Lori was not the only one carrying this thought of Wade's romantic entanglement. Alice Flinn was irritable and anxious and often wandered about the manor, spying on the young man with a longing look in her enormous eyes.

"When he speaks to me, he's as sweetly charming as ever, but... Oh, Ellyn! I fear I've lost at attaining his heart!"

"And how impolite of him to make his preference so obvious!" cried Poe, though she knew very well it wasn't true since he made time to take her hunting some days ago and what a riot they'd had! But do what she may, Ellyn could not comfort the distraught Alice who glared at Miss Brightley maliciously at breakfast each morning. Thankfully, the ever-observant Garin, who'd witnessed the tension one evening when he'd made one of his now rare appearances, mentioned the upcoming ball after dinner.

"It will be a sensation, no doubt," he said with a smile for the hostess. "Mr. and Mrs. Lambert's soirees were always an exciting event in Harwickshire. I've heard there hasn't been one to rival them."

"Garin hadn't had the pleasure of partake in our balls," Mr. Lambert informed everyone present as he took Lori on his knee. "He was always off somewhere—either visiting Mrs. Garin in London or relatives in Irkutskov."

Ellyn Poe, who was admiring Lori's delicate braids, let her surprised gaze wander towards the doctor.

"I had no idea you were wedded, sir. Why, darling Lori had said—"

"My esteemed mother also carries the family name, Miss Poe. She's a rather scrupulous woman and refuses to travel at any time of the year but mid spring in order to avoid the harsh winters there."

"Is that so?" she enquired further, grateful for the extended bit of information to cover her flushed embarrassment under his penetrating gaze. "And are the winters in Russia truly bitter, then?"

He smiled at some distant memory.

"That would depend on what one considers 'bitter' cold, Miss Poe. To my mother, however, it may prove too much, which is why she prefers the safety of spring. 'It is neither too cold to frost one's brittle bones nor too heated to roast one alive,' are her decisive reasonings."

Miss Poe and Mrs. Lambert laughed at the eccentricity of the doctor's mother, both curious about what the woman was like in person.

He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I've often told her she wouldn't survive the colds in Russia, but she insists someday soon she'll travel with me for the satisfaction of having donned a papakha."

Everyone laughed except Lori, who turned in her father's lap to enquire of her mother what a parka was.

Mrs. Lambert, having supplied her daughter with an answer, turned to the doctor.

"You must convince your mother to come down for the ball, Garin, and if she should refuse, I'll schedule a time for her to visit us in mid spring. Why, Lori was two last time we were in London."

The doctor gave a half nod.

"I will endeavour to do so, Mrs. Lambert."

"Why were we in London, Mama?"

"Your father had business, dear, and we settled at Ruthing Hall to be closer. Now, no more interruptions, dear. The grownups are having a conversation now."

"Yes, Mama."

Wade poured his mother a drink before giving Lori a discreet wink, ignoring his father's displeased look.

"Thank you, Wade, dear." She savoured her drink with an expression of pure contentment. "Mary Abbott was telling me the other day that all seven of her sons planned to attend the ball this year. And she had quite the task of getting gowns for all five of her girls. The poor woman was a nervous wreck when I called on her!"

"And you and your good nature took it upon yourself to lend a helping hand, eh?"

Mrs. Lambert smiled coyly at her husband.

"Anyone would have lent a hand in my place, Raymond. I had Mrs. Spruce fit a few of my older dresses for the three eldest Abbott girls—hadn't realised how fast they've grown! But they'll certainly look exquisite. It was all I could do to keep them from tears!"

"And think of all the lovely dresses the other ladies will wear, Mama!"

Lori's eyes glowed as she beamed at her mother.

"I shall like a lovely one myself without the itchy collar I wore at Cousin Greg's birthday party, please."

"If you manage to do splendidly at your piano lesson with Mr. Inhk tomorrow, I'll consider it," said Mrs. Lambert, her earlier order to the child forgotten; she was in quite an amiable mood after her first glass of sherry.

