Fate's Intervention (65 page)

“
Yeah. It does, doesn
’
t it
?
”
Marcelle grinned, looking at Matthew with all the love that her heart contained.

“
That
’
s
my girl,
”
Lilith grinned.
“
Now, if you gentleman wouldn
’
t mind, it would appear that we now have a wedding gown to prepare as well. Good thing I brought that material with me from New York, but since we will also need to come up with a trousseau for Carol
Ann
now as well . . . just get out!
All
of you, shoo
,
and
I promise, Peter, that we
’
ll be down before long to see that dinner promptly
served
. Fair enough?
”

“
That
’
s
okay, Lilith,
”
Peter smiled, pleased to hear her say his first name.
“
A
s it is, I
’
ve decided to accompany Matthew and Robert on this trip. Now that I
’
m feeling better.
”

“
That
’
s
wonder
ful
,
Father
,
”
Marcelle smiled.

“
It sure feels good to be useful again, that
’
s for certain.
”
Peter grinned.
“
If you ladies would simply consider stepping out of your little hideaway long enough to see us off, we
’
re ready to go.
”

“
Oh!
”
Lilith said, putting her sewing aside.
“
Well, in that case
–
shall we ladies?
”

“
Dearly beloved, we are g
at
he
red here to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony,
”
the preacher began,
“
a
nd
I must say,
”
he whispered, leaning closer to Matthew,
“
t
hat
it
’
s nice not to see a shotgun in attendance.
”

Matthew laughed,
“
I
’
ll explain later,
”
he said, seeing the look of confusion that crossed Marcelle
’
s features.

“
Now, do you Marcelle Magdalena
Weatherman
, take this man, Matthew Stephen Daragh, to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to honor him, obey him, and keep a sharp on eye on him for the rest of your life?
”

“
I do
.
”
Marcelle
’
s provided tentatively, a perplexed look upon her face.
Confused looks appeared on everyone
’
s face, with the exception of Matthew, whose humor was beginning to fade.

“
A
nd
do you, Carol
Ann
Blackwarth, take this man, Robert Lewis Daragh to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, honor him, and obey him for the rest of
your life?
”
The preacher asked, turning to face the second couple.

“
I do
.
”
Carol
Ann
’
s response was far more confident, but she wondered w
hy
the pastor had phrased their questions differently.

“
A
nd
do you gentlemen take these women to be your lawfully wedded wives? Do you promise to honor them, keep
them,
and protect them from harm
–
especially you
,
sir?
”
The preacher concluded, eyeing Matthew with a stern visage.

Matthew blushed and tugged at his collar.

“
I do,
”
the men said in unison.

“
The
n by the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you husbands and wives,
”
the preached said,
“
a
nd
may God have mercy on your souls.
”
He grinned at Matthew, then promptly burst into laughter.
“
You deserved it, and you know it.
”
He grinned.

“
Uh, preacher,
”
Robert said,
“
I
’
ve never been married before but I
’
m pretty certain that last line doesn
’
t belong . . . ,
”

“
He knows,
”
Matthew interrupted.
“
You know, Pastor, for a man of God, you
’
ve got a
rather
large vindictive streak in you.
”

“
Yeah, I know
, b
ut I figure that there was a
reason
that God set you on my trail to perform your ceremony.
”

“
Oh, really?
”
Matthew asked
.
“
What
reason
was that? I thought I was trying to make up for the shotgun wedding we forced you to perform on the train.
”

“
For certain, and to get even with you for making my first marriage ceremony a living hell,
”
he said, then turned to address the audience.
“
Ladies and gentleman, I give you Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Daragh, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Daragh.
”
He announced loudly,
“
A
nd
now,
”
he finished softly,
“
I think a rapid departure might be in order.
”

“
You are definitely going to have to explain what all that was about,
”
Marcelle said, placing her hand on the crook of Matthew
’
s arm and starting down the aisle.

“
I
’
m a bit curious as well, Matthew,
”
Robert said, walking beside the other couple.

“
Let
’
s just say, I
’
ll know better than to upset a man of the cloth from now on,
”
Matthew said, then smiled as
the well-wishers surrounded them
.

“
How much longer, doctor?
”
Matthew asked. He stopped his pacing as soon as the physician entered the room, running to greet him at the door.

“
Not for a few hours yet, I think,
”
the doctor replied,
“
I just wanted to stop in and see how you gentlemen are holding up before I go back upstairs and check . . . ,
”

“
But what about Carol
Ann
, sir?
”
Robert exclaimed, moving to stand near Matthew
’
s side.
“
You haven
’
t told me how she
’
s faring?
”

“
S
he
’
s a few hours shy of delivery as well, Son,
”
the doctor sighed tiredly.
“
Did you really have to impregnate your wives at the same moment, gentlemen?
”

“
Well,
”
Matthew grinned mischievously,
“
we got married at the same time, so why not have our babies at the same time, right?
”

“
Right,
”
the doctor said unenthusiastically.
“
Next time, try to remember that this old doctor needs a break between deliveries as well, will you?
”

“
Yes, doctor,
”
both men answered obediently
,
“
b
ut you will let us know . . . ,
”

“
Yes, of course. I
’
ll let you both know the moment the baby is born
–
both of them,
”
the doctor sighed, then turned and left the room.

“
The
y will be okay, gentlemen,
”
Peter assured for the hundredth time.
“
Women have been giving birth for centuries without incident.
”

“
Yeah, but those weren
’
t our women,
”
Matthew muttered, and returned to his pacing.

“
Well,
”
Peter said,
“
re
st assured that your women are strong enough to handle it.
”

A
loud wail rent the air half hour later, causing both men to wince.

“
Dear Lord in Heaven,
”
Robert groaned,
“
which one was that?
”

“
I don
’
t know, and I
’
m not sure I want to know,
”
Matthew groaned as well.
“
It must be a mighty powerful hurt she
’
s in.
”

A
second wail tore another piece of their heart
s
out and had shivers running down their spines.
“
Well, whichever the first one was, the second one sounds equally wounded,
”
Robert moaned.
“
God, I feel so helpless. Isn
’
t there anything that we can do to help ease their pain?
”

“
No, but I
’
m sure it helps them to know that you both are suffering right along with them,
”
Peter said, and grinned at the look that he received from both men.
“
If it will ease your distress
any
,
I will tell you
that
sound
generally signals the imminent arrival of infants
.
”

Two wails tore the peace from the air simultaneously. They heard footsteps running back and forth on the upper landing, followed by a door slamming, then footsteps and another door
slamming. This went on for what seemed
an
etern
ity
.

“
The
poor doctor certainly has his hands full,
”
Peter laughed softly.
“
I remember when Marcelle was born. The doctor stayed by my Caroline
’
s side the whole time, and that was a strain on him. I don
’
t envy him trying to deliver two babies in two different rooms. Not at his age.
Well, a
t
least Lilith is there with him.
”

“
Imagine if it had been two different houses,
”
Matthew laughed.

“
I guess it
’
s a good thing our house isn
’
t finished yet, or the poor doctor may have had a heart attack trying to hoof it from here to across town and back.
”

“
Good Lord, give my darling strength,
”
Matthew moaned when another cry pierced their hearts.

Shortly after, another sound filled their ears
–
the cry of a newborn screaming for its mother. Not two minutes later, another wail rent the air, followed by the sound of another newborn.