The Starter banged a cymbal and the race began. And right from the start, the twins took the lead. They seemed to have no trouble at all moving together. It was like they had practiced this all their lives .
However, another couple was catching up with them. It looked like they were two brothers—both towheaded with freckles and toothy grins .
At one point Geoffrey caught his foot on a rock and the two almost tumbled over. However, they righted themselves and found that they were just a hair behind the two boys .
Geoffrey grabbed hold of Miriam’s waist and lifted her up so that her outside leg was off the ground and he was the one moving them forward. The crowd went wild as they began to catch up and then overtook the two boys. They won the race by a length and even the Queen shouted and waved .
However, the boys protested saying that it was unfair as Miriam was not running but was being carried .
The judges conferred and came to the conclusion that there was no rule prohibiting what they had done, and they were declared the final victors—the judges raising the twins’ hands .
However, an attendant from the Queen went over to the judges and spoke to them privately. After that conference, the judges further announced, “Her Majesty, the Queen has been so delighted by this event she has awarded the victors the Queen’s garter .”
A gasp escaped from the crowd .
The attendant again whispered to the judges, and they further added, “Not the order of the Garter, which is an honor of the highest rank, but a garter from the Queen. She always carries a spare one just for occasions like this—or if one breaks .”
The crowd appreciated that slightly bawdy comment .
Presently the Queen, who seemed to be getting into the spirit of the event, came over and stood before the twins .
She held aloft a ladies’ garter and proclaimed, “I, Queen Alexandrina Victoria do hereby bestow the Queen’s garter upon…” she leaned in to get the contestants’ names which were whispered to her. “…Geoffrey and Miriam Sinclair for their victorious achievement in the three-legged race on this the twenty-second day of June in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-three .”
Loud roars went up from the crowd and Geoffrey and Miriam were hoisted onto the shoulders of several local lads and paraded around the field .
Diana was standing on the sidelines watching the procession when Robert came over .
“A glorious day, is it not? First, your father gets his Order of Merit, and then your friends are honored as victors by the Queen. You will have a lot to jot down in your journal this evening, will you not ?”
“I do not keep a journal, Robert. I have quite enough writing in my life without doing that as well,” she answered .
Diana’s Mother and Father came over to them .
Father said, “Your mother is still a little weak from her illness and I have to admit I am fatigued as well. Do you think we might leave now ?”
“Certainly, Father.” She looked around to see where the twins were so she could say there were leaving .
Robert suggested, “If you want to stay, I can have the carriage return your parents now and you and the twins can return later .”
Diana smiled. “What an excellent idea. I would hate to tear my friends away from their victory laps .”
“I knew I invited them for a reason.” Robert said, “What a dull afternoon it would have been without them. Do you not think ?”
“I keep them on hand for just such occasions like this,” she said with a giggle .
Chapter 22
A few days after the investiture, Diana was returning from the post office after posting her Christmas chapter off to Sir Cecil, as he had requested. She stopped by the green grocer’s for a number of items and stopped at the Goodwin Sisters’ to return a shawl they had left in the gallery the day they were attending to the gallery during the fete .
“Oh, Diana, thank you,” Kitty said, “I wondered where that had got to .”
Abigale appeared at the door with a book in her hand. “Do you have time to stop for tea?” she asked .
“Thank you, but I do not. I need to start supper soon as Mother is still somewhat recovering from her illness and I do not want her to overexert herself .”
“How very sensible you are,” Kitty said, touching Diana’s arm in sympathy. “I have always said you were the model daughter .”
“Thank you, dear ladies .”
Then Diana scurried home. Not to start supper right away but to take a few moments for herself. It had been a rather hectic week and now she wanted to contemplate what her next writing would be after delivering her chapter to Sir Cecil .
The celebration at her father’s college had gone well. But in the few days since, he had seemed tired, and his afternoon naps often stretched until supper time—while often dozing off in his armchair after dinner .
Diana was on her way to see her mother in the gallery about a supper detail when Robert rode up and stopped outside the garden gate .
“Good afternoon, Diana, I have just finished a few errands and I thought I might stop by to see if you were free to go over a few details about the presentation schedule .”
“I am, Robert. Let me just stop in to speak to Mother then I shall make us some tea and we can visit .”
“Excellent, let me stable my horse and I shall be right back .”
He rode off and she visited briefly with her mother before returning to the house and starting the tea .
Robert came into the house and found Diana in the kitchen .
“I hope you do not mind my letting myself in,” he said .
“Not at all. You seem almost like family now. And once we start publicizing your book we will be practically brother and sister .”
“That sounds lethal. I hope we will not fight constantly as the twins do, or as my sister and I do .”
“Oh, no. We shall be ever so genteel and civilized,” she teased. “And tell me, have you recovered from the Queen’s visit ?”
“Mostly. However, there are still many small chores that need doing to get the house back to smooth running .”
“And Her Majesty was satisfied with the visit ?”
“More than satisfied. I believe the highlight for her was the three-legged race. She commented on it several times during dinner later that evening. It seems her Queen’s garter was an impromptu response to the twins’ bold win. She assured us there had never been a previous award of such nature until that afternoon .”
Diana was amused. “I shall inform the twins, who have not stopped talking about the event since we returned home. I am about to throttle them if they do not keep quiet .”
Diana prepared the tea tray and she led the way to the sitting room. “I thought it best if we have tea in here. It is more comfortable and will allow us to discuss the schedule with more ease .”
After Diana served the tea she said, “I am about a third of the way through your book, Robert, and I have to say, it is quite a thrilling read. Did you really do all of those adventures ?”