They descended the stairs and saw Billy's trunks packed and sitting in the foyer. Piano music was coming from the music room so they turned that way and found Billy and Elizabeth sitting side by side on the piano bench. Billy looked up at them and continuing to play he said with a smile, "Well I see you two are finally up and about."
Virginia smiled shyly and blushed. Drake wrapped an arm around her and hugged her to him.
Seeing them so affectionate, Elizabeth said happily, "Promise you won't get married until we get back, alright?"
Wriggling out of Drake's embrace, she replied, "We're not getting married."
"Not yet at any rate," Drake added with a smile.
Smiling and shaking her head, Virginia turned and walked out of the room.
Drake watched her until she was out of site and then flopped onto a chair. "How am I going to get a ring on that woman's finger?"
"Have you asked her properly?" Elizabeth asked.
"I've asked her a dozen times," he said.
"But properly. The way Billy asked me. With a ring, on bended knee?"
Drake sat up. His mind flew back just a few days to his mock proposal in the library. "No, I haven't done it that way. Do you think that would work?"
Billy laughed. "Quite frankly, Drake, when she's ready to marry you, she'll tell you. I'd even wager that she'll be the one to propose."
Virginia walked up the stairs to her sewing room and looked down at the gown she was currently working on. She ran her hands over the soft velvet fabric without really seeing it. Did he really want to marry her? More importantly, did she want to marry him? She sighed, admitting to herself, that yes, more than anything she wanted to marry him. But could she trust him to not run away and leave her, to not hurt her? She was beginning to believe that he wouldn't, but she still couldn't be sure.
When the Aurora's repairs are done, that's when I'll know, she thought. Whether he stays or sails away the first chance he gets, then I'll have my answer. It's going to be awhile before that happens though. Approximately three months, she mentally calculated. Alone in this house with him for three months. And they were supposed to stay apart and not have another night like the one that had just passed. She wondered how long that would last.
The next day they stood on the dock and watched as Billy and Elizabeth's ship set sail for England. They had a luxurious first class cabin and it was most likely going to be a very pleasant crossing. They waved at the ship until it vanished from sight and then turned and walked back to the carriage. Drake climbed into the enclosed driver's cabin and extended his hand to help Virginia climb in.
They drove in silence for awhile both lost in their own thoughts.
"Well, I guess it's just the two of us now," Drake said, finally breaking the silence.
"Yes, I suppose it is," she replied looking out the window.
"Are you alright?" he asked, noting her melancholy mood.
"Oh yes, I'll be fine," she replied in a tremulous voice. "I just miss them already, I suppose."
He fought back the urge to put his arm around her and give her a reassuring hug. He had made a promise to her and was going to keep it. It was not going to be easy though, he thought to himself. He cast a quick glance at her and his pulse quickened as it did every time he looked at her. She was so beautiful he couldn't help it. And now he had her all to himself for three months. How the hell was he going to manage to keep his hands off her for that long? His mind suddenly went back to Elizabeth's words from the day before, 'Have you asked her properly?'. He glanced over at her again. Maybe that's what he should do, propose properly. He wasn't sure though. If she said no there was no way he could remain in the house and he certainly wasn't about to leave her all alone. He would wait until he was sure. He could do that.
"They'll be back before you know it," he said reassuringly. "Have you given any more thought to hiring some servants?"
"Yes, I have. I think I'll put a notice up at city hall in the next few days."
"How many?"
"Two or three should do it. The house isn't really that big."
"Have you ever thought about building a bigger one?" he asked cautiously.
"Yes, of course. I'd like to have a family some day and will need a bigger one. Three bedrooms won't be enough. I've got plenty of time before that though."
"Would you like a big family?" he asked forcing himself to sound casual.
"Oh yes," she replied eagerly. "I was an only child and always wanted brothers and sisters. Of course, Violet is as close as a sister, but it's not quite the same thing." She turned to him. "Do you have any brothers or sisters? You've never mentioned anything about your family."
His face suddenly grew hard. "I never knew my parents," he replied coldly. "I was abandoned at an orphanage as an infant. I don't know if they survived or if I have any siblings."
"Oh Drake, I'm so sorry. You never found out anything about them? Not even their names?"
"No. I grew up there, helping to take care of the younger children as I got older."
"But what about your name? How did that come about?"
