Too Pensive to Notice

Chapter Five

It was extremely awkward sitting there knowing what would take place. She still didn't understand why Mr Ghastly insisted that she be in her father's office when he proposed.
Her mother had frantically sent a servant to search for her in the park. She thought something had happened to her father but knowing her mother, she should have expected that the façade had to do with someone from the male species.
"As I was saying Lord Tisdale, I just came from the country for the sole purpose of finding a wife and was directed to you knowing your reputation and your daughter's."
"Surely you must know that even though the tradition is to ask me for my daughter's hand in marriage, you must also appeal to her by courting her and examining whether you two will make a logical couple or not."
"Well, excuse me for not being acquainted with the modern methods. I spend almost all my time with my horses. I ride for hours every day. All my neighbours think I'm quite mad since I cross 6 miles each day. If you count the trip from my house, and I have a big house for that matter, perfect for a small family, to the market and back twice then you would easily finish the 6 miles each day."
Ophelia stifled her laugh when she saw that her father started rearranging his desk while Mr Ghastly continued his monologue. Her father was a man of few words and was never a fan of those who spoke pointlessly.

"How old are you Mr Ghastly?" interrupted Lord Tisdale, " and I'm only asking because you might think my daughter looks older than she is and I would only want an appropriate match for her."
"I am 29 my lord and I do understand that your daughter is young because I have been secretly told of her age. If you might excuse my asking, Lady Ophelia, but do you ride?"
Since Ophelia had a keen sense at where his conversation was heading, she decided to be contrary and answer with, "No."
Her father thankfully didn't hear her because he would have corrected the information but he was busy calling the butler to bring in some tea.
"Excuse me again Lady Ophelia because I mean no harm when I say that riding would give you the advantage of looking younger and how you may ask? I will share with you a secret. When I was younger, I was a bit plumper and people thought that I was a lot older than I am and it was then that I decided to ride daily and become fit. Since then, people only think of me as not more than a 24 year old." He finished with a wide, proud smile on his face.
Ophelia gave him a bland smile and looked at the mirror behind her father's head wishing that she would have been able to just excuse herself from another conversation about her appearance. Instead, she pretended that he had said nothing in particular and just kept her gaze directed at that small mirror. She was also thankful that her father ignored the subject even though she saw that he was about to speak something completely different. "Mr Ghastly, what of your family? Do they come to London for the season?"
"My father doesn't like us to intermingle with the ton, and is quite worried that I have to stay more than necessary here in London seeing that I am staying with my mother's brother and he does not quite like him for some reason." Mr Ghastly laughed anxiously at his own joke and all Ophelia and her father could do was smile since they were nowhere near understanding the joke.

"Well Mr Ghastly I cannot give you an answer as soon as you want because I do have to talk to my daughter about this and so if you may give us some time?"
"Of course, shall I go wait in the hallway?" Mr Ghastly quickly asked standing up.
Ophelia wanted so much to slap him for being so stupid, but instead clutched harder at the chair's wooden arm.
Lord Tisdale stood up slowly as he explained, "I meant that we might need a couple more days. Maybe you can be our guest at dinner later this week?"
"But, my lord, that will not suit at all."
"I understand Mr Ghastly," her father replied and she almost knocked the chair over in her hurry to stand up in protest thinking that he might give him a positive reply at once. But she should have expected her father's next retort.
"I am very sorry that you had to waste some of your precious time with us and I do wish you good luck in your hunt of a wife," Lord Tisdale said.