Fate's Intervention (62 page)

“
Not so poor
anymore
,
”
Marcelle said.
A
smile lit her face when she saw Matthew approaching.
“
The
re
’
s Matthew.
”

“
Oh, my!
”
Carol
Ann
blushed, and flicked open her fan.

“
Relax
, Carol
Ann
,
”
Marcelle said, patting the young girl on the back.

“
But,
there’
s Matthew,
”
she said dreamily.
“
A
nd
I know that he isn
’
t anything like his brother, or he wouldn
’
t have risked his neck to come after you. Oh, how positively romantic.
”

“
Carol
Ann
,
”
Marcelle sighed,
“
I think there
’
s something you should know . . . ,
”
Marcelle started, but
Matthew
’
s arrival interrupted her
.

“
Hello, Miss Blackwarth,
”
Matthew said, bowing slightly at the waist before turning and placing a light kiss on Marcelle
’
s cheek.

Marcelle saw Carol
Ann
’
s eyes widen at the affectionate display and felt suddenly sorry
for the young girl. She really did have a huge crush on Matthew, and now Matthew was off the market. If she
’
d been there when the announcement was made, perhaps it would have been easier on her, but she
’
d volunteered to care for Joseph so that Nancy could spend some time with the family, and missed everything, from their arrival up and until near the end of the celebrations.

With a cry, Carol
Ann
turned on her heel, and fled into the house.

“
What was that all about?
”
Matthew asked, watching as the front door slammed shut.

“
If you hadn
’
t noticed, she
’
s had a crush on you from day one.

“
I noticed, but I thought she knew about us,
”
Matthew said, sorry he
’
d hurt the young girl. She
’
d proven to be a very sweet girl, and she was finally getting along nicely with Marcelle.

“
I
’
d better go have a word with her,
”
Marcelle said thoughtfully.
“
Where are you off to?
”

“
I
’
m going to wire
Elizabeth
about Mark, but I should be back in a few hours,
”
Matthew said, wrapping his arms around her.
“
Want to hear something nice?
”

“
A
lways,
”
Marcelle smiled.

“
Mom wants to start planning the wedding with you. She said it
would
help her get over Mark
’
s death. That is, if you don
’
t object,
”
Matthew said, eyeing Marcelle
’
s reaction cautiously.

“
I think it
’
s a wonderful idea,
”
Marcelle grinned.

“
S
he
’
s waiting in her bedroom. I think she brought some material with her from
New York
, so if you want to invite Carol
Ann
to be a bridesmaid, you all can make a beautiful gown for her and mom. Do you need a wedding gown made?
”

“
No, I want to wear my mother
’
s gown,
”
Marcelle smiled.

“
Well, mother brought material for a gown in the event you didn
’
t have one already,
”
Matthew said.

“
Your mother thought of everything, didn
’
t she?
”
Marcelle laughed.
“
I
’
m not sure if Carol
Ann
will want to participate now that I
’
ve snared the only eligible male within the state of Wisconsin.
”

“
We
’
ll just have to see about that, then, won
’
t we?
”
A
voice said from behind the couple, startling them out of the embrace.

“
Mother!
”
Matthew said, rubbing the back of his neck.
“
You really shouldn
’
t sneak up on people like that.
”

“
I wasn
’
t even aware that I was sneaking,
”
Lilith laughed at her son
’
s expression,
“
but since it didn
’
t seem as if you were going to let Marcelle come up to my room, I thought I
’
d come down here. Now, what
’
s this about . . . what
’
s her name? I
’
m assuming you
’
re referring to the young lady that ran away a moment ago.
”

“
Carol
Ann
Blackwarth,
”
Marcelle said, and then sighed.
“
When Matthew first came to work for us, I told Carol
Ann
that I wasn
’
t interested in Matthew, which of course made her happy because it left the door open for her to try and win his affections.
”

“
Not that she could have,
”
Matthew assured them both.

