Meridith wanted to ask more, but the men were walking closer, each carrying two crystal glasses. She wondered if a man would ever change her life. It wasn’t that she was afraid to leave the house, she simply didn’t have many reasons to.
As she accepted a glass from Drake, their gazes met and there was that spark in his dark blue eyes. The one that made him look so handsome, but also made him appear as if he was up to something mischievous. She’d noticed it the first time while they’d been playing croquet and had seen it several times since then. At this moment, she wondered if that was what made her heart beat faster than normal, for that was exactly what was happening again.
‘It’s a simple sherry,’ Drake said. ‘If it’s not to your liking, there is also a mulled wine.’
‘This will be perfect, I’m sure,’ she replied, and took a sip to confirm. The sweet, delicate flavor was very delightful. Seeing the spark in his eye grow brighter, she smiled. ‘It is very good. Thank you.’
‘I thought you’d like it,’ he replied, while sitting in the chair next to hers.
She did like the wine, and the company, and found the entire evening very enjoyable. It was so refreshing to be a part of conversations that went beyond fashion, including who was wearing last year’s gown, which is what were the normalconversations at the balls and parties her family required her to attend. The subjects tonight were varied, ranging from social concerns, including an estate that the duke’s family was creating to help young girls and mudlarks, to political events concerning labor rights, to literature and geography, including several tales about the places Drake had travelled. Meridith was interested in all of the subjects and found it stimulating to be able to participate in each topic.
Throughout the conversations, it became impossible for her to look at Drake without feeling the same rush of warmth that she’d felt earlier today. It went deeper than interest in what he was saying and deeper than admiration for all he’d accomplished. Whatever the reason behind it, it made her feel a bit dreamy, and that made her wonder about Rosemary’s remark about fairy tales coming true.
Meridith couldn’t remember a time when she’d believed in fairy tales or dreamt of being rescued by a knight in shining armor, perhaps because she’d never read those stories as a child. Instead, her father had read her books about faraway lands and people. That made her wonder if what she thought she wanted, as in a husband and children, had truly come from within her, or been impressed on her from the outside by her siblings, because that was what they’d all wanted and had achieved.
She couldn’t remember a time when her father had talked about her growing up and getting married. He hadn’t spoken about the future until he was ill, and then it had been how her siblings would take care of her when he was gone and how she needed to obey them.
She let those thoughts fade away as the evening continued, because there was simply too much else happening around her. The conversations and laughter consumed her, and Drake never failed from making sure that her opinion was included.
The meal consisted of braised beef, along with a variety of side dishes and a lemon chiffon cake for dessert. It was all delicious, and though it was quite late when it became time to leave, Meridith felt as if the time had flown by.
A sense of melancholy washed over her while saying goodbye to Rosemary, knowing that the duke and duchess were leaving for their estate the following morning.
‘We travel to London regularly so that I can see my family,’ Rosemary said as they embraced in farewell. ‘I would enjoy seeing you again during those visits.’
‘Oh, I would enjoy that, too,’ Meridith replied.
‘Wonderful. And don’t forget that you have an open invitation to visit us at Turnbill whenever you’re able,’ Rosemary added.
‘Thank you,’ Meridith replied. ‘It sounds like a beautiful estate, one that I’d truly like to see.’
After bidding their final goodbyes, Drake escorted her out the door. As they walked towards her carriage, he said, ‘I hope you enjoyed the evening.’
‘I did, very much.’ With stories of his travels still fresh in her mind, she said, ‘I expect that London, and such simple evenings must be rather mundane for you compared to the many places that you’ve travelled.’
‘Not at all,’ he replied. ‘Though I love travelling and look forward to getting back on the sea as soon as possible, I embrace being able to spend time with friends whenever possible. Allow me to also admit that you are quite knowledgeable concerning geography.’
‘Because my siblings are older than me, I never really had playmates, so my father read to me, books from around the world, and we’d visit the zoo to see the animals. He’d say the animals allowed me to see the world without leaving home.’
Drake nodded. ‘I suspect that’s true.’
‘Not for you,’ she said. ‘You saw the countries themselves. Did you want to do that from the time you were a child?’
‘I don’t think so. Back then I was more worried about wanting to fit in. My cousin Archibald liked to point out that I wasn’t really part of the family. That I was an orphan who they let live with them.’
Anger flared inside Meridith. ‘That wasn’t very kind.’
‘Archibald has never been known for his kindness. To be honest, the rest of the family didn’t do anything to make me feel my difference, but my cousin’s actions were enough to make me decide that, someday, no one else would be able to define my place in the world or have control over my life. Sailing let me fulfil that promise.’
They had arrived at Meridith’s coach, which was a disappointment, because she would like to know more about him, his childhood, his travels, and the control it gave him over his fate. She didn’t have that.
He gave her a slight bow and took a step back for the doorman to help her inside the coach. ‘I shall see you tomorrow at the zoo, along with your nieces and nephews.’
‘We will be there,’ she said, and then stepped into the carriage. Inside, she grew even more thoughtful. She couldn’t say that she’d been happy tonight simply through choosing to be so, but she certainly had discovered a happiness she’d never known before meeting Drake. Might their acquaintance herald other changes? Could she someday find control over her life, too?
As she crawled into bed later that night, Drake was still on her mind, and she wondered what it would feel like to be in love. To have Drake look at her the way that the Duke of Turnbill looked at Rosemary. It was a silly, foolish thought, and she vehemently cautioned herself against even thinking about such things, yetcouldn’t stop herself from imagining just how wonderful that could be.
Would she also be in control over her own life then?
