Again, thank you to all that left reviews to the last chapter - always good to know you've enjoyed it!
Just wanted to mention, there will be bits and pieces with the children but it's essentially just a MerDer story, with the family as background. (Also, I'm not so good at kidspeak, let alone in the setting of historical romance LOL.) Now, this chapter moves ahead a little bit, closer to the ball...but there may be another event coming up before that...
Chapter Five
Making a Wager
Two weeks later
The plans for the Autumnal Equinox Ball were progressing quickly, and Meredith found herself immersed in helping the Queen with a myriad of details. Along with the Queen's personal secretary, she was being asked to give her views on everything from the table settings to the floral arrangements to the choice of music. The sheer size of the event was rather overwhelming; she had never been involved in something of this magnitude. Queen Adelaide had decided it would be a masked costume ball, and the replies to the invitations were returning steadily.
Meredith was happy to see that both her father and Derek's mother were on the list of invitees, along with Marcus and Izzie. It would be wonderful to see them again; this trip to London had left them little time for socializing outside the court.
Now, as she walked with the Queen in the gardens, the bevy of ladies in waiting trailing behind them, she smiled to herself, thinking of Izzie who had married Derek's oldest friend, Marcus Sloan. They had a thriving family of their own, two boys and a baby girl, that Izzie was thrilled to pieces about. They had a beautiful home here in London, but they managed to make the trek to Gracewood often enough to keep up their friendship. Many long letters were written back and forth as well, detailing the antics of their growing children over the years.
The air was already feeling slightly crisper, and the scent of late roses filled the air. Meredith pulled her fur-trimmed wrap around her shoulders a little more snugly, listening to the Queen's comments about the upcoming festivities. The younger ladies were giggling behind them, and she turned to give them a warning look over her shoulder. Most of the girls were well settling down, but as she had predicted, Lady Rowena was willful and determined to have her own way as often as possible. Meredith was quite sure that Rowena was sneaking out of her bedchamber after everyone retired, as well, something that she needed to speak to the young woman about. It would not do for Rowena to be compromised while under Meredith's tutelage.
Rowena smirked before lowering her eyes, making a pretense of behaving, before whispering to Cordelia beside her. The other young women, Margaret, Althea and Emily maintained a decorous expression, hands clasped in front of them. Meredith sighed and turned back to the Queen. "Yes, my lady..." she murmured, in response to a question about the flowers. "All the place settings will have the chrysanthemums, as you requested."
"Excellent. I adore the autumn, don't you, Lady Meredith? The cooler air is so invigorating, and the colors of the trees are exquisite."
"Indeed."
"I trust you and your husband are content here?"
"Of course, my lady."
"And the children?"
"It is quite an adventure for them," Meredith smiled. "Even though we are all here, it's not the same as being at home, however. Not that we do not enjoy the accommodations..." she hastened to add, not wishing to appear ungrateful.
They paused at one of the stone benches alongside the yew hedges, where the Queen sank gracefully onto it, spreading out her skirts carefully. "Sit, Lady Meredith. The other ladies may take their leave."
Meredith nodded. "Ladies, you may return inside. I trust you will find something suitable to occupy yourselves with...perhaps that embroidery you started on yesterday." She raised her eyebrows pointedly.
"Yes, my lady," they chorused, and hurried away, skirts rustling as they swept along the pathway to the palace.
"You have done well with them," the Queen commented. "I am pleased."
"Thank you." Meredith wasn't about to bring up Rowena's escapades, keeping her fingers crossed that she would soon settle down.
"And I hear good things about your husband, and his advice on the horses."
Meredith smiled, thinking how proud Derek had been to have Midnight brought up from Gracewood to serve as stud. "He is enjoying the challenge. I do hope the resulting foal will turn out to be the race horse you desire."
"As do we. Now, as far as your family..." the Queen began to say, but from the opposite end of the courtyard they could hear the sound of children laughing. Meredith looked up, and saw her children, followed closely by Meggie and one of the other maids, along with some of the other children staying at court. It looked like they involved in playing a game, and her son Michael was leading the pack.
"Oh, dear..." Meredith got to her feet quickly.
"Wait..." The Queen put her hand on Meredith's arm. "They appear to be having a good time. I do enjoy hearing the laughter. So innocent..."
By that time, the group had reached them, and Michael flung himself at Meredith's skirts. Hannah and Ella were close behind, and James was toddling along with the help of Meggie. "Mama! We had the best game!" Michael laughed. "We were chasing dragons...and I was the knight leading the charge!"
"I could see that," she smiled, smoothing his dark hair away from his eyes. "But you should try to be quiet out here, you aren't at home in the woods."
"I'm so sorry, ma'am," Meggie apologized. "They got away from us..." Her eyes slid nervously to the Queen, and she attempted a curtsy, still holding James' hand. Meredith scooped him up, and held him against her, wiping a smudge of dirt from his cheek. Hannah and Ella curtsied as well, their eyes round at the sight of the Queen's magnificent gown and jewels.
