“You have no apologies to make,” he reassured her while nudging the box of books closer to her. “We are simply left with our lots in life. It’s hardly worth the heartache.”
“But you can still mourn that which you lost,” she reasoned.
“What about what I never had? No, I would rather press forward. There is a life to live, my duchess, and I should preferto look to every day with reason and satisfaction. Not pain and certainly not regret.”
Those profound words weighed on her heart. She studied Dominic for a moment, and could see the years sitting behind his eyes. There had been pain. Loss. And yet he carried on.
Around came Mr. Allan before they could say anything more to one another. “Well,” he said with a clap of hands, “Are there any other books you would like to consider?”
Dominic’s gaze shifted down to her grip on the box. She hadn’t had enough time to look through them carefully. Just the look of them made her eager, though, hungry to touch the spines and smell the pages. Books were her refuge before she took to writing. They brought her such comfort through the years, and she liked to think of them as friends.
“Yes,” Dominic told the shopkeeper as he finally tore his gaze from her. She felt something missing when he did. But his voice was warm and kind as he announced, “We’ll take the entire box.”
CHAPTER 19
Dominic had supposed Verity might be a reader in knowing she cared about writing, but he hadn’t really understood how voracious of an appetite she really had for the written word.
“It’s more than compelling, it’s important,” she insisted yet again on their carriage ride to a ball three nights later. “If the Ottoman Empire really did have those mathematical inventions, only to lose them, then it means their buildings could have been even more impressive than we understood them to be. To survive in such harsh conditions, to be able to battle… Oh, it breaks my heart to consider all that could be lost through history because of an empire like this.”
His brow furrowed in doubtful concern. “You do know we lost much in the library at Alexandria, don’t you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course I do. That’s Greece. Everyone knows Greece. But less people know about the ByzantineEmpire. That’s what I’m saying, we’re losing so many pieces of history simply by not reading about it.”
“Then what do you wish to do, force everyone to read every book?”
Straightening up in her seat, she gave a grin over his dry question. “It would make everything easier, I think.”
“Then I wish you success in such an attempt.” He mostly meant it too.
A short laugh escaped her. “I know. It’s… I get too passionate about some matters. But I know what it’s like to lose things, Dominic. People and ideas and homes and… and so much more. To consider the loss of a whole civilization simply strikes me as too much.”
“Perhaps we can travel someday so you can see what remains for yourself.”
Shock crossed her features. “Travel! I never thought about that. Would you?”
I would for you.
The surprising thought came unbidden. He hadn’t even thought about the words he was saying. Would he? Though he’d made sure to enjoy a grand adventure across the Continent afteruniversity, mostly to avoid his father, Dominic had always known London to be his home. He liked it here. He thrived here.
“Yes,” he told her simply.
It was worth everything to see the light shining in her eyes. This was also helped by the lantern light as their carriage rolled to a stop and they stepped out to arrive at the ball.
They passed through the receiving line, their conversation left long behind back in the carriage for safekeeping. Dominic promptly forgot the names of their hosts and found himself in the ballroom alongside Verity who waved and greeted several people they passed.
“Should we smile more than we already do?” Verity murmured.
The starting conversation in the carriage of the ride over had been focused on ensuring they presented themselves well together at the ball. He didn’t see why there was a need to discuss the matter, but his wife wanted to be certain they would present a united front.
I have no reason to disagree. Of course we should be united.
Around the room they went. Both of them were accepted in countless circles like they always had been.
And yet it felt different.
While the evening wore on, the night growing darker and louder, Dominic attempted to make sense of it. He furrowed his brow to study the landscape of the ball while taking Verity onto the dance floor.
“I haven’t stepped on your foot, have I?” she asked him.
