Chapter Nine #3
Drake didn’t attempt to hide his grin, nor did he feel particularly bad for Chesterfield. The man had underestimated his youngest sister and should have realised that before tonight. She was tired of being controlled. He couldn’t blame her for that. No one could.
At least he hoped her family would see it that way.
He turned his attention to the reporters and told the story of rescuing a drunk elephant from a London alley. Much of which they already knew from the crowd that had followed them from the public house and still hadn’t dispersed.
It was close to another hour before he was finally in his house, had eaten enough to curb the hunger that had been with him earlier, and then found his way to his bed.
There he faced the dilemma of either laughing over the night’s adventure or dwelling more on thoughts that were already twisted into knots.
He chose to laugh, because dwelling would keep him up all night, and he still wouldn’t have a solution to either the question of exactly what it was he felt towards Meridith, or what to do about it.
The next morning, when he arrived at Hugo’s pen, he faced a similar dilemma. Wearing a yellow dress as bright as the morning sun, Meridith was already there, leaning on one of the metal rungs of Hugo’s pen.
Now wasn’t the time to dwell, either, so Drake laughed. ‘Did you even go to bed?’
Her smile was as vibrant and sunny as her dress. ‘Yes, and I slept quite well. As I hope you did.’
‘I did, thank you.’ It wasn’t a complete lie, he had slept, but thoughts of her had haunted him as he’d fallen asleep and been there waiting when he’d awoken.
‘So did Hugo,’ she said, gesturing into the pen. ‘As you can see, he’s also feeling no ill effects from his jaunt about town last night.’
The elephant was giving himself a dirt bath by rolling on the ground and creating a massive dust cloud while doing so.
‘I do see he’s acting normally.’ Drake was trying his best to act normally, too.
What was it about Meridith that made him question every belief he’d thought he held about women, and about himself?
For years he’d thought he’d known what he wanted; now he wondered if he’d only wanted what he’d known.
‘I’ve sent a note of inquiry to the police station to learn the name of the boy they apprehended last night,’ Meridith said.
‘Following through on your plan for them to make restitution?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘And don’t try to talk me out of it.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of that,’ he said.
She frowned slightly. ‘Because you know I can’t be talked out of it, or because you believe those boys need to learn what they did was wrong?’
He couldn’t say if it was the yellow dress or the matching hat sitting atop her head that made her look so charming. Either way, she was adorable, inside and out. ‘Both,’ he admitted. ‘Let me know if I can assist you in any way.’
‘Thank you. I will.’ She twisted to watch as Hugo stood up. ‘Have you seen any of the newspapers?’
‘I have not, but am assuming that you have.’
‘Fresh off the presses. Hugo’s picture is on the front page of two of them.’
‘And your name is listed.’
‘Much to my brother’s chagrin.’ She flashed a smile his way.
‘You appear to be enjoying that.’
‘I am. You were the one who once suggested that I not let him win, and I appreciate how you’ve enlightened me.’
‘Enlightened you?’
‘Yes. I’ve not only decided to be happy, I’ve decided to be my own person.’
He was beginning to wonder if he’d been a bad influence upon her. ‘What does that mean?’
‘Simply that I’m not going to be nothing more than the baby of the family any longer.’
‘I see,’ he said, although he had no idea what she meant, and if he should be worried about it.
She held up a small pad of paper and pencil. ‘I’ve already spoken to Mr Andrews and have a meeting with a gardener of the park to assess the damage done last night, so that I will have a complete accounting to present to the boy’s family, and…’
‘And?’ he asked, growing even more concerned about what he might have unleashed.
‘And I’m going to the public house after that, to find out how much it will cost to replace the wine that Hugo drank.’
‘Oh, no, you’re not,’ he said. ‘That’s not a safe part of town for you to visit by yourself.’
‘I’ll have a driver.’
He shook his head. ‘That’s not sufficient.’
Folding her arms, she stared at him.
He stared back, despite the way Hugo’s trunk blocked his vision every now and again as the elephant sniffed at the silk flower on her hat.
‘I need that information in order to complete a full list of damages.’
Grasping hold of Hugo’s trunk, Drake held it away from his face. ‘Let someone else complete the list.’
‘No, this is something I will do.’
‘Have you always been this stubborn?’
‘Probably.’
‘Probably?’
She nodded. ‘I’ve never wanted to do something as much as I want to do this, so I truly don’t know.’
Stubborn and honest. No wonder he liked her so much. She reminded him of himself.
That was also why, although he knew he might regret it, he said, ‘I’ll take you to the public house myself.’