A Match of Wits (30 page)

“Where was I?”

“You love me.”

“Ah, yes, quite right.” He looked up at her and smiled. “I love you.”

“I know, you said that, but what about Helena?”

He shifted her to the left a bit and then reached into his pocket when he was finally able to find it through the layers of petticoats and silk that covered him. His fingers closed around the ring, and he pulled it out, holding it up so Agatha could see it. “I tried to give this to you tonight, but Helena ruined that moment. I need you to know that she means nothing to me and I never loved her, not in the way I love you.”

A single tear rolled down Agatha’s face. He raised a hand and captured it. “What I most wanted to tell you, though, is that my grandmother gave me this ring, and she told me that I was only to give it to a lady who could match me wit for wit.”

“And that’s me?” Agatha whispered.

“Well, yes, but you see, what I’ve come to realize is that you match me in every possible way. You’re my perfect match, and I think I’ve loved you from the very first moment I truly met you—back in that house you were breaking into with Eliza.”

“That wasn’t the first time we met,” Agatha said, her voice turning a little grumpy.

“I know that, darling, but it was the first time I really saw you. You were feisty and beautiful and annoying and . . . everything I could ever ask for in a woman.”

Another tear dribbled down her face, but then she got the look in her eyes that was always followed by some type of argument. “If I tell you I love you, would that mean you’re going to continue trying to keep me out of trouble at every turn and racing to my rescue even if you’re in no state to do so?”

“I don’t think you’ll ever be able to stay out of trouble.”

“You’re right.”

“I’m still going to try to rescue you if I think you need rescuing.”

“That’s fine, as long as you realize I’ll be doing the very same thing for you.”

He smiled. “I can live with that.”

“What else?”

“You’re going to marry me.”

He winced when she stiffened and remembered Piper telling him he needed to remember the romance business.

“Fine.”

“Let me rephrase that, I would be beyond honored if you would agree to become . . . did you say
fine
?”

“Weren’t you listening?”

He felt his lips twitch. She was back to sounding grumpy.

She was enchanting when she was grumpy.

“I wasn’t expecting you to agree so easily.”

She considered him for a long moment and then bent toward him until her face was only inches from his. “Why not?”

“Because you never agree to anything I suggest.”

“You didn’t suggest—you told me I was going to marry you.”

“And you didn’t like that?”

“I said
fine
. If I didn’t like what you said, I’d hardly reply in the affirmative, would I?”

Why was he arguing with her?

She’d apparently agreed to marry him.

He should be quiet before he said something that would have her changing her mind.

“We’re getting married tonight.” What had prompted him to say that?

“No, we’re not.”

He really
should
have kept his mouth shut.

“Why not?”

She leaned even closer to him, her breath tickling his face. “My mother has been planning my wedding since before I could walk. You must realize she, along with your mother, would be devastated if they’re not given the opportunity to plan a lavish event, so we’ll simply have to turn everything over to them and hope they’re able to pull a wedding together quickly.”

Relief was immediate.

She was going to marry him.

He needed to do something romantic to seal the deal, such as . . .

Soft, smooth lips slipped over his.

The world ceased to exist around him as Agatha kissed him, and even though he’d been hoping to be the one to initiate their first kiss, he suddenly discovered he had no complaints about this odd turn at all. In fact, he was simply going to give in and enjoy the moment.

A sliver of disappointment slid through him when she pulled away.

“We’ll have to be diligent convincing our mothers to speed plans along,” she whispered.

She wanted to marry him.

His soul began to hum.

“I love you, you know,” she whispered, “have loved you for years, and . . .”

He grabbed hold of her head and pulled her closer, this time capturing her lips with his as his hands cradled her face.

When he heard her sigh and her lips went soft, he knew God was smiling down on them, and as he deepened the kiss, he thought he heard angels sing.

C
HRISTMAS
E
VE

H
er mother and Gloria had not been able to plan a wedding rapidly.

