Page 74 of The Number of Love
“Is Hall still offering prizes to anyone who recovers something useful?”
She grinned. Directed at the potatoes, but still. “Much to his superiors’ dismay, yes.”
“Then I imagine if there’s a codebook to be found, you’ll have it.” He pushed off the table and joined them in the kitchen. “I can peel those for you.”
Dot sighed. “Drake, just go and sit down. It isn’t big enough in here for all three of us.”
“I’m not going to sit there being useless while there’s something I can do.” In proof, he nudged his sister out of the way—perhaps with a bit of exaggerated force just to earn her frustrated grunt—and reached for the paring knife.
She grumbled a bit but eventually moved off to pull from the icebox the cut of beef she’d bought yesterday.
Margot fetched a second knife and joined him at the potatoes.
He worked to keep his smile at a minimum. It was nice though, working side by side with her. Even doing something as mundane as peeling potatoes—a task their cook had set him to countless times when he was a boy, always at her elbow trying to beg a biscuit or snack and asking “too many infernal questions.” When their business was back up and running smoothly, he’d probably be able to hire a cook again. When he married, his wife wouldn’t have to prepare their meals herself, unless she wanted to. But this was nice. He wouldn’t mind repeating it day in and day out for the next five decades or so.
If this young lady beside him could be convinced to give him a chance. Would she mention the letters tonight? Probably not. But she also wasn’t avoiding him, so she must not mind them.
Perhapsnot mindingcould become enjoying. And enjoying could become looking forward to. And then if ever he stopped, she’d miss them. Miss him.
“Have you heard from Red yet about his interview?” Dot asked from the other side of the kitchen.
Drake skated his knife down the side of the potato, careful not to waste any of the meat. Cook would always give him a mostly playful cuff if he wasted anything, even in prosperous times. “He stopped by, yes, in quite a jovial mood. I’ll let him tell you the details though.”
“So then it went well?” She rooted around in the cupboard for something or another. “Oh, I’m so glad!”
“I imagined you would be.” Laughter seeped into his tone, he knew. And he didn’t exactly try to stop it. “Perhaps now you two will make the courtship official instead of pretending you don’t know what I’m teasing you about.”
Something hit the back of his head and then fell to the floor. A dish towel, he saw with a chuckle. And noted that the childish response had Margot biting back a grin.
“I wish you’d juststopthe teasing.” But his sister didn’t exactly sound put out. “We’ve only just got reacquainted, and when we knew each other before, there was Nelson.”
“Yes. But isn’t that in part what creates a bond between you now? That he meant so much to both of you?”
When he glanced over his shoulder, he saw a soft smile on Dot’s face. “It is. We can reminisce together ... and yet somehow, it isn’t awkward. We can remember, but his ghost isn’t there between us.”
His first potato finished, Drake reached for the next. “Where do you see yourself when the war’s over? I know Nelson had intended to move to the country. Is that what you want?”
“No. It was never really what I wanted. London is home, you know that.” She hummed a bit, no doubt tilting her head in that way she always did when really considering something, though he didn’t turnround again to see. “I think I would be happiest somewhere here in this neighborhood I’ve got to know so well. I don’t need a large house like we used to have—to be honest, I quite enjoy taking care of the place and cooking my own meals. Perhaps a bit larger than this one, eventually. If I have children.”
“When,” he corrected.
“There are no certainties. I know that very well. I’d rather given up the idea of a husband and family—there are too few of our generation left, and I certainly don’t intend to go out in search of the ones remaining.”
“But now?”
“Well. We’ll see, won’t we?”
Her smile was audible. Drake sneaked a glance at Margot to see what she thought of the conversation, but she looked intent on her potatoes now. He already knewshedidn’t particularly want a husband and family. But what did she think of Dot’s wanting them?
She would look at it academically, he imagined. If it would make Dot happy, then she would consider it the thing Dot ought to pursue. If not, then not. “What about you, Margot? At which university would you most like to teach someday?”
She looked up at him, surprise in her expression. She didn’t answer, but just stared.
He lifted a brow. “Why are you so shocked by the question?”
“Because no one ever credits my goals as viable. Certainly no one ever thinks I’d have a choice in a university.” She hesitated, looked about to say something else.
His gaze moved to her eyes, tangled there in hers. She was probing, trying to discern if he really believed in her dreams or if he was only asking to placate her. To make herthinkhe did, to win her over, before beginning a campaign for her to be content with the normal role of a wife.
