Her heart skipped a beat in panic. ‘You’re fearful for your life?’
‘No. I love sailing, but it can be dangerous. Accidents happen. No one lives forever. If I have a partner, Coastal Shipping won’t end when I die.’
There was another skip in her heart, a more joyous one. ‘If you were to marry, have children, it could be passed down to your heir.’
Drake shook his head. ‘The reasons I want a partner are the same reasons why I won’t get married.’
The wave of disappointment washing over Meridith was unreasonable. She already knew he wasn’t interested inmarriage, and there was no reason for her to hope that would change. Nodding at his answer, she said, ‘I’d gladly help you decipher your ledgers if needed. Until you find a partner. Mr Andrews’s handwriting was hard to read at first, but I’ve gotten used to it, so I could be of help in keeping you from going bleary-eyed.’
‘Thank you. I will remember that.’
He’d no sooner said that than the coach came to a stop, and she saw her house out of the window. Yet another wave of disappointment crashed over her at the realisation that their time together was at an end. ‘It’s the least I can do for all of the help that you’ve provided me.’ The thought that formed next escaped through her lips before she had time to contemplate it. ‘Would you care to join us for dinner tonight?’
She’d never invited anyone to dinner, but there was no reason why she couldn’t. Nor was there any reason why Drake would want to accept, other than the one that struck her and flew from her lips just as quickly as the invitation had. ‘It would provide you with an opportunity to discuss your partnership with Peter.’
‘There is nothing more to discuss. The decision is his to make.’
‘Very well.’ She scooted across the seat towards the door that was being opened by Drake’s driver. It was better that he didn’t come to dinner. She had to figure this all out on her own.
He laid a hand on her knee, keeping her in her seat while he climbed out. Then he offered her his hand to assist her exit.
‘Thank you,’ she said, once her feet were on the ground, and her breathing returned. The simplest touch from him had the ability to send her reeling inside and out.
He took hold of her elbow. ‘I’ll walk you to the door.’
‘Thank you,’ she said, again, doing her best to act normally, just as she’d done all day.
‘You’re welcome, and I accept your invitation to dinner.’
‘You do?’ She pinched her lips together, but there was nothing she could do to slow the rapid beating of her heart. ‘I mean, wonderful. Seven o’clock?’
‘That will be perfect.’
Once again, she felt as if she was walking on air, even though common sense said that she had no reason to.
After bidding Drake farewell, the first thing she did upon entering the house was to ask Mr Kent to inform the kitchen, Peter, and Alena that Captain Taylor would be joining them for dinner, then she went upstairs to decide what to wear. As soon as she opened her wardrobe, she reached a verdict, for she really did like the yellow dress with the embroidered daisies that Diana had suggested the night before.
After that, she joined Alena for a light lunch. It was just the two of them because Peter was currently not home, and the children were eating upstairs with their governess. Together, she and Alena went over the menu for the evening, which didn’t take long. Certain thoughts still plagued Meridith throughout the task, and once they were finished, she asked, ‘Do you know when you fell in love with Peter?’
Alena’s smile made her face shine. ‘Yes, I do. You weren’t even born yet, because he was ten and I was eight. We were both ice-skating on the lake and I fell down. He tried to avoid hitting me, but fell, and his skate hit me.’ She touched the side of her face, along the jawline. ‘Right here. I still have the scar if you look closely. It’s very faint now, but that day it bled all over me and all over him because he carried me to my mother. I’m still not sure how he did that with skates on. Then he came to visit me regularly. He’d bring sweet treats from the kitchen here, or little gifts that he’d made for me. I still have a paper bookmark he gave me.’
Meridith had never heard this story before, but she knew one thing. At eight, Alena wouldn’t have been mature enough toconfuse love with lust. ‘How did you know you were in love with him? You were so young.’
‘I just did,’ Alena replied, ‘and I told my mother that I was going to marry him someday.’
Meridith was rapt with attention and truly wanted to know more. ‘What did she say?’
Alena let out a small laugh. ‘She said that she wouldn’t doubt that, because I had stars in my eyes every time I saw him.’ Shaking her head, she let out a sigh. ‘I bawled like a sick calf when we moved away.’
Again, this was not something Meridith had known. ‘When did you move away?’ she asked.
‘A few months later. My father died in a hunting accident, and my uncle inherited his title and properties. My mother and I moved to Winchester to live with her family. I didn’t see Peter again for ten years, and then one day, a mere random day, but what I call the best day of my life, he knocked on the door and asked me if I remembered him.’
‘Did you?’
‘Of course, I’d remembered him. We were married a few weeks later.’
‘Did you ever think about marrying someone else?’
