For many people, the ideal way to spend the summer months involves a day at the beach, basking in warm sunshine and listening to the soothing sound of the waves crashing against the shore. However, some (Mrs. Lambert to be exact) prefer the solace and comforting ambiance of family picnics filled with games and activities for everyone to enjoy.

Wade Lambert enjoyed many pastimes during the summer months, but few came close to his favourite of all: the races! He’d bet reckless sums on his lucky horse who came first in almost all the races. Sable Lightning earned his name not only due to his breathtaking speed but from the top of his head to the very tip of his nose ran a delicious white streak—a bold contrast to his stark grey coat. Doctor Garin, with the devotedness of a loyal friend, accompanied Wade during his racing fit, lending him some wise advice if the young man humbled himself enough to ask (which seldom is the case with young people who think they know anything and everything under the sun… ).

One sunny afternoon when the remnants of spring only lingered in the air, young Lambert found himself in a bind: Mrs. Lambert had assigned him a day with Miss Alice Flynn and the two were to take a nice stroll through town and ‘get to know each other’. Unaware of his prior engagement to relish a day at the races (of which she would thoroughly disapprove!), Mrs. Lambert had scheduled it today! And to add to the already troublesome situation, Wade had forgotten his promise to Lori in early spring; she’d been looking forward to spending a day at the shore with him and Garin (whom he always insisted on dragging along), which, in her important childish opinion, was the proper way to spend a hot summer’s day.

But one must give the young master credit for his quick thinking when situations such as these threatened to affect his precious plans. In an hour he produced a solution to his trivial problems and, with a charming smile for the blushing Alice Flynn, some mild bribery for Lori, and some mischievous winks for the reserved doctor, he and his three companions drove off in the doctor’s carriage.

~

The sun’s beaming rays cheered the afternoon with ruddy delight, much to the bereavement of Miss Alice Flynn. Her mother insisted on cold creaming her skin up to three times a day to maintain her milky complexion, believing it the key to securing a quality husband. This was all that rang in Miss Alice’s mind when she should have been careful of Lori’s ice-cream that leaned precariously towards her dress. However, the little sneak slipped to her left side, leaving the space to be filled by the dear doctor who savoured his own cream. 

Miss Flynn, oblivious to the stain on her dress, readjusted her parasol, and fanned her flushed face.

“It is quite a hot day today, don’t you think? To think how nice a picnic would be under that lovely oak Mrs. Lambert was telling me about the other day…”

If it had been any other man, Miss Alice’s words might have made an impression to the fullest as far as thinking goes. However, we were dealing with Mr. Wade Lambert, who failed to acknowledge what she’d said as he scanned the race tracks. His sister, bribed with all her favourite foodstuffs (fetched by the ever-obliging Doctor Garin) to dismiss her complaints of missing the beach, stood on her toes to see over the railing.

“Which horse is yours, Wade?”

“That one there, with the streak running along his nose. Can you see it?”

“I can’t see anything from here,” she complained just before the doctor raised her up.

“Wade, look how high I am!”

“Yes, yes, look there. Can you see him now?”

“Oh yes! There he is! Quite a gigantic horse, don’t you think?”

Miss Alice brought a hand above her face.

“They’re all about the same size.”

“I want candy floss!” cried Lori, spotting a boy with his own bright pink fluff.

Alice frowned.

“Lori, do you think you ought to have more sweets? I’m surprised your brother lets you have so much of it.”

Wade gave a disarming laugh.

“I’d promised myself I wouldn’t be some stiff old bore of a brother when I’d first met Turnip. Children ought to have a carefree existence for as long and as often as they’re able; life and parents, especially mothers—father’s in some else’s case—always tend to catch up in the worst ways. Sweets are an innocent joy in life.”

“Seneca once said to enjoy present pleasures in such a way as not to injure future ones,” said Garin in a patient tone.

Wade smirked. “I’m sure she did.”

“He.”

“Ah, yes, my mistake.”

The doctor turned away.

“Why don’t we go along the stalls and select something else you might like, Lori…?”

Miss Alice was quite relieved when a breeze swept their way and grateful to the Garin for getting Lori away for a bit. She hated to admit it, but the child made her nervous at times with that tainted bit of unpredictability about her. Quite like Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire cat, she decided…

While Wade studied the crowd with interest, she took a moment to admire him. He was handsome—dashing even—more so now than at the dinner party where she’d first met him. His slender nose, clear, brown eyes and unrestricted poise gave him the look of a young roguish earl or duke further complimented by his head full of wavy locks. He was far more handsome than the general her father and mother had invited over at Christmas two years prior, but that was to be expected, she later decided. Wade Lambert was young and fresh and not as severe-looking and he didn’t have a face decorated with scars…

Alice shuddered.

