She stepped back. “I should be going,” she muttered and lowered her head.
When she would have made her way past him, he said, “Mrs. Decker told me that I should see the Kenilworth Castle ruins. Or Maxstoke Castle because it has a moat surrounding the keep. Which one would you suggest?”
She paused and turned back to him. “I’ve always loved Kenilworth, and it is a popular destination for most travelers.”
He inclined his head. “Then that is where I shall go.” He paused. “I don’t suppose you could find time to play hostess to this wayward traveler once more?”
Dove knew she shouldn’t get drawn further into his charm, but he looked so hopeful in that moment, like a child waiting to be handed a sweetmeat. And if there was one thing he could have tempted her with, it was the castle. She had been there several times since she’d reached her majority, as it was but a short ride, and one of her favorite places to reflect other than her father’s sanctuary.
A smile tugged at her lips. “I would be delighted.”
Cain grinned broadly and offered her his arm. Together they headed for the stable at the inn so he could collect his mount, while Dove borrowed one of Mrs. Decker’s mares. The lady had always allowed her the use of her horses since Dove didn’t have one of her own. After sending off a quick message to her father, they settled in their prospective saddles and urged their horses into a gentle gait.
It didn’t take long before Dove was feeling the chill from the ride. Her cheeks were likely already pinkened, and she shivered as a gust of wind tried to slide up her skirts. “It will probably snow soon,” she noted, not realizing she’d spoken aloud until the viscount answered.
“Indeed, I believe you may be right.” He glanced at her, his own cheeks barely changed from the weather, although his hair was slightly disheveled. “But then, it is nearly Christmastide, so it would not be unheard of, would it?”
“Not at all,” she concurred. “In truth, I always yearn for the snow to fall at this time of year. It makes everything appear so… altered that you begin to look forward to new beginnings.”
“Is that what you desire, Miss Meriwether?” Lord Markel asked softly. “A fresh start?”
She lifted one shoulder haphazardly. “Not usually, no. I’m content with my life as it is, but I suppose a small part of me might wish for something…”
“More?” he finished.
She turned her head. “Yes. More.”
He studied her intently, to the point she faced forward once more, lest he see how much she truly yearned for… more. From him.
To try and bring the conversation back to neutral ground, she said, “Did you know that Meriden was not the original name of our town?”
“Really?”
She was glad when he appeared genuinely intrigued. “Indeed. It was called Alspath. It means ‘Aelle’s Path.’”
“Hmm.” He appeared to seriously ponder this for a moment. “I wonder who Aelle was?”
“I honestly can’t say. I haven’t found any trace of that name in the church records, but then, they have a way of getting ravaged by wars and fire.”
“Very true,” he agreed. “So much history has been lost. I shudder to think of how much we might have uncovered now had the Library of Alexandria not been burned during Julius Caesar’s time. Even the Serapeum Library, which many have referred to as the daughter of the Library of Alexandria was not spared its share of turmoil, as most of it was also destroyed.”
The viscount’s obvious passion for history was quite admirable, if not a bit surprising. She would have thought, for a man so fervent about saving his soul, that such things wouldn’t interest him, but apparently, he wasn’t as shallow as she’d first imagined. Not only that, but they had found something in common. She, too, had always lamented the loss of so many precious documents, forever swallowed up by time.
“I commend you, Lord Markel. That was a very impassioned speech.”
Cain had felt foolish after his abrupt outpouring of emotion, but when he turned to Dove, she was regarding him with something he could only discern as respect. Suddenly, he didn’t feel quite so idiotic. “I’m glad you think so, Miss Meriwether.”
Silence fell for a time as they continued their trek across the countryside, until finally, the silhouette of the keep could be seen from the hillside. Dove reined in her mount and said with something akin to awe, “That is Kenilworth Castle.”
Cain tried to view the ruins as she obviously did, with absolute devotion shining out of her eyes, and he had to admit that the scene it presented was quite impressive. As they rode closer, Cain started to gain a semblance of why this was so sacred to Dove. It had an almost… spiritual quality. A large, red sandstone structure that boasted both Tudor and Renaissance architecture, it had suffered its own share of tragedy, just as Egypt’s libraries had. It was said to have held off combating forces during the English Civil War and had the longest siege in Medieval history. Once a magnificent edifice, it had fallen prey to cruelty over the years, and the proud towers now stood as hollow shells to a forgotten age.
They stopped before the castle gate and dismounted, tying their mounts nearby. For a moment, they each stood and took in the site, imagining the sounds of days gone by.
“I first became fascinated with this castle when I read ‘A Concise history and description of Kenilworth Castle.’” Dove said quietly. “When I realized we were so close to the ruins, I begged Papa to let me see it. It wasn’t until after I reached my majority that he finally acquiesced.”
Cain frowned. “He didn’t wish to escort you here himself?”
Dove didn’t look at him, but kept her focus firmly fixated on the keep. “My father was too busy attending to his flock.” She shook her head, as if combating a painful memory and turned to him with a slight smile. “I don’t fault him for not wanting to shirk his duties. He became a vicar not to please his family, but to help others.”