Here it was, not quite two months since Zayne had told her they were getting married, and finally, she was almost ready to walk down the aisle.

Zayne would be waiting for her, standing on two good legs, his cast having been removed the week before.

That was certainly a nice benefit from having to wait so long, although getting married on Christmas Eve added a lovely touch of something special to the celebration as well.

“Mr. Chambers wanted me to ask you if you have that article done,” Arabella said as she strolled into the back room of the church, one of her little darlings, beautifully named Juliet, nestled in the crook of her arm. “I told him now was hardly the time for business, but he says readers are demanding more of your work, so how would you like me to respond?”

“Tell him I sent an article over to the paper this morning, it should be on his desk, and also tell him I’m about to get married and I will not have him pestering me until I get back from my honeymoon . . . in a month.”

“I’ll tell him,” Arabella said with a grin, “and you look beautiful, by the way. I’m so delighted you’re about to become my sister.”

“Don’t start with that kind of talk,” Piper warned as she waltzed into the room, cradling Arabella’s other baby, Ernest, in her arms—the birth of twins explaining exactly why Arabella had been so huge. “Miss Agatha will start crying, just like Mama was a minute ago, and Grandmother was all last night
and
this morning, and don’t even get me started on Aunt Felicia.” She rolled her eyes. “She’s in the powder room fixing her face, but she did let me hold little Oscar while she mopped herself up.” She grinned. “Aunt Felicia’s been very stingy with passing around the baby ever since she and Uncle Grayson docked their yacht, but at least she managed to pull off her lovely surprise of making it to the wedding.”

“May I come in?” Drusilla asked, sticking her head through the doorway and drawing Agatha’s attention away from Piper.

“Yes, please,” Agatha said with a smile for the woman who had become a dear friend.

“You look lovely,” Drusilla proclaimed, pulling Agatha into a strong embrace.

“I see that arm of yours has healed completely, given the way you just hugged me,” Agatha said as she stepped back. “Are you going to go back to work soon?”

“After guarding you for over a year, I think I deserve a bit more of a break.”

Grinning, Agatha nodded, but before she could say anything else, a loud clearing of a throat—one she knew only
too well—drew her attention. Turning, she found Francis standing in the doorway with a hand covering his eyes.

“Are you decent?” he asked.

“Would it stop you from entering if I said I wasn’t?”

His hand dropped as he strode into the room, stopping by her side to kiss her cheek. “You look wonderful.”

He turned and smiled at Drusilla. “As do you, Drusilla.”

He looked up and smiled right as Jeffrey careened into the room, trying to steer another one of Charlotte’s inventions but not having much luck since he bounced off the wall a second later. “I swear I thought the brakes were actually fixed on this thing.”

“I can fix them after the wedding,” Francis said as he walked over and pulled Jeffrey’s cart away from the wall. “I’ve decided to take an extended leave from the investigation business, which means I’ll have plenty of time on my hands. I’m thinking—after I fix your brakes, of course—that I might have to hop on a train and go somewhere warm.”

Drusilla bit her lip. “You’re leaving?”

“Just for the winter.” Francis suddenly turned pink. “You’re welcome to come with me, if you’d like. Although you’d . . . ah . . . have to find someone to chaperone you.”

Drusilla narrowed her eyes. “I’m a little old for a chaperone, Francis, but I do have an elderly aunt who loves warm places. Tell me though, how will you be able to afford this vacation since you don’t seem to have any plans to go back to work?”

“I offered you some relaxation time in the sun, Drusilla, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to impart all of my darkest secrets to you.”

“There’s hope for the two of you yet,” Agatha said with a grin, even though Drusilla and Francis simply looked back at her rather confused.

Charlotte St. James suddenly rushed into the room. “Cora sent me in here to tell everyone they need to take their seats.” She stopped in front of Jeffrey’s cart and frowned. “Is that a dent?”

“I’m still having some difficulties with the brakes,” Jeffrey admitted.

