Protectively, Richard’s hand floated toward his pocket. “I won’t be doing that.”
“Come on, old friend,” Harry said as he began to walk excitedly around the chamber. “Think of how thrilling it would be. You could watch this list, the one you made when you were just a schoolboy, I might add, turn to smoldering embers. Then, you could sit down, evaluate your life, and decide what you really want. After that, if you want to make a new list, so be it—but at least you’d be approaching the task with the clear eyes and the knowledge of a man.”
“You think it makes a difference that this list was created so long ago?” Richard inquired.
“Naturally,” Harry guffawed. “Why, on my list, I wrote that I wanted to marry Princess Sophia of Denmark, and that when I grew up, I wanted to become a horse trainer. All that stuff we wrote as kids were just nonsense we made up so we could complete an assignment for old Professor Roebart. No one took it seriously.”
“I did,” Richard whispered. “And my father thought it was a good idea, too.”
“Your father?” Harry asked skeptically. “What does he have to do with anything?”
“That first holiday after we wrote the lists, when we all met at Pearl House for Christmastide, I showed my list to my father.”
“And he thought you’d done well?”
Richard nodded, thinking of how his father had beamed at him proudly. He’d read aloud each point on the list, talking through ways his son might be able to accomplish each and every one in a timely manner. He’d even arranged for a private tutor to come to Pearl House following the hunt on St. Stephen’s Day so that Richard could begin learning to play the pianoforte immediately. “Even when everyone else thought my list was rubbish, my father encouraged me to pursue it. He said, ‘A man has to know what he wants out of life.’ Every time I look at this list, I think of him, and I remember that having a plan is just a way of preparing for the future.”
Harry blew out a small puff of air. “Well…at least I understand now why Letty calls youMr. Proper. You’ve got a reason to stick to your convictions, even when they may saddle you with a bride you don’t love or admire.”
“Don’t speak to me of Leticia,” Richard said, waving his hand through the air dismissively, wishing he could brush aside Harry’s unhelpful comments.
“Letty knows more than you give her credit for,” Harry proceeded anyway, utterly ignoring Richard’s requests. “She’s been telling you for years to give up on your silly list. Even before your father passed—” His words trailed away. The untimely death of Richard’s father was something none of them spoke about very much.
“I don’t care what Leticia said…or anyone else for that matter.” But even as Richard said the words, his mind wandered away from its despondent thoughts about his father and swerved toward a memory of Leticia.
“Come on, Richard,” Harry said gently, “You must remember the way Letty and I have pestered you for years about that list.”
“I’ll tell you what I remember,” Richard replied gruffly. “You and I were down at the stables, and I was feeling…well…rather glum, and Leticia appeared out of nowhere dressed in a new riding habit.”
“Right,” Harry chuckled. “She had that awful brown and green hat pinned to her head. She insisted it was fashionable, but—” He continued to snicker, and Richard stood, so he could do an impression of Leticia. “Fancy a ride, gentlemen,” he said, batting his eyelashes in a very prissy manner. “Then,” he reverted back to his own mannerisms, “without waiting for either of us to reply, she ordered Savers to saddle up Helena.”
“I rode Puck and I think you took Hermia,” Harry commented as his eyes gleamed happily. “That was one of the best rides I ever had. We hadn’t been riding but for a few minutes when Letty got the idea to turn the ride into a race.”
“With Leticia, everything’s a competition,” Richard interjected which made Harry roll his eyes.
“Yes, well I suppose you’re only saying that now because she beat you in that race,” Harry rejoined.
Richard shook his head. “I just remember how she put her heels to Helena’s side, and the two of them disappeared in a streak of brown. Of course, you chased after her, and I was left to trot along at a casual pace.”
Harry abruptly stopped laughing and gave Richard a somber look. “I know why you didn’t join in the race that day. You were thinking about your father and—”
Richard brushed aside the comment with a wave of his hand. “I will not try to deny it. My thoughts were consumed thinking of my father’s accident. So, I didn’t take the race seriously. But when I got to the lake, the two of you certainly made me pay for my slow and leisurely walk.”
Now, Harry grinned once more. “As soon as we told you the punishment for losing was diving into the lake, you dismounted and stepped right in with your clothes on and everything. I thought Letty would have a fit when you asked if she wanted you to take off your clothes or not.”
Richard patted his pocket where his list still sat. He’d had it on him that day, and it had gotten wet, but luckily it had not been destroyed. He chuckled. “At the time, I was a mess, thinking about what happened to my father, and I needed that race.”
“You probably also needed that dip in the lake,” Harry inserted, giving him a mischievous smile.
“Perhaps,” Richard shrugged. “But even though I think I will forever be eternally grateful to both you and Leticia for pulling me out of my despair that day, I cannot and will not let go of my list.”
“Well…” Harry said, his voice tinged with annoyance, “I can see that my work here is done.” He patted his hands lightly together as if he were washing away the dirt and grime of doing this task. “Now that you’ve determined you care very little for the thoughts and feelings of others, I do believe I can confidently say you are ready to join the wedding party.”
“Indeed,” Richard replied, not entirely understanding what he was agreeing to.
Harry snorted lightly. “Come along, old friend. Your guests await.”
Just as Richard was about to turn away from the window, he spied a lady racing across the lawn. Had he not encountered Leticia earlier in the day, he might not have known it was her from this distance, but he recognized the white and gold dress she’d been wearing earlier.