“Beef stew,” she returned.
“Mmm. It sounds delicious, and perfect for such a cool evening.”
“Indeed. Papa and I eat a lot of soup during the winter months. The warmth you consume goes far to take away some of the chill in the air.”
He rubbed a finger along his jaw. “I imagine that could be interpreted in a faithful manner as well.”
She lifted a shoulder. “Perhaps, although I’ve never considered it that way before.”
“I imagine not. You are just eager to eat whereas I have time to think philosophically.”
Her lips twitched, as if she was trying to hold back a smile. “I can’t imagine you wouldn’t be. As a viscount, I’m sure you were taught by the best governesses and tutors that money could buy.”
He couldn’t tell if she was merely making a statement or if there might be a bit of resentment there. Either way, he said, “You would be correct. My father ensured that I had the best education in order to properly follow in his footsteps. But what he, nor anyone else in society ever considered, was that I didn’t care to become a peer.”
She tilted her head to the side. “What else would you have done?”
“I’m not entirely sure what I might have chosen, but I would have earned a proper wage, rather than sitting at a desk and allowing others to do it for me. I find it entirely more appealing by taking on a trade. My pride would certainly celebrate by doing something worthwhile.”
“And you don’t believe by taking a seat in Parliament and allowing your voice to be heard for a good cause isn’t the same?” He appeared to actually consider her words as she continued, “For all of the benefits you’ve been given in this life, there is a lot you can do to make a difference if only you would fully open your eyes and see what is right in front of you.”
Cain couldn’t stop himself. As they paused before the front door of her cottage, he reached out and brushed a stray strand of her hair away from her face. “You may be sure that I see you, Miss Meriwether.”
Dove shivered, although it had nothing to do with the temperature in the air. She looked into Lord Markel’s eyes and saw the tempest in them. Green and brown swirls danced before her, and she realized it would be so easy to get dragged back down into that appealing gaze.
She glanced away and walked hastily through the front door before she did something she would later regret. After she removed her boots and outer wear in the entryway, Dove headed for the kitchen to begin preparing the meal, where she removed an apron from a nearby peg and tied it around her waist.
As she began to gather the ingredients she needed, Cain appeared in the doorway then walked over and sat on a stool near the counter. He said nothing for a time, merely watched her work, but then he said, “Is there anything I can do?” he asked.
Dove opened her mouth, about to refuse his offer to help but paused and decided against that course. “If you’d like to peel some potatoes and cut them up into smaller chunks, that would be wonderful.” She gestured to a bowl on the counter and the vegetables nearby. “You’ll have to wash them first, but—”
She fell silent as he moved about the kitchen as if he’d always spent his time there. He poured some water out of the nearby bucket into the bowl and washed the skins of the potatoes. After that, he grabbed a paring knife and moved to the other side of the counter and began to make shallow slices in each potato, peeling away the skin with expert precision. He dropped the peeled potatoes into a pot of water then tossed the refuse in the rubbish bin near the end of the worktable.
Dove lifted a curious brow, impressed in spite of herself. “Have you done this before?”
He glanced up with a snort as he continued his task. “Don’t look so surprised. More than once, when I was supposed to be taking a nap with my brother and sister, I would go down to the kitchens and pester our cook, Mrs. Alfreds, for some sweetmeats. She generally indulged me, but not without forcing me to earn it first.” He shrugged. “I peeled potatoes, carrots, beets, anything that she needed help with.” He glanced up and offered her a coy grin. “I can probably even attempt to do some canning, but only in dire circumstances.”
Dove laughed. She could just imagine a stubborn young man bedeviling the servants. “You sound like you’ve always been a bit rebellious, my lord.”
“Indeed.” He sighed dramatically. “I admit I was a handful when I was a child, but I was tame then compared to after I was sent away to school. That’s when I became quite unruly.”
Dove saw his mouth turn down at the corners, as if he wasn’t proud of the fact. “What caused it?”
He seemed to ponder her words for a moment. “I can’t say. Wishing to be like my fellow peers, I suppose? Why do any of us act in a certain manner?”
She considered her answer carefully. “My father would say that it is our demons that propel us to behave irrationally.”
“You mean the ones from hell?” he teased.
“No,” she returned solemnly. “Our inner battles that we have yet to overcome.”
Cain paused for a moment, his focus intent on the potato in his hand all of a sudden. “Your father is quite the philosopher himself,” he murmured. “But I can’t say that he’s wrong.” He glanced up and caught her gaze. “It’s true that I haven’t lived a life that my parents would approve of thus far, and perhaps it’s the way I was always expected to appear and comport myself that I felt it necessary to lash out so ruthlessly. I wasn’t rebelling against anything more than a lifestyle I had never wanted, nor asked for.” His focus warmed slightly. “But I’m starting to see that I’ve been given a gift that I have squandered for far too long.”
Warmth flowed into Dove’s cheeks, because she knew he was recalling their earlier conversation.
He returned to the item in his hand and continued to manipulate the potato’s skin. “I never told you why I ended up in Meriden, did I?”
This time, it was her turn to snort softly. “Other than seeking redemption? No, you did not.”
