To his delight, she was still smiling when, a couple of steps later, they arrived near the duke and duchess. Years ago, when they attended school together, people had often thought he and Michael were related because they both had black hair and blue eyes and the same height of six foot. ‘I hear congratulations are in order,’ he said, shaking Michael’s hand while also slapping his friend’s shoulder.
‘Indeed,’ Michael replied, smiling brightly. ‘Thank you. I believe you know my wife.’
Drake laughed. ‘I do.’ He bowed at the waist to the duchess, a woman he’d come to know since his return to London. ‘Lady Rosemary. I hope you will forgive me for not warning you about this man the first time you brought him to see Hugo.’
Smiling up at her husband, Rosemary shook her head. ‘I’m afraid even then wouldn’t have been soon enough.’
Drake laughed, knowing full well that the two of them had already been in love when Rosemary and her young brother, Thomas, who had visited the zoo regularly, brought Michael along with them to meet Hugo. ‘I’m as aware of that now as I was that day. I was very happy when I heard about your marriage.’
‘Thank you,’ Rosemary said.
With brownish blond hair and glowing brown eyes, she was a very pretty woman and clearly as head over heels in love with her husband as Michael was with her.
‘Allow me to introduce Lady Meridith Downs,’ Drake said. ‘Meridith, these are two of the finest people I know. Michael Knight, the Duke of Turnbill, and his wife, Lady Rosemary, the Duchess of Turnbill.’
Once their round of greetings was concluded, Drake told Meridith, ‘Rosemary can assure you that riding on Hugo isn’t as scary as some might expect.’
Meridith looked from him to Rosemary. ‘You rode Hugo?’
‘No, I didn’t,’ Rosemary replied, with yet another adoring look at Michael. ‘I merely sat on his back, along with my young brother, but I assure you, it wasn’t scary at all. Have you ridden on Hugo?’
‘No,’ Meridith replied.
‘Not yet,’ Drake supplied. ‘We will be rectifying that soon.’
‘My young brother, Thomas, is utterly enthralled with Hugo,’ Rosemary said.
‘So is the Baroness Montgomery’s son, Adam,’ Meridith replied. ‘We were just upstairs and visited him. Drake promised to let him have a ride on Hugo. How old is Thomas? Perhaps he could join Adam. Another child might make him feel more comfortable.’
It didn’t surprise Drake that Meridith mentioned Adam, or a way to make him feel more comfortable. She clearly had a love for children. Nor was he surprised by the way Rosemary’s smile grew even brighter.
‘Thomas is six and would love that.’ Rosemary looked up at Michael. ‘We’d have time to take him tomorrow, wouldn’t we?’
‘Yes,’ Michael replied, clearly willing to do anything for his new wife.
‘That’s perfect—Adam is seven. We’d have to confirm it with the baroness, though,’ Meridith said.
‘You will excuse us for a moment?’ Rosemary asked, glancing between Drake and her husband. ‘The baroness is talking to Maud, my stepmother, right now, so it’s the perfect time to ask both of them.’
Drake smiled at Meridith, but let Michael answer in the affirmative.
As the two women walked away, Michael asked, ‘How is your hunt for a partner going? I’d still be interested in being a financial backer if needed.’
‘I’m still working on things,’ Drake replied. ‘Finances are not the issue. Finding the right partner is.’
Michael gave a slight glance towards the women still crossing the room and, obviously familiar with Meridith’s family, asked, ‘Are you hoping to secure a partnership with the Duke of Chesterfield?’
‘I am,’ Drake said, pulling his gaze off Meridith. ‘As long as things don’t get too complicated.’
‘Complications are a part of life, my friend,’ Michael replied. ‘Let me know if you need me to vouch for you, or anything else.’
‘I will, thank you.’ He slapped Michael’s shoulder again. ‘Marriage seems to agree with you.’
‘Far more than I ever imagined, and I owe it all to you for being the best friend I’ve ever had. Thank you for saving me from almost making the biggest mistake of my life.’
‘That’s what friends are for,’ Drake replied. ‘Let’s find a drink and toast to your success.’
Meridith didn’t believe that all a person had to do was decide to be happy and it happened, but she was enjoying the ball far more than she’d ever enjoyed a social activity in the past. The Duke and Duchess of Turnbill were wonderful people. Rosemary had quickly set up a time for Adam and Thomas to meet at the zoo tomorrow, along with their mothers, who were both delighted with the prospect of their sons getting to know each other.