“I’ll take a look at them after the wedding,” Charlotte said, completely missing the fact Jeffrey’s eyes had widened considerably and he was shaking his head even as he backed up the cart and disappeared a moment later through the door.

Drusilla nodded to Francis. “We should go take our seats.”

Francis smiled, but then he moved closer to Agatha and gave her one of his famous scowls. “I do hope you’ll be able to refrain from causing any mayhem at your own wedding. I would hate to have to pull out my pistol in the middle of the ceremony.”

Grinning, Agatha rolled her eyes. “You really are a dear man, and I’ll do my best to behave myself, at least during the ceremony.”

“See that you do.”

She watched as Drusilla, followed by Francis, left the room and then smiled as Eliza and Felicia swept in, both of them carrying babies, and both of them sporting eyes that were suspiciously wet. “This is a happy occasion,” she reminded them.

“But it’s taken so long that none of us truly thought it would ever happen,” Eliza said as she handed Viola to Charlotte and stepped to Agatha’s side. “You look beautiful, and I’m sorry for getting weepy, but you were responsible for getting all of the women in this room together with our husbands, and for that we’ll be forever grateful. You must know that we want only the best for you.”

“Zayne’s always been the best for her,” Arabella said as she stepped to Eliza’s side and sent her a somewhat misty grin.

“They were destined to get married,” Piper said as she shifted little Ernest in her arms. “It’s been God’s plan all along, but it just took them a while to realize it.”

“You’re very astute, my darling girl,” Gloria said as she strode through the door with Cora on one side of her and Matilda at her heels. “It’s time. So all of you need to give up your hold on those delightful babies and take your place in line. Fortunately, there are a slew of relatives and friends out in the sanctuary who’d be more than happy to have a turn holding them.”

Agatha found herself kissed on the cheek by everyone before the room emptied in a flash, and she stood there alone, except for her mother.

“Don’t cry,” she said when Cora released a sniff.

“I never thought this day would come,” Cora admitted as she dabbed at her eyes.

“On that we’re in full agreement,” Roger said, coming up behind her before he placed a kiss on Agatha’s cheek. “That’s a delightful frock you’re wearing, Agatha. Is it new?”

Cora huffed. “That’s
my
wedding gown and you saw
me
wearing it at
our
wedding. Although we did have it altered to resemble the current style and Agatha’s figure.”

Her father sent her a wink, took Cora by the arm, and hustled her out of the room, coming back a minute later.

“I thought it best to get her to her seat. She’s been somewhat emotional of late, and the last thing we need is for her to start crying,” he said blinking rapidly as his eyes filled with tears.

Agatha gave her father a hug and stepped back. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, Daddy. You’ve been
a prince among men for putting up with my antics for so very long.”

Roger wiped his eyes and grinned. “Yes, that is true. And unfortunately, I do believe Grace and Lily are following in your footsteps, so it’s a good thing I’m getting you married off. I’m getting too old to put up with three of you.”

Her sisters took that moment to race into the room.

“Sorry we’re late,” Grace said. “I was talking to Mr. Daniel Murdock, checking on the health of his brother, and then the time just seemed to get away from me, and—”

“I had to pull her away from the gentleman,” Lily explained. “Honestly, you’re entirely too young for him, Grace, and you still have several years before you even make your debut. Why, the poor gentleman was probably mortified over the fact you were flirting so . . .”

“Girls, enough,” Roger interrupted when Grace began to sputter. “You need to get in place so that Agatha can finally marry her Mr. Beckett.”

“Oh, right,” Grace said with a somewhat sheepish grin. “Sorry, Agatha, we’ll see you at the end of the aisle. And . . . you look beautiful in Mother’s dress.”

“Shall I fetch Matilda?” Roger asked as her sisters hurried out of the room.

Matilda apparently heard her name, because she pranced over to Agatha’s side and stood quite docilely for once as Agatha clipped her leash to the collar. Bending over, she scratched Matilda’s ears. “Behave,” she cautioned before she straightened and took the arm her father offered her.