She did not like a man with scars. It frightened her to think of the horrifying ways he might’ve gotten them and if they were large scars—! That would never do! She could not look in the general’s direction throughout the entire dinner and had slipped away as soon as the trying ordeal was over.

A gentle sigh escaped Alice Flynn as she wondered what the young man thought of her. She’d taken particular care in selecting her dress that morning and waited all afternoon for an admiring look from Mr. Lambert. Doctor Garin was considerate enough to pay her a compliment that delighted her (a pleasant surprise since she’d decided at the dinner party he was probably a boorish man), but it did not matter. What she wanted was a compliment from the young Lambert! 

“What other interests do you have besides the races, Mr. Lambert?”

The young man chuckled, a sound she thought quite endearing.

“Many of which my mother disapproves,” he answered with a flourish. “She’s a strict one, you know, my mother.”

“I can’t say I agree with you, sir. She was quite a dear to me since I’ve arrived.”

“Ah! That is because you do not yet fully know her! There are many things Mother will not make allowances for and the sooner we all know it, the better.”

“What do you enjoy reading?” she asked, trying another approach. 

“I do not possess a taste for it if it isn’t the morning paper,” he answered indifferently as he strained his neck to find Lori and the doctor in the crowd.

“I’ve been forced to read books since the moment I learned to talk. A pity children don’t learn to speak later in life as to spare them the tortures of Shakespeare, Sophocles and Plato. How my professors lectured me on those bores…”

Alice Flynn sighed. She felt she was failing in attaining his attention. If he would look at her long enough to realize how pretty she was! But all he seemed to care for were his idiotic horses! With a slight huff, she turned away and stared stoney-eyed at the rounding track.

Doctor Garin could have told her that if she focused less on herself and more on Wade’s interest with a touch more enthusiasm, he’d have eventually told her something she could use to pursue an active conversation. But he’d have also known that women seldom feel inclined to initiate or pursue a conversation with the opposite sex (especially with certain prospective beaus); they are often of the opinion that it is the gentleman’s role to entertain and uphold the conversational rhythm, an ardent conditioning of our dear Alice Flynn.

Lori and the doctor returned soon enough. The latter was thoughtful enough to bring Miss Flynn a pretty assortment of fruit, nuts, and sweets.

“Garin is quite a gentleman,” said Lori in her out-of-way fashion as she took a seat in front of the couple. “Truly precious, I’d say, and even let me pick some of the sweet things I wanted you to try!”

Miss Alice’s delighted look faltered before resuming its natural look.

“How… thoughtful, Lori. Thank you both.”

Lori beamed before tugging the doctor’s sleeve.

“Come, Garin, sit next to me! I don’t like how that lady in the awful pink dress keeps looking this way…”

Wade chuckled before leaning towards the doctor in his conspiratorial way.

“Be careful there, Garin, because Lori will scare off any lady within your vicinity.”

“None of them would be good enough for Garin, Wade,” said Lori in a defiant tone. “And if he doesn’t find a perfect wife, I’ll marry him myself!”

Wade was overcome with mirth.

“You?! I’m not sure you’d be—”

“You’d make a lovely wife, Lori,” said the doctor, giving his friend a steely glare. Lori straightened her back before offering the doctor some of her nuts.

The racetrack bustled with energy—a cacophony of voices, the thundering hooves of horses, and the occasional roar of the crowd. Wade, in an attempt to engage Alice, explained the nuances of horse racing, pointing out the contenders and sharing anecdotes that may or may not have been entirely accurate.

The excitement was at an all-time high for both Wade and Alice until Lori, flushed with excitement, said in a rush, “Oh, Wade, how I hope your horse wins. You bet quite a lot, didn’t you?”

After a series of enthusiastic whistles, Wade grinned at her.

“Don’t worry, Turnip. Sable Lightning is a winner that never fails—Are you alright, Miss Flynn?”

She had taken on a deep reddish shade and sat tight-lipped and stiff. Dr. Garin had observed the change too, but only drew Lori’s attention back to the race by pointing out one of the prettier horses on the track.

“You look… annoyed or flustered—I really am not sure,” said Wade. “Is the heat bothering you?”

