Chapter Five – An Unexpected Encounter

The sound of hooves clattering against the cobblestones echoed through the courtyard as the carriage pulled to a halt. Amelia stood at the top of the marble steps, her heart pounding with anticipation. This was the moment she had been waiting for—the arrival of the Duke's nephew.

As the carriage door swung open, a young boy stepped out onto the pavement, his eyes wide with wonder. He looked around nervously, taking in the grandeur of the castle before him. Amelia smiled warmly at him, her hand outstretched in greeting.

"Welcome," she said, her voice gentle and welcoming. "I'm Amelia, your uncle's wife. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

In the moment she realized, the name she had given was wrong, her smile crumpled. It only relexed when a memorie popped into her mind. "Clarissa-Amelia. The full name of the stepmother!" never had she felt so lucky. 

The boy nodded shyly, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I'm...I'm Edward," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Amelia's smile widened as she gestured for him to follow her. "Come, let's go inside. I'm sure you're hungry after your journey."

Together, they walked through the grand entrance of the castle, the boy trailing behind Amelia as they made their way to the dining room. The Duke was already waiting for them, his expression unreadable as he watched Amelia and Edward approach.

"Ah, there you are," he said, his tone clipped and formal. "Shall we?"

Amelia nodded, her heart sinking at the Duke's curt demeanor. She had hoped that their meeting would go more smoothly, but it seemed that her efforts to bridge the gap between them had fallen short.

As they sat down at the ornately decorated table, Amelia tried to strike up a conversation with Edward, but he remained silent, his eyes fixed on his plate. She attempted to engage him several times, asking about his journey and his interests, but each attempt was met with only a mumbled response.

The awkwardness in the room was palpable, the tension thickening with each passing moment. The Duke watched the exchange with a furrowed brow, his suspicion growing by the minute.

"Is everything all right, my dear?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Amelia forced a smile, her heart sinking as she realized that her efforts to connect with Edward had failed. "Yes, everything's fine," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

But deep down, she knew that everything was far from fine. She had hoped that their meeting would be the start of a new beginning, a chance to forge a bond with her husband's nephew. Instead, it had only served to highlight the gaping divide between them.

As the Duke and Edward rose from the table and left the room, leaving Amelia alone with her thoughts, she felt a wave of despair wash over her. She had failed, and now she was left to pick up the pieces of her shattered hopes and dreams.

With a heavy heart, she sank into her chair, tears welling up in her eyes. She had tried so hard to make things right, but in the end, it seemed that her efforts had been in vain. And as she sat there, alone in the empty room, Amelia couldn't help but wonder what the future held in store for her.