However, Gains had warned, a new division of Coastal Shipping Line would need to be created to oversee all of the contracts, payments, and dock work. Drake fully understood that but knew it would take a great deal of oversight. He’d assumed finding a partner would be easier, someone with experience in the shipping industry. Knowledge of all the things that his uncle had had.
That was where Drake had failed to prepare. He knew how to sail a ship and, in all honesty, hadn’t wanted to learn the rest. He’d thought he’d never need to know it.
That had been foolish: he’d known this day would come at some point and should have been ready for it. Having control over his own life didn’t mean he could ignore the parts he didn’t like.
Leaving Edward’s office, Drake mounted his horse and wasted no time in making his way across town again, to his uncle’s—now his cousin’s—townhome. There he dismounted, tied up his horse, barrelled up the front steps, and threw open the main door, shouting for his cousin. None of this would be happening if not for Archibald.
They met in the hallway outside the office on the main floor. Archibald’s lips were curved into a snide smile and his dark beady eyes were shimmering in the same way they had when he was young and had gotten away with being mean.
Drake’s first instinct was to punch his cousin in the face, but as his hand balled into a fist, he recalled the lesson he’d learned in childhood. That reaction was exactly what Archibald had wanted. Therefore, he uncurled his fingers and held his hand out to his cousin. ‘I just wanted to congratulate you.’
The smile fell from Archibald’s lips and his dark brows furrowed. ‘For what?’
Drake let his hand fall to his side and walked past his cousin, into the office. He headed straight for the decanter on the side cupboard and poured himself a glass of whisky. Turning, he held it up in the air and tipped it slightly towards his cousin. ‘For reminding me that good and evil will always exist.’ He drank the contents in one long swallow. ‘I’d almost forgotten that.’
Archibald didn’t say a word, just stared at him, still frowning.
Drake set the glass on the top of the credenza with a thud, then crossed the room to the door.
Archibald backed into the hallway as if he wasn’t sure what to expect.
Drake merely gave him a nod as he entered the hallway and turned towards the main door.
‘That’s it?’ Archibald asked. ‘You came storming in here just to drink my whisky?’
‘You could say that,’ Drake said without looking back. ‘But I also congratulated you.’
‘And now you are just going to walk away, smiling, like you always do,’ Archibald shouted in his wake.
‘Yep,’ Drake replied. A new plan had formed in his mind.
Once outside, he mounted his horse and headed straight for the shipping company offices to do what he should have done the day after his uncle had died.
Actually, he should have done it years before then.
Sitting on the bed in her room, Meridith stared at the dress her sister was holding up. A yellow one. With daisies embroidered on the layered skirt. It wasn’t obnoxious. In fact, it was quite pretty, she just had no interest in wearing it. No interest in going to the theatre.
‘You could wear Mother’s pearls with this one,’ Diana said. ‘They would look lovely with this square neckline.’
In that, Diana was right. The pearls in her jewellery box would look lovely with that dress, but that made no difference. ‘I’m not wearing that dress or Mother’s pearls.’
‘I could ask Peter to send a message to Mr Taylor,’ Diana said. ‘Inquire whether he would be interested in attending the theatre with our family tonight.’
‘Absolutely not,’ Meridith said. It had been well over a week since she’d seen Drake. Mr Kent had mentioned that Drake had been over to see Peter one morning, while she’d been at the zoo, but he’d been long gone by the time she’d arrived home.
She’d been at the zoo every day, which was more than usual, and each day she had hoped that she’d accidentally run into him.
Accidentally, her foot. It would be a purposeful running into, considering that was the only reason she’d gone. Oh, she’d made up excuses about helping to create the schedule for the elephant rides and seeing if Mr Ratnam needed any help, but that was just what they were, excuses.
‘Why not?’ Diana asked. ‘Who knows, the two of you could become a smashing success.’
Meridith shook her head. ‘I have no desire to become a smashing success, nor do I wish to expose Mr Taylor to any more of my family’s matchmaking. He’s not interested in that and neither am I.’
‘We aren’t matchmaking, we are merely encouraging you to engage in social activities, meet more people your age.’
Meridith let out a disgusted sigh. ‘That’s what you always say, yet it’s only men eligible for marriage that you introduce me to.’
‘In hopes that you’d have someone to escort you to events and places.’
