Stopping before her, he nodded.
While the rage still roiling inside her certainly didn’t lessen, she let out a great sigh, relieved that he was being so understanding.
Until he shook his head. Then her relief disappeared.
‘Why are going to let him win?’ he asked.
‘Let who win?’
‘Your brother. By not going, you’re going to let him win, just like you would have let him win the croquet game the other day.’
Flustered and angry, Meridith shook her head. ‘This is not some sort of game where you can clap and cheer, pretending to be having fun. We both know you didn’t want to play croquet any more than I did.’ He hadn’t said that yesterday, but she’d sensed it when they’d first been introduced.
‘And I don’t want to go to a ball hosted by the Baron and Baroness Montgomery any more than you do.’
‘Then why are you here?’
‘I was invited by your brother to attend the ball with your family during the garden party. An hour ago, I received a message from him stating that he and the duchess would be unable to escort you to the ball and asked if I would. I answered affirmatively. Therefore, here I am.’
‘Excuse me, Lady Meridith,’ Mr Kent said quietly.
She pivoted to face him.
With a slight nod, Mr Kent quietly informed her, ‘The duke received a message that Lady Diana needed an escort to the ball.’
Meridith felt her stomach sink, and her anger disperse. ‘Oh, thank you, Mr Kent.’
‘Yes, my lady,’ he replied.
His tone told her that he understood the situation that was rapidly becoming clear to her, too. Diana and Baroness Montgomery had been best friends since childhood, and her sister wouldn’t miss the ball. Not if she could help it.
Her husband, Walter, however, would think nothing of missing it. Think nothing of taking their only coach so Diana would need transportation and an escort.
Shame bubbled inside Meridith. Despite the anger she felt towards him, she knew that Peter was a dedicated brother, willing to do anything to help any of siblings. He and Alena would have left upon receiving the message, because it would take them over an hour to get across London to Diana’s house and then to the Montgomerys’. An hour ago, Meridith had still been dressing and having her hair done, transforming herself into a rosebush.
Though she would still prefer not to go to the ball, she accepted now that she had to. Diana had been looking forward to the entire family attending, and like it or not, she didn’t want to disappoint her sister.
Letting out another sigh, one filled with too many emotions to define, she turned about and faced Drake again. ‘My apologies, Captain Taylor. I fear I reacted without thinking. I would greatly appreciate an escort to the ball, if you are still willing to provide one.’
‘Of course,’ he replied.
Drake was surprised, confused, and concerned at the sudden change in Meridith when she’d been told that her sister needed transportation to the ball. Every family had issues that they chose to keep within their private purview, his included. Therefore, he should respect Meridith’s privacy and not question the change in her attitude.
Except for the fact that she’d assumed they’d been duped as quickly as he had, and he couldn’t help but wonder why. Still, he maintained silence on that topic as they left the house and entered his coach.
Her dress was very pretty, and she looked extraordinarily beautiful in it. It seemed, however, to be constricting her ability to take anything except tiny steps. Why women chose fashion over comfort was unfathomable to Drake, but he’d never claimed to understand women and wasn’t about to try to start, either.
He held Meridith’s hand as she stepped into the coach and waited as she positioned herself inside. She perched almost sideways in the corner of the coach as if her dress made sitting normally difficult. Again, choosing not to comment on any of that, he climbed in after her and sat on the bench across from her.
She was still fussing with her skirt, trying to get the yards of material out of the way of her feet, and he waited until she seemed to be settled before asking, ‘Ready?’
‘Yes, thank you.’
He used the cane leaning against his seat to tap on the roof, signalling they were set for departure to George Cartwright, his driver, butler, and all-around personal attendant as needed. George and his wife, Agnes, had been taking care of Drake’s home and needs ever since he’d purchased the London house when he’d been eighteen. By then, he was too usednotliving with his cousin to ever do so again. George and Agnes were good people, and he was grateful to have them in his employ.
‘I do apologize for my outburst earlier,’ Meridith said.
‘It is I who must apologize,’ he replied. ‘I fear that I’d jumped to a conclusion before knowing the circumstances.’ The conclusion had been that Chesterfield had been forcing the two of them to attend the ball together. The man had said that he’dwanted to see his sister smile again. Drake had been game for that, but nothing more. Never anything more than that. Not with Lady Meridith or any other woman.
