After being so enthusiastic about her 'project' at Battersea Park, Lady Beauchamp was becoming anxious. Would the weather ruin it for everybody? Would the ponies she was going to hire for the childrens' rides not be up to the task? Would Grace behave?
Dylan was not looking forward to the event but was mollified by the fact that he was allowed to bring a guest, and that meant David could come to stay again. Ben was looking forward to singing Luke Devine's songs but not masquerading as the spoiled young man for the day. Especially as Ginnie Bracken had managed to charm Fairhead into letting her be part of the entertainment as well: "Oh go on Charlie, there's nothing people love more than a couple singing a spoony duet together."
Iain Dean, enjoying his freedom after the brief shadow of the noose had been removed from him, had asked Rita to be his special guest at the fete. She might not be as exotic as Miss X had been, but she was both pretty and witty and he looked forward to stepping out with her again. Rita also looked forward to the day; Iain was a good sort and knew how to treat a lady.
Alicia Munro was in a state of excitement. She had been going to the fete to feast her eyes on the charming Reverend Hardy, but now his half-brother Caleb Knight had arrived in Whitechapel, he had supplanted poor Ethan in the fickle Alicia's affections. She had seen the Reverend walking out with his handsome relative one day and had made it her business to find out just who this charming newcomer could be.
Mattie and Mrs Bateman were looking forward to a day in the sunshine although Mrs Bateman had warned Mattie in her gentle but serious way that her task would be to attend to whatever Lady Beauchamp needed doing. She was lucky, Mrs Bateman had told her, for a fine lady like Lady Constance to have chosen her to help out.
And Caleb Knight smelt profit. People could be so careless when they were watching a Punch and Judy show or cooing at their little ones as they rode on ponies. A practised pickpocket like himself could easily slide trinkets from arms, round necks, and even, if he was really careful, purses or wallets from unattended pockets. But Caleb had a rule. He was, he fancied, a latter-day Robin Hood. Much as he liked to hold the jewellery that he stole in his hands to appraise it, the money he made from it wasn't kept by himself… well, only a modest fraction for expenses. The majority of the money was donated anonymously to the poor or to the workhouse. It had been a blow to his plans that Inspector Keogh was to be a special guest of Lady Beauchamp's but it just meant being careful.
To everybody's delight the day dawned bright and clear, just warm enough to be pleasant without being so warm that it made everybody overheated and sluggish.
Mattie received a pleasant surprise when she was told to report to Lady Beauchamp. She had expected an old lady but Lady Constance was the loveliest thing she'd ever seen. Tall, slim as a willow and with the loveliest voice.
"Thank you for your help, Mattie. You shall work on my Blue team over there. Louise will instruct you."
Louise, who simply loved instructing people, beamed like a Cheshire cat.
The games were to take place before the Grand Feast that had been prepared, and the entertainment would come after that, in the twilight hour. Grace had told her mother that she expected to be the winner of at least one of the games, and the reply had made the little girl pout:
"Gracie, there's no victory in winning unless it's fair and square. Now why don't you and Pomphrey go and ride on one of Mr Da Silva's excellent ponies. And don't kick them to make them go faster or God will see you -won't he, Reverend Hardy?" she added to Ethan, who had just approached, a nervous smile on his face.
"Oh, absolutely, and the angels will record it all."
Grace was offended. However angry she could get, she would never, ever kick a pony and her Mama should have known that.
"Let me escort you to the ponies, Miss Beauchamp" and Grace was wreathed in smiles again at the thought of the nice Reverend taking her to the ponies.
Then a stranger eclipsed all Grace's affections for Mr Hardy with a smile of his own.
"Good day, Ethan. Lady Beauchamp. And this must be Miss Grace."
Grace dimpled at Cal.
"I'm taking Pomphrey for a pony ride."
"Ah, that's kind, but what if he's nauseous? Why don't I hold him for you while you ride?"
Grace would normally have yelled that nobody could have her bear, but she handed Pomphrey to Cal without a word. As Grace skipped off with Ethan, Cal studied Pomphrey carefully.
"It's going well, don't you think?" David asked in his usual shy way.
"Very well. And somebody's excited because she knows there'll be sausages later."
Dylan was addressing Dervla, who was on a leash, and at the moment, quite docile. David stroked the old dog's head gently.
Far across the field, Alicia Munro appraised Inspector Keogh's friend and liked what she saw. She decided to make a move on him later.
"My goodness, has the Inspector abandoned you, Mr..,?" Alicia fluttered.
"Hide" David replied softly. He was unnerved, to say the least. One thing he couldn't cope with was ladies and their flirtations. Now this young woman was close enough for him to smell her perfume and her hand was on his arm. He felt his heart skip a beat and wished that Dylan would return from the long walk that he'd taken Dervla on around the park.
Somebody else had noticed David's discomfort. One of Cal's talents, as it were, was being able to tell a man's orientation. He'd been in enough dubious private clubs to know. And now that little blonde minx with her pink bonnet and parasol was trying to flirt with her. This could end in misery and embarrassment for the young man if he let it go on. Gracefully as a cat, he sidled over.
"Ah, please excuse me, Mr Hide. I cannot resist a pretty face and I don't think I've seen you before, have I, my dear? Would you like to go for a walk around the lake with me?"
Miss Munro, dazzled by this handsome stranger, fluttered her long dark lashes.
"We haven't been introduced" she whispered coyly.
"I'm Caleb Knight, come up from Bath to see my half-brother and to enjoy the fete. Would you honour me by letting me escort you round these lovely surroundings?"
Alicia giggled and took Cal's arm.
Leaving David to breathe a sigh of relief.
Cal grinned. It was hardly a harsh task taking care of a lady for the afternoon, and there would still be time for him to indulge in his… hobby later. Everything was perfect… until he turned a corner and saw Robyn Miller feeding the ducks.
Ben felt a stab of grief despite the merriment around him. Melanie would have loved a day like this, with light-hearted pleasures and the sun shining on her. Again, he wondered what Ginnie was trying to do. Did she really think a broken heart could be healed so easily in a case like his? Not that she wasn't very attractive, not that it wasn't pleasant to have female company again. But he was uneasy about Ginnie's reappearance in his life.
He would have been even more uneasy if he'd known that Ginnie had spent a long while talking to none other than Martin Ashford the previous night.