"She'll do well, Florence. Our Lorienne has proven herself time and time again, haven't you, chirrup?"

Mr. Lambert earned himself a sweet smile from his little girl.

"I met old Mr. Bolter the other day," said Wade, attracting everyone's attention, especially Alice's. "He and his wife plan to attend, after all."

Mrs. Lambert waved an elegant, jewelled hand.

"No surprise at all. They always try to seem above everyone else by saying they're too busy when everyone in Harwickshire knows they haven't anything better to do than argue all day. Getting out more often may do them good."

"The ball can't come soon enough! I've already had my gown fitting. I'm hoping it looks just as I've imagined it."

Ellyn Poe took her third chocolate square.

"You'll look stunning in whatever you wear, Alice. Your beauty is something that cannot be ignored or underestimated. By the way, why hasn't Miss Brightley supped with us?"

Wade, stirring his tea with uncommon absentmindedness, answered in an offhanded tone,

"She wished to dine upstairs with her sister this evening."

Twice he brought the cup to his lips with the intention of taking a sip before setting it aside and excusing himself from the room.

A wide-eyed Miss Poe looked round at her hosts.

"Did I say something I shouldn't have?"

"Never you mind, my dear, that is his way sometimes and really, there's no explaining it."

He chuckled and preened his moustache, his twinkling eyes reminding her very much of Lori's.

"I've known him his entire life and still he surprises me with how much I don't know about him. But that just keeps things interesting between us, I'd say. Now, tell us about a riding trip you took with your uncle last spring..."

Outside, Wade had walked round the house and paced back and forth beneath one of the upper windows whose white curtains swept in and out of the candlelit room above. More than once, he paused to stare at the window before resuming this serenade. At last, he leaned against one of the columns, placed his hands in his pockets, and stared out at the sky.

"You ought to have stayed indoors, Garin. I'm afraid you'll find I'm no good at conversation this evening."

Garin, with silent strides, came at his side.

Wade laughed.

"It's funny, when you think of it. You're usually the one to say little to nothing and I always manage to get a strong conversation going with anyone. I had absolutely nothing to say the entire evening!"

Garin, his hands clasped behind his back, stared across the drew speckled grounds.

"I thought I'd taught you that saying something and having something to say are two similar, yet separate, entities. Let's simply say, for the sake of reason, you find yourself, for once, unable to relate to the former. One must sincerely brood to relinquish the latter and that, I believe, is where you are now."

Glancing at Wade, he looked over his shoulder at the window. He made an imperceptible nod.

"I understand."

Words were not necessary, and Wade once more was grateful to his friend but could not shun the feeling they'd grown slightly distant. He seldom saw the doctor, who appeared to have more work on his hands than ever; Garin was rarely at home in the evenings and had shortened his visits to Idleworth on more than one occasion.

As though hearing his thoughts, the doctor said quietly,

"Change is a necessary constant, Wade—even if not always welcome. It keeps us sharp, alert and... prepares us for things to come."

To Garin's surprise, young Lambert laughed, a cheerful, melodious sound.

"Now that's much better! There's nothing like Doctor Andreyev Aleksandr Garin's wise words and the strangest thing about it is I think I actually understood that last bit."

They both chuckled at this and Garin clapped him on the back.

"You're becoming more adaptable, my boy, and that is always a good thing."

____________________________________________

A gentleman by the wayside has informed me that our favourite doctor has been visiting the Abbots rather frequently as of late. Another gent, sweetly angelic in appearance, I might add, implies there's a lady among the Abbott daughters whom the doctor might have taken a fancy to...

Hmm... 🤔

Interesting...

A part of me wishes to follow the trail and find the source of such excitable rumours but alas! I am to follow the tale surrounding young Lambert.

That reminds me,

We're off to the ball!

Don't forget to VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!! ⭐