At this inquiry, Alice forced a tight smile.

“Pardon me, Mr. Lambert, it has nothing to do with the heat. It only surprised me when Lori mentioned you having betted on that horse.”

Surprised, Wade stared at her before recovering with a casual smile.

“Oh, that? Why, it’s all in fun! Just a little thrill to spice up life.”

“Yes, but don’t you think one can enjoy a race without a wager?” Her tone was almost imploring.

At this, he laughed.

“Most certainly! A fellow can get on as he likes without betting a pound! But the same does not apply to me. I know what I enjoy, and there is nothing more thrilling than a friendly wager at the races. You ought to try it sometime, because it’s innocent fun.”

She gave him a severe look.

“Innocent fun often leads to dangerous fun, Mr. Lambert. That’s what my uncle used to say.”

“God bless his heart, then! I’m sure my mother would agree with that, but she has much to be grateful for, my mother. I don’t gamble at cards like so many others—now that can be dangerous! But the exhilaration one gets when the horses dash by along the track is something I can’t explain,” and he smiled at her with a genuine pleasure she was hard-pressed to be upset at him (although she would never truly understand since she was not at all willing to look at it from his perspective).

Determined to salvage the mood, Wade turned to Miss Flynn. “How about a little bet, Miss Flynn? You’ll take a different view if you tried it first.”

She hesitated.

“I suppose I’ll humour you this once, Mr. Lambert, for the sake of today.”

“Wonderful! Then that’s settled. Nothing extravagant, mind you. Just something for you to warm up to the idea.”

Although Miss Flynn agreed to a modest bet, her reluctance cast a subtle tension over the group. Lori, however, wide-eyed and fascinated by the spectacle, insisted on placing a bet as well. She picked a horse with a name that sounded like a combination of her favourite colour and her mother’s favourite flower. 

The race was a disappointment for everyone except Alice, who did her best to appear as displeased as everyone.

“Second place, Garin!” said an irritated Lambert as he helped Miss Flynn across a suspicious-looking patch of earth. “Second to that fresh horse!—what was it called Lori?”

“Sniggers,” she said with a malicious glance in the owner's direction.

Wade adjusted his coat in an agitated fashion.

“It wasn't even a pure breed!”

Garin did his best to assuage the young man’s pride and even Lori made an attempt at cheering him, saying she’d enjoyed the race so much that she only thought of the beach twice since she sat down! This was the perfect time for Miss Flynn to make her advances by showing some pity or encouragement—for Wade would have engaged her interest with newfound enthusiasm! However, it was not to be. And what's more, he overheard her honest thoughts to Lori when she assumed he and Garin were out of earshot.

“I don’t see the appeal of such events and always thought the races a silly business of men. Why they enjoy gambling their pounds and shillings on mere animals for sport is beside itself.”

She sighed.

“I prefer more predictable pastimes…”

~

“She really isn’t one to induce me to marry,” Wade later told the doctor as they strolled out into the yard after dinner.

“A woman who finds a man’s hobbies displeasing might be in taste for dear uncle Hector, but God forbid! I shall not find myself in a similar situation.”

Garin stared at him.

“You’re going to allow one disappointing day at the race to be the deciding factor in all this?”

“Well, she’s not exactly a fan of our beloved races—”

“Gambling, I think you mean,” said the doctor with a knowing smile.

Wade gave him an icy glare.

“It doesn’t matter what you call it. Garin, you know me; the races are more than a hobby or pastime. It’s part of who I am and she just doesn’t seem the type to get it and I’ve not the patience to reason. Not to mention she didn’t exactly give the impression of an enthusiastic bride.”

Garin gazed ahead, his hands clasped behind his back.

“There are things you will have to take into consideration, my friend. And there’ll be many compromises too. It's a sensible price to pay for a healthy marriage.”

Wade gave a mirthless laugh and shook his glossy head.

“After bargaining away my freedom, old boy, that will not be a compromise of mine. My ideal bride shares my love for horses and the races. You mark my words, Garin.”

The doctor only smiled as he spied Lori hiding amongst the pink rose bush.

____________________________________________

Lambert is something, isn't he? What are your thoughts on Alice Flynn, though? I certainly have mine, as does our darling Lori Lambert, I'm sure.

However, the author forbade me to disclose any details.

(Stifling stick, that one... 🤫)

Stay tuned for more of our rivetting friends in the upcoming chapter and don't forget:

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