Chapter Fifteen
Meridith could stand there all day, never moving, never speaking, because she would not be the one to stop Drake from sailing.
If that meant not marrying him, so be it.
She’d become an old maid. Live in Peter’s house until her hair was grey, her skin wrinkled, and she slept more hours than she was awake.
She’d rather have all that happen, rather become old and miserable, than have him lose the life he loved.
The minutes ticked by. Slowly, steadily, until he was the one who gave in.
‘Meridith,’ he said softly, stepping close enough to rub her upper arms with both hands.
‘I love you and don’t want to be away from you.
Not for a day, let alone months. I want to come home to you every night.
Hold you in my arms. Sleep next to you. The first thing I want to see every morning is you.
The last thing I want to see every night is you.
And I want to spend every waking hour loving you. ’
He was cracking through her stubbornness, because those were the things she wanted, too, and had to fight in order to hold out.
Not to give in. She had to, for his sake, she had to.
‘I don’t want to be away from you, either.
And I love you. I love the you that I know.
The one who loves the sea. Loves sailing.
I don’t want that to end. Not because of me. ’
‘It’s not because of you. It’s because of us,’ he said. ‘The life we create together. That’s the life I want now, and it’ll be a good one. A wonderful life.’
She didn’t doubt that their life together would be wonderful, and searched her mind for a way to make him understand. To make him… She frowned as what he’d said registered again. The reason they were now arguing. ‘What did you mean about a second elephant?’
Despite the seriousness of the moment, he grinned. ‘I received a letter from Clem. He has an elephant calf that he’s worried will become mistreated. I’m working to acquire cargo to transport to that area so a ship can pick up the elephant and bring him to the zoo.’
‘A calf?’ Meridith’s heart filled with compassion, thinking of a baby elephant being mistreated. Some people just didn’t understand that animals were living beings and deserved to be treated kindly, fairly.
‘Yes,’ he said.
The zoo could certainly accommodate another animal; she was sure of that. ‘How do you think Hugo will react?’
‘Elephants are herd animals. I think he’ll enjoy the company very much.’
With all the excitement of everything that had happened since she’d walked through the door, she’d forgotten what she’d come here to tell Drake.
Perhaps that would settle the argument. ‘I was being serious when I asked you about taking a passenger on your ship, because I want to go. I want to see faraway lands, eat different foods, meet new people. And, I want to go collect an elephant, deliver him to the zoo.’
He frowned. ‘Since when?’
‘Since forever. That’s part of the reason I love the zoo so much.
I just never dreamed it would be possible.
Never dreamed that I’d meet a man who could make all of my dreams come true.
Not just about love and marriage and children, but everything.
I don’t want you to stop sailing, my love. I want us to go sailing together.’
There was skepticism in his eyes. ‘You aren’t just saying that, because you think it’s what I want to hear?’
She looked up at him through her lashes. ‘Have you ever heard me say something just because it’s what someone wants to hear?’
He chuckled. ‘No.’
‘And you won’t, because if I don’t want to do something, I’m not going to do it, and if I do want to do something, I am going to do it.’
He pulled her up against him. ‘I know that is the truth.’
‘It’s the truth that I want to go sailing, too.’
He rested his forehead against hers. ‘All right.’
She slipped her arms around him. ‘All right, we’ll go sailing together?’
‘Yes. We will go to Africa and collect another elephant.’
Lifting her face so their lips could connect, she whispered, ‘Thank you.’
He leaned back just enough so their lips still hadn’t connected. ‘There is one condition.’
Of course there was. There was always a condition. ‘What is it?’
‘That you change your mind back to marrying me.’
‘Of course I’m going to marry you. It’s what I want to do. Has been since you loaned me your knife to cut off the bustle beneath my dress.’
‘I do believe that is the moment that you changed my life,’ he said, and then he kissed her again.
The last month had been the longest, most excruciating month of Drake’s life.
Not even days on end spent at sea, where he’d seen nothing but ocean water, had been as tormenting as the last four weeks.
Every day had felt as if it had forty-eight hours in it rather than twenty-four, and the hours that weren’t dragging by, those which he spent with Meridith, left him with an aching need that nothing could ease.
Other than her. When he made her his wife in every way.
Today was finally the day that it would happen.