“Ready?” Roger asked.

“I do believe I am.”

“Then we should go get you married to your Zayne.”

Stepping into the church, she felt her heart swell and her
breath leave her as she glanced around and saw all the people she loved, people who had braved the cold and snow to come see her marry the love of her life.

Mary, Jessie, and Hannah were at the very back, waving madly to her and causing her to grin when she realized they’d placed themselves right next to a handy exit. Even though Theodore had kept to his promise and not pursued them, it was clear they weren’t taking any chances. She sent them a nod as her father moved her forward and she saw Dot next, beaming back at her and looking completely delighted to have been included in the festivities. The poor lady had been appalled when she’d discovered she’d been played for a fool.

And to make it up to Agatha, she’d taken to the streets, trying to convince as many ladies of the night as she could that there was a better life waiting for them and Dot was more than happy to help them find it.

The friends of her heart—Eliza, Arabella, Felicia, and Charlotte—were watching her from their position at the end of the aisle, all of them dabbing their eyes with handkerchiefs, and she blinked and then blinked again when her eyes began filling with tears.

She was truly blessed to have such amazing people in her life, and she took a moment to send up a silent prayer of thanks, giving God the credit for gifting her with such an extraordinary existence.

“He looks like he wants to race up the aisle and carry you off,” Roger whispered with a trace of amusement in his voice.

She blinked again and her gaze found Zayne.

He was leaning forward on his cane, but his legs were steady and his smile huge.

He was going to be fine. The bones in his leg had healed perfectly and even though he still needed a cane because his
leg was weak, Dr. Gessler was sure that someday soon he’d be able to abandon that cane and move about freely.

He’d be able to keep up with her now, which was a good thing, since they’d decided to travel out west, once spring hit, and help Willie get the mining venture up and running. Zayne was currently back helping Hamilton with the railroad business, and Agatha knew he was finally and completely whole.

She reached the end of the aisle, and fresh tears stung her eyes when her father pulled away her veil and kissed her cheek before he handed her over to Zayne, taking Matilda from her in return.

Her father might have been after her for years to marry, but the truth of the matter was, she was still his little girl in his eyes, and although he wanted what was best for her, it was obviously difficult for him to let her go.

“I love you, Daddy.”

Roger’s eyes filled with tears, he gave a watery sounding snort and then turned and quickly took a seat next to her mother, who was sobbing into her handkerchief. Gloria did the same right next to her, as Douglas Beckett, Zayne’s father, patted her arm.

“They’re a mess,” Zayne whispered, causing her to grin.

“We should have known,” she whispered back.

“Are you ready?” Reverend Fraser asked.

Agatha felt Zayne squeeze her hand as they turned and began to recite their vows.

Before she knew it, Zayne was sliding a simple gold wedding band over her finger, and then he slipped his grandmother’s ring over the band, smiling when she blinked.

“I thought my grandmother would appreciate the gesture, here in the church,” he whispered. “And if you haven’t noticed,
the band exactly
matches
my grandmother’s ring—well, your ring now.”

“Witty of you, the whole ‘match’ business.”

“I knew you’d understand exactly what I meant.”

Reverend Fraser cleared his throat. “We’re not quite done.”

Zayne grinned. “Oh, forgive us, Reverend Fraser.”

Reverend Fraser smiled and raised his voice. “By the power vested in me, it is my great pleasure to pronounce you man and wife.”

“It certainly is about time,” Eliza called, causing everyone to laugh.

“You are the love of my life and you’ve made me the happiest man alive,” Zayne said right before he dropped his cane, cupped her face with his hand, and claimed her lips with his.

Her heart felt as if it were about to overflow when he drew her closer, and she knew without a doubt they were destined for a life filled with adventure, amusement, annoyance upon occasion, but most importantly, love.

God would expect nothing less from them, and she had no intention of disappointing Him.