“Ofcourse.”
Robert stood, bowed slightly, and headed over to the Queen. She was still seated in her chair and conversing with an attendant as heapproached.
“Your Majesty, I thought the ceremony went very nicely,” hesaid.
“As expected,” shereplied.
“And now that the ceremony is over how might you wish to spend your time? Do you wish to return to the house or would you care to witness the Morris dancing, which I believe will startshortly”
The Queen turned to her attendant and conferred with him, then turned back toRobert.
“I should like to see some local dancing. It has been a great while since I have had the privilege of being thusentertained.”
“I shall have a place made ready for you in one of the pavilions so that you may view the dancing morecomfortably.”
“Oh, no. I should not like that.” She turned to her attendant. “ Let me take your arm and we shall stroll amongst the crowd.” She turned back to Robert, “And I should also like to see the results of the baking and flower competitions, if Imay?”
“Certainly,” Robert said smiling. “Whatever pleases you. One moment, and I shall alert your securitydetail.”
The Queen stood and chatted with a few of her attendants who were standingnearby.
Robert went to the Queen’s Guard who were standing at the entrance to the tent and alerted them to the fact that the Queen would be visiting thefete.
Three of the guards returned withhim.
“Your Majesty I am ready to accompany you whenever you are ready,” Robertsaid.
Robert could see that Diana was now with her parents as they were leaving the tent, and just then Amelia came over and took Robert’sarm.
“Her Majesty is visiting the fete now,” Robert toldher.
“Is that wise, with such an indiscriminatecrowd?”
“I think you are being unfair to our stable Cambridgeshire citizens. We are hardly known for rabble rousing,” Robertinsisted.
Amelia waved her hand in the air. “If she sowishes.”
* * *
Diana went lookingfor Miriam and Geoffrey when her parents decided to wander the competition tents to see the winning entries which by now had beenadjudicated.
She found Miriam holding a glass of beer as Geoffrey participated in the WellyWanging.
“How’s he doing?” Dianaasked.
“Want a sip?” Miriam asked, offering Diana herglass.
“I just had tea. I am good fornow.”
“Old Geoffrey is neck in neck with the village champion,” Miriam added. “I never would have guessed he had it inhim.”
The competition had been going on for a while—eliminating all but these last two. The champion held the top of the Wellington boot tightly in his right hand as he wound up and flung the boot high into the air. The boot went sailing and landed a great distance away—farther than the achieved distance sofar.
The crowd cheered their hometownchampion.
Then it was Geoffrey’s turn again. He stood a great distance back from the throw line. He took the boot in his left hand and winding his arm in fast circles, he ran forward to the line and threw the boot far, far, far. And beat the last shot from thechampion.
But Geoffrey had just touched the line with his foot. So, the champion was given another chance to beatGeoffrey.
