"Are you done insulting me?" Ophelia said in a tight voice that cracked for the briefest moment, just enough for anyone paying attention to hear the hurt inside.
Mavis didn't catch it herself, though even if she had, she might not have ended her diatribe just yet. This was her moment of revenge, after all, and Duncan was wise enough to stay out of it, even if he was starting to feel a bit sorry for the blond beauty.
"Since when is the truth an insult?" Mavis countered.
"Very well, so I am the most despicable person imaginable. My fiancé has assured me of that. Sabrina has assured me of that. Even Locke there has assured me of it. With so much evidence against me, it must be so."
She was definitely revealing the hurt now, but Mavis was unmoved by it. "Oh, please," Mavis said derisively. "Don't think you can use those tactics on me, Pheli. You forget, I know you. I know how you'll use every trick in the book to get what you want."
"I know you as well, and we both know you'll end up regretting what's been said here. You simply don't have it in you to be this vindictive, Mavis. You know you would rather forgive me. We've known each other too long—"
"I recall forgiving you once before," Mavis cut in tersely, some of her inner anger showing now. "But what good did that do? Did it change your ways? Did it stop you from ruining other people's lives like you did mine?"
"Honestly, Mavis, I thought we agreed you were better off without Alexander."
"You tried to offer that as a consolation, but it didn't work. My heart still wouldn't reconcile to my loss. Instead of getting over it, I grew so bitter that I barely recognized myself anymore. And the only reason I continued to abide your presence is I have been waiting all this time to witness your downfall."
Ophelia was apparently surprised over this last revelation, enough to protest with feeling, "Mavis, you can't hate me this much!"
"Can't I? Have you yet to realize, Pheli, that no one likes you? You don't have a single real friend, because you end up using them all, and contrary to what you might think, we're not all so stupid to not realize it."
"That's not true," Ophelia said in a small voice. "Jane and Edith are still my friends."
"Are they?" Mavis rejoined, stabbing her point home. "Are they here for your wedding then? The wedding of their 'best' friend?"
Ophelia's silence was telling. And if that weren't answer enough, the abject expression she momentarily revealed was. Mavis's smile, which could only barely be called one, still revealed her triumph over it.
"As I thought," Mavis continued. "Even Jane and Edith have finally seen the truth, haven't they? But then how could they overlook it any longer when you turned on me right in front of them? They know now that you can't be trusted. Of course, they've always known that really, when they spend most of their time with you trying to soothe your ruffled feathers, because they know you'd turn your spite on them just as easily as anyone else."
"I wouldn't."
"Good God, Ophelia, lie to others all you want, but don't stand there and lie to me! I was there when you burned them in the past, when you turned your vicious tongue on them more than once. And for what? For some minor trifle not worth mentioning that you just happen to take offense at. But then you take everything as a personal affront, because everything must revolve around you"
"I can't help my temper."
Mavis shook her head. "You can. You just never try. You'd rather make excuses, even to yourself, to explain your nasty retaliations. What does that say for you, Pheli? That you still behave like a child? That you never grew up? Isn't it about time that you did?"
"Enough. You've made your point."
"Have I? But has it opened your eyes? I doubt it. You'll make your excuses, call me a fool and a liar, and go about your blithe way, ignoring anyone's opinion but your own just as you always do."
"I can't very well go about any blithe way when I'm stuck here . . . Mavis, I'm begging you—there, I've said it. Is that what you came here for? To hear me beg? Are you happy now? Please don't make me have to marry a man who despises me."
Mavis shook her head again, this time in amazement. "You see how self-centered you are, Pheli? It never even occurred to you that I might have come here for Lord Duncan's sake, did it? As it happens, that's exactly why I'm here, to end a tragedy, because that's what any marriage to you would be. My silence is assured on all accounts, but not for your sake. You I wouldn't help if you were drowning. It's for Duncan, because no man deserves to be stuck with you for a wife."
That was Mavis's last word on the subject; in fact, she stepped around Ophelia, giving her her back, dismissing her ex-friend from her mind completely to address Duncan now. "Lord Duncan, I'm sorry, truly sorry, I didn't make my assurances to you last night. I've let my association with Ophelia nearly destroy my own integrity, though that is no excuse and I know it."
"Nae, lass, dinna trouble yourself o'er it," he replied, giving her a smile. "My relief is tae great tae do aught but thank you for it."
She nodded curtly, still embarrassed that she had let him suffer in doubt even one extra day. She then turned to Sabrina and took her hand to squeeze it.
"Thank you for reminding me how heartwarming and selfless real friendship is, Sabrina. I'll be proud to call you a friend henceforth, if you'll allow me?"
"Certainly," Sabrina replied. "But you sound like you're leaving."
"I am. I can't delay getting home any longer. I imagine my father has a long list of punishments awaiting me, and I'll deserve every one of them."
Ophelia slipped away from them unnoticed. She knew they wouldn't care. She also knew she could contain her emotions no longer and sought a private place to release them. She ran back upstairs, but rounding the corner of the hallway at the top, she collided with Raphael Locke.
He had slipped away unnoticed as well, just before she did, and with the express purpose of catching her alone, having guessed which direction she would take. He'd listened to most of Mavis Newbolt's allegations, things he'd been unaware of, and he didn't feel that Ophelia was quite contrite enough for all the trouble she had caused.
He had meant to have a few disparaging words with her himself. He hadn't expected to find tears running down her pretty face, however.
"By God, they're real, aren't they?" he said, setting her back from him to touch a finger to her wet cheek. "And you thought to not share them with anyone? I'm impressed."
"Leave . .. me be," she choked out.
He didn't. Awkwardly, and utterly amazed that he had the impulse, he drew her back to him and let her make use of his shoulder. Appalling shortcoming of his, to be a sucker for tears, real ones, that is, but there it was, and he was bloody well likely to regret it in this instance.
He sighed inwardly, but there was no help for it. Ophelia's narrow body was trembling with emotion, and it was incredible just how much emotion was pouring out on his shoulder. Not that he thought the ice inside her was melting. No indeed. Never would he think that. The Lockes did not raise fools.
Chapter Fifty-one
Amazing how quickly Neville "recovered" from his collapse after being informed of Mavis Newbolt's brief visit. He even came downstairs himself to make the announcement official, that the two young people had decided not to marry after all, and had severed their engagement amicably this time, it being a mutual decision.
Of course, following that announcement, he pretty much booted those remaining guests out of his house. He did so diplomatically, but did so nonetheless and with concealed relish. By that evening, Summers Glade was actually empty again as it should be, well, except for one unwelcome guest he still couldn't get rid of yet and wouldn't, until Duncan found himself a real bride.