“There you are,” a deep voice exclaimed from behind him before its owner stepped across the threshold and then closed the door. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” A chuckle could be heard. “I suppose, I should’ve known I would find you here, alone, far away from everyone else. This is how you like it, is it not?”
Inhaling a deep breath, Drake slowly turned away from the window, his gaze falling upon a man his own age, a man he had not seen in years, but knew well. “Phineas Hawke in the flesh,” Drake remarked dryly, uncertain how he felt about hearing from his old classmate after an eternity of silence. “You have not changed a bit, it would seem.” Indeed, Phineas Hawke, Viscount Barrington, was a cheerful, lighthearted, endearing man, who often spoke too fast and possessed a bit of a wicked streak. Yet, Drake knew better than anyone that at his core Phineas was a good man. A man who knew the meaning of kindness and compassion, and to Drake, that was worth more than anything else in the world.
Phineas laughed. “Why would I?” He strode closer, his dark gaze sweeping over Drake, no doubt trying to assess how the years had changed him. Then the smile vanished from his face, and the look in his eyes sobered. “Thank you for coming. I truly appreciate it.”
Drake nodded in acknowledgment. “I admit I was rather surprised to hear from you.” The letter he received had made it quite clear that Phineas intended to propose to a young lady, here, at Windmere Park. However, there was a problem he wished to address first. Apparently, the young lady had only recently begun to learn how to read and write. For the longest time, she had hidden her inability from all those around her, ashamed of her shortcoming.
It was something Drake understood quite well for he, too, had struggled in his early years to make sense of letters and words, frustrated with his inability to master them. Yes, he too had felt inferior at some point. Drake could no longer recall what had allowed him to move past that feeling, to continue on and eventually master this challenge. He had, though, and now his friend was asking for his help, worried that the woman he had lost his heart to would continue to think low of herself.
Never would Drake have suspected that such a deeply empathetic heart beat in his old friend’s chest. It was a surprise, but a most welcome one. Generally, people tended to surprise Drake in a most foul way. Indeed, it felt good to be reminded that here and there some good was left in the world after all.
“Would you like to go for a stroll?” Phineas asked as he gestured toward the snow-covered world outside the window. “I believe Louisa and her sister are headed down into the gardens.”
“Very well.”
Together, the two men donned their winter coats and then headed outside, snow crunching below their feet as they turned to walk around the house and toward a cacophony of voices, laughing and chatting. Dozens of people were out and about, walking through the maze or skating on the frozen lake. Some even engaged in a snowball fight while footmen carried trays laden with hot beverages out to the lake.
Farther down the grassy slope, now hidden under a layer of snow, Drake spotted two young women walking slowly up the path. They were quite similar in stature, but of different coloring: one fair-haired, the other dark. As the men moved closer, the two women caught sight of them, their feet stilled as the blonde, young lady—presumably the one who held Phineas’ affections—looked up at them with open curiosity. The dark-haired one, however, seemed to tense. Drake could not quite say how he knew, considering the layers of clothing she needed in this weather. Still, even from farther away, he recognized the look of apprehension upon her face. There was something in the way she moved, the way her feet seemed to retreat ever so slowly as she all but maneuvered herself farther away from the men approaching. She moved to her sister’s other side, putting more distance between herself and them.
Drake could not help it, but he felt the little hairs on the back of his neck rise. The woman had been hurt. He knew it! He simply did! It was a sixth sense.
“Good day, my ladies,” Phineas greeted the women once they had reached their side, his voice cheerful as Drake remembered it. “I hope you’re well and have not suffered overly from our journey.”
The fair-haired lady chuckled, and Drake was not surprised to see that she possessed a similar disposition to his old friend. “I cannot say that we have. Although Grandma Edie’s snoring became a tad irritating after a while.”
Drake’s old friend laughed. “So did the meaningful looks exchanged between Anne and Tobias.” Drake frowned, wondering who they were and when his friend would finally provide introductions. “Perhaps on our way back we can make other arrangements.” A teasing smile came to Phineas’ face.
Clearing his throat rather loudly, Drake drew all their attention. It was not something he preferred, however, under the circumstances, he considered it necessary.
“I apologize,” Phineas exclaimed immediately, casting him a companionable smile. “Ladies, may I introduce you to an old friend from Eton, Drake Shaw, Marquess of Pemberton. Pemberton, these are Lady Louisa and Lady Leonora.”
“A pleasure, my ladies.” Drake offered them a formal bow, his eyes returning to Lady Leonora as she stood off to the side, her hands clenched and her eyes downcast.
Lady Louisa, however, did not refrain from voicing her surprise about meeting an old friend of Phineas’ here at Windmere Park that she had never even heard of before. Drake had to admit he rather liked her direct nature. It was unusual, but it proved to him that she possessed a strong will and strength of character, something that would serve her in this world.
“To be quite truthful,” Phineas explained, “we have not seen each other in many years. I admit, we were not the closest of friends at Eton. However, Pemberton has always been a man, who despite our many differences, has earned my respect.” Drake did his utmost to ignore the teasing grin that came to his friend’s face.
“And you’ve come across each other here by chance this Christmas season?” Lady Louisa inquired, suspicion in her green eyes.
In that moment, Drake realized that the young lady had no idea why he was here. He wondered how she would react once she understood that Phineas had shared her struggles with him. Drake suspected she would be more than simply displeased. Indeed, her passionate nature would surely send her into a fury, would it not?
Phineas had to have realized the very same thing in that moment for the look upon his face changed drastically. “Not quite. In fact, I asked him here.”
“Why?” Lady Louisa inquired, the suspicion upon her face deepening, her teeth set on edge. Indeed, she was not one to cower. Drake admitted he rather liked that about her. In contrast, her sister, Lady Leonora, seemed to wish the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She barely managed to lift her eyes off the ground, glancing at him for no more than a split-second before retreating within herself once more.
Phineas stepped toward the woman he loved, inhaling a deep breath. “Please, hear me out.”
The young woman tensed. “Say it then.” It was all but a snarl.
“I reached out to him,” Phineas began, caution in his voice now, “because I thought he might be able to help you.”
“What do you mean?”
Phineas seemed to grit his teeth. “I apologize for not consulting you beforehand.” He shook his head and scoffed. “In retrospect, of course, I should have. Still, all I can say is that it did not occur to me at the time. I’m sorry.”