Miz Scarlet and the Bewildered Bridegroom (35 page)

Annalee invited all of
us to the ceremony. “You’re like family now. We want you
there.”

“We couldn’t have
managed this without you, Scarlet. You’re the real hero here,”
Gunnar announced, even as I insisted it was nothing out of the
ordinary. “Thank you for making this a happy occasion for
us.”

Bur and Shark Boy got
busy setting up more chairs for the extra guests. When that was
done, they headed up to the attic and dug through storage boxes in
search of more holiday lights to illuminate the garden festivities
at the stroke of twelve.

“More bling!” Lacey
instructed them as she inspected the garden. “You can never have
too many sparkly lights!”

Kenny and Max got to
work placing their security cameras in strategic locations
throughout the garden, not to catch bad guys, but to capture the
wedding from several angles. Zak promised to edit the raw video
footage on his computer.

Laurel and Lacey were
thrilled with the romantic ending to what was almost a disaster.
They were already looking forward to our next
celebration.

“It’s a great story to
tell our prospective clients,” Laurel remarked, satisfied with the
outcome. “It proves we know how to put on a great
wedding!”

We laughed and ate and
danced as the sun went down. Little Melissa and Lisa went to bed
just after eight. Kyle and Keith adjourned to the third floor just
after nine. Under a starlit sky, as music filled the air, the party
continued in the garden. We danced to the songs of Cole Porter,
Irving Berlin, and the Beatles. Ellie brought everyone to tears
when she talked about how delighted she was that her father had
found a new love and that she hoped to forge a friendship with her
stepmother that would last a lifetime.

Annalee’s sons escorted
their mother down the path to the white wicker arbor at the
bewitching hour, under a twinkling canopy of white fairy lights
draped over the branches of the trees that lined the stone walkway.
Mark Pritchard, who turned out to be a decent man, led the couple
through their vows. We all cheered when they were pronounced
husband and wife at seven minutes past twelve. As soon as the
signatures were official, Gunnar and Annalee made their
farewells.

“Thanks for coming,
everyone,” the groom called to us as they made their exit through
the door of the sun porch.

“See you in the
morning!” his new wife added.”Don’t forget we’re having
brunch!”

Just after one, Kenny
kissed me goodnight on the front porch. “So, what time should I be
here in the morning, Miz Scarlet?”

“Brunch is scheduled
for eight.”

“I’m not talking about
brunch. You’re not going to try to weasel out of our deal, are
you?”

“Deal?”

“You’re going to sing
my praises at the top of White Oak Hill,” he reminded me. “I
promised you I’d get your guests through the wedding in one piece.
I held up my side of the bargain. Now it’s time for you to reward
me.”

“Ah,
that.”

“Yes,
that!”

“Well, I guess you’d
better get your fanny over here for breakfast, Captain Peacock. I
wouldn’t want anything terrible to happen because you counted your
chickens before they hatched.”

“And you think
something else might happen?”

“You never know,” I
shrugged. “We could have some maniac break in at dawn and then
where would you be? Why, there’d be no apology
whatsoever!”

“Is that your only
reason for wanting me to show up?”

“There’s that and the
fact that I like having you around.”

“I can understand that.
After all, I’m a pretty smart fellow with a good sense of humor.
But in terms of solving this case, it was....”

“...Another brilliant
piece of detective work on my part,” I teased. I was at that very
moment considering whether I should write my apology on the top of
a chocolate-raspberry torte or do it on a hazelnut-mocha dacquoise.
“I did, after all, find the missing bride and I got her down the
aisle in one piece.”

“And you did this all
by your itty bitty, teensy weensy self?” he demanded sternly, still
waiting for his share of the accolades.

“Well, I did have some
help with Karin and her friends,” I acknowledged with a smile,
wrapping my arms around his waist. “But as for saving the
Pinault-Magnusdotter wedding at the last
minute....”

“It was all thanks to
Miz Scarlet...in the cloakroom...with a flashlight!” he
laughed.

Author Info --

Sara Barton is the author of several cozy
mystery novels and novellas, which are light-hearted “whodunnits”,
along with some spy thrillers with a much darker edge. In addition,
she provides family caregiver education as The Practical
Caregiver.

Contact the author:
[email protected]

Author’s blog:
http://sarabartonmysteries.blogspot.com

Review me:

Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/sarambarton

Library Thing:
http://www.librarything.com/author/bartonsara

Connect with me:

Twitter: @bartonmysteries

Facebook fan page: sarabartonmysteries

Scarlet Wilson Mysteries By Sara M.
Barton

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Miz Scarlet and the Holiday Houseguests: A
Scarlet Wilson Mystery #3 (eBook novella)

Miz Scarlet and the Perplexed Passenger: A
Scarlet Wilson Mystery #5 (Spring 2015)

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Reluctant Witness: A Roaring Kill Mystery
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Inspector Samuelson Investigates a Killing
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Henry Hartman’s Holiday Crisis: An
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Henry Hartman's Boondoggle Crisis: An
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Henry Hartman’s Crisis Management: An
Off-the-Books Mystery (Special Anthology) #3

Henry Hartman’s Fall Guy Crisis: An
Off-the-Books Mystery #4(eBook novella)

Snow White and the Hunter: A Gabby Grimm
Fairy Tale Mystery #1

Where’s Hansel and Gretel’s Gingerbread
House?: A Gabby Grimm Fairy Tale Mystery #2 (eBook novella)

Little Red Riding Hood and the Secret Cookie
Recipe: A Gabby Grimm Fairy Tale Mystery #3

Deputy Gabby Grimm to the Rescue: A Gabby
Grimm Fairy Tale Mystery (Special Anthology) #4