Drake stood at the altar of the church, where pews were filled with people dressed in their finery.
Grace and Della and Archibald, along with their families, were in the front row, and he felt a new appreciation for all of them.
For being his family. Falling in love Meridith had changed so many things.
Michael, the Duke of Turnbill, was standing next to him in the role of best man. Now he leaned over and whispered, ‘I haven’t noticed any potential threats yet, have you?’
Drake cracked a grin. ‘No.’ Just last evening, while visiting with Michael and Rosemary, his adoring, soon-to-be wife had given them all a lesson on what it meant to be the ‘best man’.
History had been another one of the subjects that she had excelled in at her finishing school for young ladies in Bath.
Centuries ago, when abducting brides was commonplace, the best man was chosen because he was the best fighter of the clan and was given the responsibility of stopping any would-be thieves from stealing the bride away from the groom before they were wed.
‘Good, I wouldn’t want to fail at my duties,’ Michael replied with a grin.
‘I don’t believe you will,’ Drake said.
‘In all seriousness,’ Michael said, ‘I couldn’t be happier for you. Meridith is the perfect choice for you. She’s as adventurous as you, and I look forward to hearing of the places the two of you go.’
‘Thank you,’ Drake replied. ‘She changed my life.’
‘For the best.’
‘Yes, definitely for the best.’
‘That’s how it should be.’
In full agreement, Drake nodded.
Michael then whispered, ‘This fighting role I’ve been given, protecting you two at all costs, it doesn’t count when it comes to elephants, right? That wouldn’t be a fair contest.’
Drake laughed. Meridith had suggested getting married at the zoo so Hugo could be present but had conceded to her sisters and their objections, and agreed to a church wedding.
Still, as Drake had told Michael last night, he wouldn’t be surprised if she’d arranged for the elephant to be brought into the church.
He was still smiling, still thinking that there was so much about Meridith to love, when she appeared in the doorway. Dressed in a white, flowing gown, carrying a bouquet of flowers, and holding on to Chesterfield’s arm, she slowly made her way up the aisle.
Drake’s heart thudded in his chest.
A thin veil of lace covered her face, but it couldn’t hide the glow on her cheeks, the smile on her lips, or the sparkle in her blue eyes. Nor did the gown hamper the speed of her steps like the gown she’d claimed made her look like a rosebush.
It hadn’t. It had complemented her beauty. Like the one she wore now.
Chesterfield patted her hand more than once, encouraging her to slow her steps as they walked forward, past the pews filled with people pivoting their heads to watch brother and sister progress to the front of the church.
Drake met them as they arrived and took her hand, leading her the last couple of steps to where they stopped before the priest. He hadn’t been in churches all that often since taking to the sea, but at this moment, he knew in his heart, soul, and mind, he was exactly where he belonged.
The ceremony might have seemed uneventful to some, for no one attempted to steal the bride, and neither he nor Meridith made a mistake while reading their vows. However, it wasn’t uneventful to him. It was sacred, and he was honoured by the devotion in her voice as she vowed her love to him.
He had never felt as proud as the moment when the priest announced them as husband and wife. He also felt privileged to be united with her for evermore. The kiss he placed on her lips was brief, but held promises of more to come soon.
So did the shimmer in her eyes as they took their first stroll together along the aisle between the pews as husband and wife.
As the crowd erupted with joyous applause, he glanced at Meridith and gave her a wink, which caused her to lean back as she laughed jubilantly.
They stopped in the vestibule of the church to sign the paperwork, sealing their marriage, and once Meridith had set down the pen, she turned to her family who had gathered nearby. ‘You did it,’ she said. ‘You married me off.’
‘You did it,’ her sister Diana said. ‘You found yourself the perfect husband.’
‘And I married him,’ Meridith said, looking at Drake.
‘And I married the perfect wife,’ he replied, and kissed her temple.
‘Can you believe that’s the same girl I had to drag off the porch to be your croquet partner the day of the garden party?’ her sister Janine asked him.
‘No, I can’t,’ Drake admitted, while looking at Meridith. ‘Sometimes. Other times, I know she’s the same girl because she wins at everything she does.’
Laughter ensued as Meridith shook her head at his teasing.
‘I don’t know about the rest of you,’ Chesterfield said, ‘but I’m going to sleep better tonight than I have in the last six years.’