Lakeland Lily Read Free Page A

anything like her twin brothers.
    Later there might be a sham sea battle with mock explosions and clouds of smoke as if in a real war. Then the winning side would storm on to the other team’s island and everyone would cheer.
    Lily knew her father would take part in the fishermen’s boat race, and likely win it as he so often did. After a picnic tea, which they would take together beneath the trees, they’d loll about and recover from their adventures for a while. Then would follow the grand firework display. It was worth coming to the Water Carnival for that glory alone.
    The uncertain Lakes weather had been known to spoil the day in the past, for all it took place in early summer. Lily was delighted that this particular June day was perfect, with a merry blue sky and hardly a puff of cloud, the striped Egyptian cotton sails of the small boats dazzling in the sun. When the figure of Dick emerged from a stand of trees a few yards from the water’s edge, Lily’s happiness was complete.
    Her three younger sisters, Liza, Emma and Kitty, were running in dizzying circles around Hannah, too excited to keep still. Jacob and Matt, her twelve-year-old brothers, were busy helping her father tie up the boat at the jetty, arguing furiously as their eagerness to escape and savour the delights of the carnival made them clumsy.
    ‘You’ll ask him now, right away?’ Lily whispered to Dick, and the sight of his death-pale face told its own tale, bringing a giggle bubbling to the surface. ‘He won’t eat you.’ Lily held the certainty of all treasured children that she’d have to commit cold-blooded murder before Arnie Thorpe fell out with his favourite daughter. Dick did not share this somewhat naive viewpoint.
    ‘I wouldn’t count on it. I’ll ask if I can take you rowing first.’ This would give him the chance to test Arnold Thorpe’s mood before he put the more important question. Lily pouted, but as her father approached turned it quickly into a smile and gave a furtive nod of agreement, meant only for Dick’s eyes. But Arnie, as he was often heard to remark, hadn’t been born yesterday. If a lad was standing around like a bit of wet water weed beside his pretty daughter, it wasn’t hard to guess the reason. Still, not a bad lad, Dick Rawlins. And if he was a bit lacking in the brains department, Lily had more than enough to spare for the pair of them.
    ‘Now then, Dick.’
    ‘Mr Thorpe.’ Dick swallowed the lump of terror that had lodged in his throat and wiped his hands on the seat of his trousers. The man seemed even bigger than usual, if that were possible. ‘I wondered, happen, if I could take your Lily - if you had no objections like - out on the lake?’
    Arnie considered Dick very solemnly for a moment and then looked at his daughter. ‘She’s only just got off it. You’re not taking her home the minute she’s arrived, are you?’
    Diverted by this unexpected remark, Dick stood nonplussed, cheeks starting to fire up. It was Lily who saved his embarrassment.
    ‘He means out in one of the hire boats.’
    ‘Oh, from the posh new rowing fleet. A fishing boat not good enough for you, is that it?’
    ‘Stop teasing him, Dad. He’s saved up.’
    ‘ Aye, one shilling and ninepence,’ Dick said, recovering valiantly and puffing out his chest with pride. ‘So I can afford to pay for her.’
    Arnie’s brown eyes crinkled at the corners with suppressed laughter. ‘Oh, well then, if thee’s a rich sort of chap, happen I should drop all opposition. What do you say, Mother?’
    ‘I say, stop plaguing the poor lad and let everyone enjoy themselves.’ Then Hannah started handing out small brown paper packages. ‘Here’s your dinner sandwiches. I doubt we’ll see hide nor hair of you till teatime.’
    ‘Four o’clock,’ Arnie said. ‘On the dot. Anyone who’s late will have to suffer the sharp end of my tongue in consequence.’
    No one, it was agreed, would risk that.
    There were some initial moans