‘I do. There’s not a greater life, in my opinion. However, it’s not for everyone, and in that too, I’m glad. If everyone loved it as I do, the ocean would be overflowing with ships, and no one would live on land. Meaning there wouldn’t be anyone for me to haul cargo for, and that would be a shame.’
‘That is true,’ she said. ‘My father was a sea captain at one time, before he met my mother. Before he had a family.’
It was their turn to step into the house. Upon seeing Drake, the Baroness Montgomery instantly took a hold of both of his hands. ‘Captain Taylor, we are so pleased that you could join us! Our son Adam, who will be asleep soon, was ecstatic to hear you might be in attendance. I think I mentioned that he’s enthralled with Hugo, your elephant.’
‘Thank you for the invitation,’ Drake said. ‘I’m honored to attend, but I must correct you, Hugo is no longer my elephant. He belongs to the zoo.’
‘I know, I know. Captain… Please forgive me for being so direct, but I must ask if you wouldn’t mind sparing just a brief moment to say hello to Adam? I would forever be grateful.’
‘My apologies, Captain Taylor,’ Baron Montgomery said. ‘I’m afraid my wife has filled our son’s head with hopes of meeting the man who brought Hugo to the zoo. It’s all either of them has talked about since we met you yesterday.’
‘I’d be honored to meet your son,’ Drake said. ‘Could I ask that Lady Meridith joins me? She’s more familiar with entertaining children than I am.’
Meridith’s heart skipped several beats. She did enjoy spending time with children, but the idea of staying at Drake’s side for a few more minutes was even more pleasing.
‘Certainly,’ Baron Montgomery replied. ‘Lady Meridith, it’s our pleasure to have you join us this evening.’
Meridith exchanged greetings with both her hosts, then the baron assured his wife that he would receive the guests alone until she was able to return.
With that, she and Drake were swept away from the doorway and up a wide set of polished wooden stairs to the first floor.
‘I simply can’t thank you enough, Captain Taylor,’ the baroness said, as they climbed the staircase. ‘You, too, Meridith. You remember Adam, don’t you?’
‘Of course I do,’ Meridith replied. ‘He’s been a guest at several birthday parties for my nieces and nephews.’ A quiet boy compared to her nephews, Adam was often on the sidelines, watching as others played. As a result, Meridith had spoken to him during all of his visits to any of her siblings’ homes.
‘Oh, yes, and your nephews were at Adam’s seventh birthday party, just a few months ago,’ the baroness said, as they reached the landing. ‘His room is right this way.’
The baroness continued talking about her son, and her other two children, both boys older than Adam, who were currently away at school, until they arrived at the nursery, where she opened the door and led them inside.
Adam, a small child with curly red hair and dozens of freckles, was sitting on the floor with his governess, playing with an assortment of wooden animals.
The baroness introduced them, and within moments, Meridith recognized that Drake hadn’t needed her assistance in order to visit Adam. He sat on the floor with the boy and was answering questions asked of him two at a time. He had questions of his own that he asked Adam, and the laughter between the two of them genuinely warmed Meridith’s heart.
‘Oh, I just can’t tell you how happy this makes me,’ the baroness whispered. ‘Adam usually shies away from people, even those he knows, but look at him. He’s beaming with excitement.’
Adam was certainly far more talkative than Meridith had ever seen him. ‘Captain Taylor can draw anyone into a conversation,’ she whispered in return. ‘Especially when it comes to animals.’
‘I can see that.’ Glancing towards the door, the baroness added, ‘I really should return to the foyer. I don’t want to abandon Alfred with so many guests yet to arrive. Would you mind?’
‘Not at all,’ Meridith said. ‘Go. Captain Taylor and I will find our way back downstairs when they are done talking.’
‘Thank you, my dear, and thank the captain for me again, would you?’
‘Yes, of course,’ Meridith replied, glancing about the room. It was filled with toys and books, everything a child was meant toneed to be made happy, but as she’d learned long ago, things alone couldn’t make anyone happy.
Meridith would have been content to stay put, simply watching the interaction happening on the floor, but Drake motioned her forward.
‘I told Adam that Hugo will be providing rides to zoo visitors soon, and about how you want to ride him,’ Drake said.
She smiled at him, then looked at Adam. ‘That is true. I do want to ride him. Do you?’
‘I don’t know,’ Adam replied, a bit hesitant. ‘He’s so big,’.
Drake reached up and took hold of Meridith’s hand. ‘I said that perhaps we could meet Adam at the zoo one day, and the two of you could ride Hugo together? I’d be there the entire time, too.’
Both Adam and Drake were looking at her expectantly, and she was more than willing to agree with their silent pleas. With Drake holding her hand, she felt as if she was a real part of something. Even if it was just making a child feel more comfortable. It had been a long time since she had felt so included. Lowering herself onto her knees, she said, ‘I think that would be wonderful.’
‘Will you ride Hugo, too?’ Adam asked Drake.