“
Well, Carol
Ann
didn
’
t know that,
”
Marcelle said, guilt apparent on her face
,
“
a
nd
now that she
’
s seen that Matthew and I are . . . well, you know . . . then I
’
m sure she feels betrayed and
probably very hurt.
”

“
Well, you go and talk to her, and I
’
ll see what I can do to take her attentions away from you and Matthew,
”
Lilith said.
“
I
’
ll need to go into town with you, Son.
A
re
you ready to leave?
”

“
Yes, Mother,
”
Matthew said, his eyes narrowing,
“
but you aren
’
t planning to do something you shouldn
’
t, are you?
”

“
I never do anything I shouldn
’
t,
”
Lilith assured him, then turned back to Marcelle.
“
When I get back, I
’
d be proud to help you prepare for the wedding.
”

“
I
’
m looking forward to it.
”

“
Well, the last of the guests have departed,
”
Peter said, approaching the small group
,
“
a
nd
I must say, Matthew, they are all eager to see the foals come spring
,
and
none
has
protested the higher prices I quoted, especially when they got a look at the stud male. Impressed
‘
em right nicely. Said that they were tired of doing business with Stanharbor anyway, with his cheap mounts, and was glad to see we were making a comeback with the kind of horses they really wanted.
”

“
So
am I,
”
Matthew said with a smile.
“
One thing is for certain. Our reputation for producing quality horseflesh will spread far and wide before long, and in a few years time, we will have stables in every state in the Northwest.
At
least that
’
s the plan.
”

“
Thank
s to my very astute, business-minded daughter,
”
Peter said, smiling,
“
t
hat
plan may very well become a reality.
”

“
Well, don
’
t forget, that if Matthew hadn
’
t stepped in and helped purchase the mares, this
business would have failed from the outset,
”
Marcelle said, wrapping her arms around Matthew
’
s waist.
“
Thank
you for believing in
my ambitions
–
and me
.
”

“
A
nd
thank you for hiring me on,
”
Matthew returned graciously, planting a kiss on her nose.

“
Okay, now that all the
gratitude
has been gushed out, Matthew,
”
Lilith said,
“
we
’
re supposed to be heading to town. Do you need anything, Marcelle? Mr.
Weatherman
?
”

“
A
few things,
”
Peter said.

“
Let me know what they are and I
’
ll pick them up for you,
”
Matthew offered.

“
Uh, well, it
’
s just
. . .
,
”
Peter muttered vaguely.
“
Would you mind if I just accompanied you?
”
He finished, casting shy glances toward Lilith. Lilith blushed and turned away, picking non-existent lint off her skirt. Matthew and Marcelle eyed each other and smiled.

“
Will you be okay, darling, until we all get back?
”
Matthew asked, pulling her back into his embrace.

“
I
’
m sure I
’
m going to be
rather
busy trying to convince Carol
Ann
to forgive me and to be a part of my wedding,
”
Marcelle said, placing a light kiss on his lips.

“
I don
’
t think she
’
ll object for too long,
”
Lilith said mysteriously.
“
Just be her friend. She
’
ll come around.
”

“
Thank
s, Lilith,
”
Marcelle said.
“
Well, you all better leave. Nancy and I should have dinner ready by the time you return.
”

“
We
’
ll be back soon, dearest,
”
Peter said, and turn
ed
to help Lilith climb into the carriage.

“
The
re
’
s possibility there,
”
Matthew smiled at the two older people.

“
Yes,
”
Marcelle said, but her heart was sad. Finally, her dad had found someone with whom he felt a connection and he wasn
’
t going to live long enough to enjoy it.

“
A
re
you okay, darling?
”
Matthew said, noticing the sadness that had crept into Marcelle
’
s features.
“
You know,
”
he said, realizing why she was suddenly sad,
“
s
o
metimes it
’
s better to love a short while, th
a
n never love at all
; s
o, if they have each other, your
father
will at least die with the love of a good woman in his heart.
”