Half a Lady || ONC 2024

Chapter Four

"Look, a rare sighting of the elusive forest monster!" Benny exclaimed.

Cordelia turned, expecting to see a suspicious shrub or a brooding boulder, but there was nothing in the clearing behind her. Knowing her little brother, that was probably the point.

She leaned over, pinching his nose. "Benny! How could you compare me to a forest monster? Surely, I look better than that. Can I be upgraded to a woodland fairy?"

Benny gave her a dubious stare. "I don't know, Lia. Fairies look a little more... tidy."

Cordelia tried to pinch him again, but Benny ducked out of her reach. He ran towards Grandfather's workroom, laughing as fresh raindrops peppered his face. The anemometer they'd used to measure wind speed poked above his shoulder like a bizarre third limb.

Cordelia rolled her eyes and raced after him. Her sprint wasn't nearly as graceful. Somehow, she managed to slip on a mossy rock, stumble over a fallen branch, and tromp through a sizable puddle. Cordelia was still picking wet leaves off her skirt when she opened the workroom door. Perhaps Benny had been somewhat generous in his forest monster comparison. Untidy implied that her outfit could be salvaged. A single glance at the reflective windows suggested otherwise.

At least Mother wasn't around to judge her appearance. She seemed far too eager to devote a sizable portion of her brain to contemplating Cordelia's prospects.

Or lack thereof.

"Do you have any guesses on what Mother's important announcement will be?" Cordelia asked. She paced around the workroom, putting instruments away while she waited for Benny's response.

Benny groaned. "I hope it doesn't have anything to do with Mr. Ingram. I don't like the way he looks at Ophelia."

Cordelia grabbed the logbook and tried to shove it into her satchel. The book's edge kept catching on the soft leather. Its stubbornness reminded her of a certain sibling.

"Has Mr. Ingram acted inappropriately towards Ophelia?" she asked.

Benny traced a dent in one of the tables. "It's hard to explain."

Cordelia thought of her younger sister sharing afternoon tea with Mr. Ingram. Ophelia was probably suffering through his dreadful war stories and longing stares while they spoke. Mr. Ingram had always come across as harmless, but if Ophelia was in danger....

"Can you try to explain?" she asked.

Benny shrugged. "When Mr. Ingram visited last week, I was playing with my wooden soldiers behind the drawing room. I don't think anyone knew I was there. Mr. Ingram was admiring Ophelia's embroidery when Mother stepped out to talk to Cook. He and Ophelia were alone for less than a minute, but Mr. Ingram seemed to change."

Cordelia swallowed. "Did he say something he shouldn't have?"

Benny shook his head. "No. He was a perfect gentleman. He complimented Ophelia's embroidery and inquired after one of your paintings. But the way he looked at her.... Well. Lovesick isn't the right word, but something close to it."

Cordelia breathed a sigh of relief. There were worse things than Ophelia marrying a wealthy gentleman who cared for her, even if it put Cordelia in a precarious position. Every family has that one member of whom no one speaks, and that person was Cordelia. If her younger sister married a wealthy gentleman and Benny grew up to inherit the estate, where did that leave her?

Benny walked to the other side of the workroom, squinting at a map of England. "Do you know what's worse than Ophelia getting married?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Cordelia murmured.