“So then, where do you wish you were right now?” she demanded.
“For the first time in an age, I am actually perfectly content exactly where I am,” he admitted, causing a tinge of pink to colour her cheeks. She opened her mouth as though to reply but then shut it in silence. Finally, after a less comfortable silence had settled between them, she turned to him once more.
“Other than England, then, which has been your favourite place you’ve seen? And have you been everywhere?”
Ash laughed again and relaxed back into his saddle. “Certainly, not everywhere. The world is a shockingly vast place, and it takes an age to get there. But I have greatly enjoyed my many travels. I’m not sure if I can pick a favourite, as each place is so very different. The bustle of a new country is enticing in New York. I would like to see more of America, but it seems almost unending. And I do not think I could endure weeks and months of sitting on a horse without certain things that I, as a spoiled Englishman, consider necessities but truly aren’t. It’s bad enough at sea, but at least you can bring a few things with you.”
The wide-eyed, admiring stare Vigilia was giving him made his chest threaten to burst the buttons of his jacket, and he fought to contain his response.
“Do you find it boring here after all your adventures?” Her voice was small and hollow as she asked the question, as though she felt boring in contrast. He was quick to assure her.
“Not in the least. It’s a different sort of adventure here, wouldn’t you say?”
She continued to stare at him wordlessly, so he carried on. “My family is here. What I consider home is here. Everything dearest to me is here. So, while I have greatly enjoyed my adventures, I certainly cannot say that there is anything boring about home.”
A wide smile split her face and she nodded as though in agreement, but she again didn’t add to the conversation. It was somewhat unlike her, but he found her attentive silence appealing so he added, “In fact, further to your question about the Crown, even though I found America fascinating, it felt almost disloyal to enjoy it. I may not be close with His Majesty, but he certainly has my allegiance.”
A strange expression flitted across the girl’s face, but she didn’t remark upon his words, merely nodding decisively before asking, “Would you say you’re close with Viscount Eastwood?”
Ash couldn’t fathom what had triggered the girl’s strange series of questions that day, but he was glad to see that she wasn’t turning her nose up at him, as she had been wont to do at times over the past month.
“One of the drawbacks of being away so much of my adult life is that I’m not as familiar with people as I would like. But there’s something about the relationships we form as boys. Even though I only spent a couple years at Eton before going off to sea, I’ll never forget the time I spent with ones such as your brother-in-law. Both of them, actually. I’m sure you can relate, since you’re still so close with Lady Crossley.”
“Absolutely, I can relate. My friendship with Georgia is the best relationship I know about. I feel sorry for everyone who doesn’t have that. I’m realizing more and more that it’s a rarity. But I’ve witnessed my sisters forge a similar sort of relationship with their husbands.”
Suddenly, she blushed as though her cheeks were on fire. “I know it’s not at all the same thing, actually, but just the always happy to be in each other’s company part is similar, I suppose.”
Ash laughed. “I know what you’re saying,” he assured her. “Although, according to Crossley, the relationship you have with his wife might be unique to females. But it does give you a picture of how I feel about the men I had known as boys. We haven’t put pen to paper and maintained close contact while I’ve been venturing around the world, but whenever I return home, we seem to pick right up where we left off the last time.”
“That must be lovely,” she finally said.
“It is actually,” he admitted. “I’ve never given it a great deal of thought or actually put it into words before, but I would say that both your brothers-in-law are men I would call my friends and would trust them with my life, even if I don’t know all the ongoing details of their current lives.”
She again had a somewhat dubious expression on her face but before he could question her on it, they were interrupted by their arrival back in the Crossley stable yard and the flurry of activity that was taking place there.
Ashford watched, feeling a little helpless, as Vigilia was swept away from him on a tide of giggling young women. He was gratified to see her glance back at him, but she didn’t stop or even say goodbye. He felt foolish being so disappointed and wondered if he was deluding himself to think there was longing in her face in that brief glance.