Bride of Choice

Chapter XI: Travels & Old Acquaintances

While Lori and her mother played cat-and-mouse back at Idleworth (with Foster overseeing much of their conspiracy), Wade Lambert found himself travelling across the country with old classmates.

His former friends enjoyed boyish frolicking that comes with undisciplined freedom and there'd been a time in his life where he enjoyed such things. But having gotten used to the calm and level-headed camaraderie of doctor Garin, he found their companionship rather dull.

Freddie Burkes, a rather wide gentleman with a bushel of rusty curls framing his round face, was not at all mentally stimulating. He enjoyed the company of pretty girls and relished the comfort that came with a hefty inheritance. He made a point of this by flaunting his hand-carved walking stick with its atrocious golden bull-headed handle decorated with diamond encrusted horns and buying rounds for the patrons of any inn he visited.

"Nothing quite like treating the lot and receiving their adoration in return, eh, Lambert?"

He grinned at his friend just after tipping a hefty purse of notes to the buxom waitress, who simpered in his direction.

His cousin handled all his affairs and Freddie Burkes only had to sit back and enjoy a monthly cheque to do with as he pleased. Wade found this lifestyle an unattractive one; that a man could do nothing even if he had the leisure to was unthinkable!

Nate Hemshaw had been one of his closest friends and really had changed the least, which, in Wade's eyes, was a blundering shame. He'd always been shy and withdrawn and always too lenient with the other fellows. So much so that when Freddie charmed his fiancée two summers ago, Nate made no comment, scene, or show of being offended, and went about with the oaf as though nothing happened. Wade's respect for Hemshaw plummeted in smoke.

Finally Danny Rhodmayne, the most violent tempered of the three, was a true rogue. He'd simply blown into town one windy afternoon with no history attached. Naturally, the townsfolk gossiped about this rough-looking boy who was mighty tall for his age, but Wade, naturally enthusiastic about new people, found common ground with the boy and brought home all the way from Cairnes where he'd gone to school. His parents were apprehensive about taking the boy in, but eventually conceded. He didn't stick around long and disappeared without a trace, only returning once in a while in his mysterious fashion to greet Wade before carrying out another of his disappearing acts. Wade acknowledged and accepted the young man's behaviour, realising that Danny had never really found his rudder in life.

With these three, Wade bounced around the country, his thoughts always returning to Idleworth. He thought often of his friend, who enjoyed quiet evenings at home and long walks and thoroughly enjoyed calling on his patients. The boisterous ways of Freddie Burkes irritated him sometimes, especially how he bragged to the women at parties with a shamelessness that suited him.

Hemshaw's fond retelling of conversations with his sisters reminded Wade of his own turnip back home who likely was getting into some scrape. Her frequent letters of family life were not helping matters, since he wanted a break from the affairs at Idleworth. However, he had some comfort knowing Garin visited the manor once or twice to take her riding.

This comfort (a short-lived one at that) was blown to bits when Rhodmayne engaged in a brawl at a pub; this ended with someone sporting fractured bones, another a broken nose and resulted in Wade's favourite expensive overcoat being torn at the hem!

On his last day with the trio, he took a walk with Nate Hemshaw after a light drizzle. A smooth, grey bank of clouds hung in the afternoon sky. The lazy town of Ortz welcomed the pair with a whispering breeze and the faint clucking of chickens from distant cottages. The rolling hills and sloping fields were an endless ocean of dull yellows and greens.