She thought he wasn't going to answer but he finally said, in a flat voice, "The orphanage was in Stratford." After a short pause, he continued, "There was a wooden toy in the basket with me. A duck, a drake. I was told I made such a fuss whenever anyone tried to take it away that they decided that's what they would call me."
"Oh," she replied in a small voice
Unexpectedly, he continued. "I was turned out at fourteen and didn't have anywhere to go or any idea what to do. I ended up in Liverpool and got a job as a sailor on a ship and realized it was something I was good at. I worked my way up quickly and saved every penny I made until I was able to buy my own ship. Made my own fortune. I'm a completely self-made man."
"Well, that's something to be proud of," she said encouragingly.
"I am proud of it. Now I just need someone to share it with," he said glancing at her.
She looked down at her hands and didn't say anything.
That night after they had eaten, they sat in the library. She kept looking over at him, until he finally looked up from his book. "What?" he said.
"I'm just so surprised to know something about you. You know almost everything about me but today was the first time I actually learned something about you. I never realized before that I didn't know any of your history."
He stared into the fire, the hard look returning to his face. "My history doesn't matter. All that matters to me is now and the future. But I'm only looking as far forward as the next three months."
When your ship will be repaired, she thought. She swallowed nervously. "And then what?" she asked, trying not to sound anxious.
"Then we'll see," he said returning to his book.
"Oh," she said quietly. She looked down at her book without seeing the pages.
"After that Billy and Elizabeth will be back, so you won't need me here anymore," he said.
"They'll be living in their own house, though. And maybe I will need you," she said haltingly, still staring blankly at her book.
He glanced over at her. "Like I said, we'll see."
She lay in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling. He's only looking as far ahead as the next three months, she thought. She sighed, knowing that she had made the right decision in waiting until his ship was repaired to see what he would do. What his true intentions were. But a small part of her was disappointed. She wished he had said he was staying, that he had no intentions of leaving her. But she realized she was being selfish. She wanted him to continue professing his undying love for her until it suited her to reply likewise. He might get tired of waiting for her and leave as soon as he gets the chance, having already given up on her.
She rolled over on her side and stared out the window. What was she going to do? She slid her hand under her pillow until her fingers touched the amber pendant. Pulling it out, she watched as it glowed in the moonlight. So much like his eyes. She would just have to see how things went, decide as she went along. Trust her instincts to tell her when it was finally safe to give in. Her closed her fingers around the stone and she shut her eyes.
A few days later as Drake was reading in the library, she entered wearing her riding habit.
"Where are you going?" he asked, looking up at her.
"Into to town, to post the notice for the maids," she replied pulling on her gloves. "I shan't be long."
He put down his book and rose. "Would you like me to come with you?"
"It's not necessary, but if you like, you're welcome to come. Actually, Billy's horse, Spirit, could use some exercise."
"I'll see if I can find something that passes for riding clothes," he said, heading upstairs to change.
A few minutes later he came back wearing an old pair of rough woolen breeches, boots and a heavy overcoat covering his shirt, waistcoat and frock coat. She pressed her lips together to prevent from laughing. Noting her struggles, he said dryly, "Perhaps you can make me a more suitable riding outfit."
"Oh Drake, I'm sorry, it's just that I thought you most certainly would own riding clothes."
"I do. I just didn't think to bring them with me," he said, patiently. "Shall we go?'
She was still giggling as they saddled the horses and led them out of the stables. "Maybe you should hire a groom to look after the horses," he suggested.
"I'm afraid I only have three rooms available for servants to sleep in, since I took over two of them for my sewing rooms." She turned and surveyed the small building where the horses were kept. "Although we could build some quarters onto the stables themselves."
"What do you think?"
"Certainly, and in about three months you can hire a groom."
She swung herself into the saddle. "Three months, three months. I'm sick to death of hearing about three months. Everything is in three months. Work on the out-building can't be started for another three months, I can hire a groom in three months, this rain won't stop for another three months, and..." she trailed off. She was going to add that his ship was going to be repaired in three months and then he'd be gone but she stopped.
"And what?' he asked, knowing that his ship would be on that three month list.
"Nothing," she said quietly.
They rode in silence for a while. "Where will you post the notice?" he asked.
"The town hall has a notice board," she replied. "That's where we found the posting for the farm."
