devastated poor Andrew; I can remember how much he was infatuated with Isabella."

Elizabeth just nodded at that since she just took a bite from her scone.

"And your mother thinks he should attend balls and the like now that he is back?"

"Are you just going to repeat what I said?" Elizabeth asked after having swallowed her bite.

"I'm trying to make sense of this. What do you expect me to say?"