"I do not mind," the Queen assured them, holding out her hands. "Come, sit awhile and tell us all about your adventures. My children are older and no longer romp as much as you do. What game are you playing?"
That was the only encouragement Michael needed. He was becoming just as charming and eloquent as his father, and he launched into a non stop tale of their game, with the other children adding details they thought he missed. Soon the Queen and Meredith were wiping tears from their eyes as they laughed along with them.
From a secluded corner of the gardens, Rhys watched the scene unfold. Lady Meredith was looking especially desirable, in a dark plum dress with a fur-trimmed wrap and her hair up. Her light laughter carried on the breeze as she listened to the children, her face alight with interest. Rowena nattered on to him that Meredith was most boringly matronly, but it did not appear that way to him. Rowena never did appreciate being told what to do; their mother had despaired of reining her in, and hoped for the best when Rhys brought her to court. He was quite sure that Lady Meredith was not having much effect on Rowena's nature either. She and the Queen were obviously getting along famously, however.
But he returned his thoughts to Meredith herself. She seemed to be devoted to her husband, and that was such a challenge, he mused. And it would make seducing her so much sweeter in the long run. All women could be tempted; he just needed to find the right enticement. In the meantime, however, he would content himself with the enticing young lady he had been meeting with. There was no point in being lonely, after all.
"So our son was being quite the leader," Derek commented later that evening, after Mer edith had detailed the afternoon's adventures. He had been making some notes in a leather bound ledger regarding the horses, wanting to keep detailed accounts about what he was working on. He looked over at her, watching her work on some embroidery as she sat next to the fire. Her hair was loose, falling over her shoulders, catching light from the fire on the cool September evening. Setting the hoop aside, she took the brush from the dressing table, and began to pull it through her hair. He closed the ledger, and came to stand behind her, taking it from her hand, wanting to do the task himself.
She leaned back against him. "Hmm...yes, he was the knight leading the charge against the dragon, my dear." A small sigh escaped her lips as he continued to stroke the brush through her hair. "He's growing quickly, as are all of them."
"No longer babes," he murmured. He was happy that they had four healthy children, even though he had been convinced they would have no more after the birth of the girls. After staying with Meredith during the long hours of childbirth, realizing how arduous it was, he had swore not to put her through that again. Meredith had other ideas, however, and sweetly assured him that she was quite strong enough to deal with childbirth again; hence the arrival of James.
"We could try for another girl," she told him, glancing up at him.
"Meredith...you know my feelings on the subject."
"And you know what I told you before," she countered. "I stopped breastfeeding James before we came to London, so it is a possibility." Breastfeeding was one way to avoid getting pregnant, but she had felt it would be difficult to do here.
"Now you tell me this?" Derek shook his head at her. "We're going to need to be careful then." He ran the brush through her hair a little slower. "I do not like to see you in pain, my love, you know that. You have no idea what it does to me, knowing that I'm helpless while you have to go through that..."
"I do understand, Derek, but giving birth and being a mother has been the greatest gift, after falling in love with you. And having you there to support me was more than I could have asked for." She caught his free hand and kissed his fingers. "Rose has told me there are ways to prevent conception, if need be. But maybe we can still think about another baby?"
"I can never deny you if you set your mind to it, vixen, but I don't want to rush into this," he sighed, continuing to stroke her hair with long, steady pulls of the brush until it gleamed.
"That feels so good...do you remember the first time you brushed my hair?" Meredith wisely changed the subject, focusing on the moment at hand instead.
"Now how could I forget that?" Derek grinned, remembering the night he had made love to her in the bath, followed by holding her in his lap and brushing the tangles out of her hair. It had been at the start of their relationship, and it was another fond memory of his. "You were so surprised that I could do that for you." He continued to work the brush through her hair, his touch gentle and yet sensual at the same time.
"I never expected a man to be able to do that, after all..." she sighed.
"I am a man of many talents, after all," he murmured, leaning closer to her.
"You do not need to remind me. I'm well aware of the talents you possess," she smiled, as he relinquished her hair and set the brush on the table. Before she could say anything else, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed, ready to demonstrate just how talented he could be...
The next morning, in the misty half-light of dawn, the air was definitely carrying the chill of early frost, and the grass was silvery where the sun had not touched it yet. Derek was walking Midnight along the edge of the paddock; the black stallion was prancing eagerly, quite content to be with his master. He had taken quite well to living at the royal stables, and had performed his duty admirably, covering the mares that Derek had decided were the best candidates to breed with. Now it was a matter of time to see which ones were pregnant, and which ones would bear a foal that could turn out to be race horse material. Derek had to grin to himself, and patted Midnight's flank. "You were certainly in fine form with the mares, my boy."
From along the edge of the fence, another male form appeared, and Derek looked up at Huntington stalking towards him. "What brings you out at this early hour?" he asked. Usually no one else was stirring at this time of day, other than a few sleepy grooms and stable boys.
"Couldn't sleep, thought to get some air," Rhys admitted, with a negligent shrug. "You know how it is at court, too many things going on."
Derek nodded. "Indeed, that is why I prefer to spend most of my time out here. Except for missing the time spent with my wife and children, of course."
"You have been very fortunate to find a woman as beautiful and sweet as Lady Meredith. And you've gotten your heirs in line, as well, what more can you ask?" Rhys commented, joining Derek to walk along the fenceline. "No mistress on the side then, I take it?"
Derek frowned. "Good lord, no. I adore Meredith; I would never consider that." He felt like adding, especially not your younger sister, but he kept that thought to himself. "You have not considered marrying?"
Rhys shuddered dramatically. "I can't imagine tying myself to one woman for the rest of my life, unlike you, Shepherd."
"It happens to the best of us; even Marcus succumbed to the love of a good woman."
"Marcus Sloan? The man who seduced Lady Addison while she was engaged to you?"
"I believe that she was the one who did the seducing; Addison was not the woman I thought she was, but thanks to her infidelity, I was able to find Meredith. Marcus was just a pawn in her game, and we came to terms later on," Derek explained, thinking back on that time in his life. "In fact, he was the best man at our wedding, which is where he met Isobel, now his wife. I was surprised as well that he fell in love, but he is very happy."
"Still, not for me," Rhys grinned.
"Never say never..."
"Speaking of sexual conquests, how is the stud business going?"
"Well enough, I suppose."
"Have you been to the races yet?"
"No, though I hear that Newmarket is the place to be at this time of year for that. I hope we can get there before the season ends," Derek told him.
They paused to let Midnight graze, and Rhys leaned against the fence, resting one booted foot on the rails. "There has been talk of scandal among the jockeys, from what I hear."
"Scandal?" Derek raised one eyebrow in question.
"I heard some talk of switching horses," Rhys told him confidentially. "One horse will win a race or two, and they say it's switched out with an identical impostor to skew the odds the next round."
"That would be difficult to prove. I'm sure there are careful records kept of the horses. From what I hear, there is a newly formed racing committee for just that purpose."
"Indeed. Still, it adds a bit of spice to the sport. I do like to place a wager from time to time, so I've spent some time there myself." Rhys seemed unconcerned, and yet Derek wasn't sure why he had brought up the subject. "It could just be idle gossip, however." He glanced at Midnight. "Do you consider racing him?"
"Perhaps, but I believe he is more valuable at stud. He does love to run, however…"
"Care to have a friendly race then?"
"You wish to race me?" Derek grinned. "You would lose, I can assure you."
"My horses are bred to run as well, if you must know."
"I see, well then…we could have a race, just for a friendly wager," Derek conceded. "What did you have in mind?"
Rhys considered for a moment, thinking about the fair Lady Meredith. Somehow he didn't believe that Derek would be amenable to having his wife as the wager, unfortunately. "Your horse…if you lose, you forfeit your stallion to me…"
For a second, Derek was unable to speak. "Hardly a friendly wager, Rhys. Midnight is quite valuable to me. What are you offering if you lose?"
"The same…my stallion, Storm, if I lose."
"I would need to see him, evaluate him," Derek hedged.
"Of course. He's at the stable, a large dappled grey. I think you will find he is up to your standards."
"Very well. Once I see him, I will get in touch with you to discuss the details."
"Fair enough, Shepherd." Rhys grinned happily. "Until later, then."
Derek took Midnight through his paces after the sun had risen fully, putting all other thoughts out of his head except for the pure joy of riding. By the time he returned to the stables, he felt invigorated from the fresh air, his hair rakishly tousled and his sweat soaked shirt clinging to him. He nodded at William who appeared to lead the horse towards the stall, and he followed them, pulling his riding gloves off.
"Good morning, Lord Shepherd."
The sultry feminine voice made him glance around in surprise, and then he bit back a curse as he spotted Lady Rowena waiting for him. This time she was alone, without any other ladies in attendance, which did not bode well. She made her way towards him, holding her skirts away from the rough floor, exposing the trim ankle boots she wore. There was a speculative look in her eyes as she reached him.
"Good morning, Lady Rowena. Are you here for the groom to take you on a carriage ride?" He crossed his arms over his chest and regarded her carefully, leaning against the stall door.
She laid one dainty hand on his forearm, feeling his muscles bunch under her touch. "I believe we both know why I am here, my lord."
Derek arched one eyebrow. "We do?"
Rowena laughed softly. "Don't be so coy, my lord. You are a man, after all...and I am...willing to show you my charms..." After two weeks of getting nowhere with being subtle, she had decided for a more direct approach.
Derek carefully lifted her hand from his arm. "My dear child...your charms hold no interest for me. I love my wife and have no need or desire for the charms of another woman. Am I making myself clear on that point?" He kept his tone cool and amused, and glanced towards William who had been keeping his distance, waiting for Derek. "Now if you will excuse me, my horse needs my attention. Good day, Lady Rowena." Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving her staring at his back.