Fate's Intervention (64 page)

“
Now, now, Lilith,
”
Marcelle laughed,
“
I
’
ve just found out that my
father
is going to live to a ripe old age, so I prefer not to have his life cut short by needle stabbing.
”

“
Perhaps I
’
d do better to skewer him with a knitting needle, was it?
”

“
How did you . . .
Father
, you told them?
”
Marcelle screeched, the blush in her face increasing when everyone burst into laughter.

“
To
ld what?
”
Robert asked.
“
What
’
s this about a knitting needle?
”

“
Don
’
t you dare!
”
Marcelle ordered, but
he
conveniently ignored
her
.

“
Well, you see,
”
Peter said, thankful to see Matthew
’
s hands holding Marcelle in her chair, especially since the look she sent him promised retribution for tattling on her,
“
my daughter used to tell potential suitors that she had skewered a man with a knitting needle for ogling her breasts too long and hard. It was her way of getting rid of undesirables
–
which was everyone I found to call on her. It
’
s also why I took ill.
”

“
Oh,
Father
,
”
Marcelle groaned,
“
I really didn
’
t mean to cause you such distress.
”

“
Oh, yes you did!
”
Peter continued.
“
You caused so much distress, in fact, that my doctor mistook the stress and continued upset stomach as a dire condition that was to result in my demise.
A
mazingly enough, however, when Matthew agreed to see to my daughter
’
s future, my
health made a complete turnaround, much to the amazement of my physician who proclaimed it a miracle!
”

“
Unbelievable!
”
Robert exclaimed softly.

“
Oh, it
’
s quite true, I assure you,
”
Peter said, giving his daughter a mischievous smile.

“
So
, what brings you gentleman into our little work domain, today?
”
Lilith asked, bringing the subject back around to their visit.

“
I miss my bride-to-be, Mother,
”
Matthew grinned, keeping his eyes pinned on Marcelle,
“
but if it will put your mind at ease, I did have an actual purpose for stopping by this time.
”

“
A
nd
what might that by, Sweetheart?
”
Marcelle said, and smiled as Matthew
’
s grin
widened
. She remembered his reaction the first time she
’
d used the endearment on him and a blush stole into her cheeks. The blush mounted in intensity when he lowered his head and kissed her again.

“
I love when you call me that,
”
he purred, and planted yet another kiss on her slightly parted mouth.

“
The
re are others present in the room, dear hearts,
”
Lilith snapped playfully.

“
So
rry, Mother,
”
Matthew apologized insincerely,
“
but I can
’
t seem to keep my hands
off
her.
”

“
A
s well it should be, dear,
”
Lilith laughed and Marcelle coughed, still unused to the candor with which mother and son communicated. It shouldn
’
t be shocking, since she tended to be that way with her
father
, but she wasn
’
t usually the subject of the conversation, so she still
found their bluntness a little disconcerting.

Her
discomfiture was nothing compared to Carol
Ann
, who appeared as if she would have a fit of
the vapors
at any moment. Robert placed a hand on her shoulder, meant as a gesture of comfort, but
to
Carol
Ann
,
unused to attention from
the opposite sex, appeared ready to swoon.

“
Perhaps I should return home now,
”
she whispered, keeping her eyes deliberately averted from Matthew
’
s overly affection display.

“
Nonsense, Child,
”
Lilith chided.
“
Matthew is just about to tell us why he
’
s dragged the entire male household in here, weren
’
t you, Matthew?
”

“
For enlightenments sake, Mother dearest, I did not drag Peter and Robert up here. They saw me heading in this direction, and merely decided to accompany me, isn
’
t that correct, gentlemen?
”

“
For certain,
”
Peter smiled.
“
A
fter
all, ladies, you have hidden yourselves away in this room for the better part of two weeks, and we
men folk
simply aren
’
t used to not having a woman underfoot, harping over every little thing.
”

“
Well, if Matthew would quit interrupting our work continually, we would have been done with Carol
Ann
and mine
’
s dresses, as well as Marcelle
’
s trousseau and be able to flit about the house disrupting your lives to everyone
’
s delight. Now, Matthew, tell us why you
’
ve come, so that we can do just that.
”

“
Very well, Mother,
”
Matthew smiled,
“
I came to let Marcelle know that I
’
m going away for a short while to deliver the horses to our clientele.
”

“
A
nd
I
’
ll be accompanying him, Carol
Ann
,
”
Robert interjected.
“
To
help drum up business for the future breed stock.
At
Matthew
’
s request, of course.
”

“
Do I take that to mean that you won
’
t be returning to
England
any time in the near future, Robert?
”
Lilith questioned, watching Carol
Ann
’
s reaction carefully.

“
Well, Matthew has been kind enough to offer me part interest in the horse business and since I
’
ve always found horseflesh an interesting commodity, I
’
ve decided to take him up on that offer. Especially since I
’
ve found good
reason
to stay
–
that is, if she
’
ll have me.
”
All
eyes fell on Carol
Ann
, who stiffened visibly when Robert moved to kneel in front of her chair
.

“
I know we haven
’
t known each other for very long,
”
Robert whispered,
“
but I feel an aff
inity towards
you
that I can only hope and pray
you return in some small measure. I
f so, I beg you to consider becoming my bride. If you accept, I vow to do everything within my power to see you well cared for, well provided for, and forever well loved. Will you consent to marrying me, Miss Carol
Ann
Blackwarth?
”

“
Oh, my!
”
Carol
Ann
c
ried, and to everyone
’
s surprise, she launched herself into Robert
’
s arms, knocking him onto the floor. He wrapped his arms around her tightly as they landed in a heap.

“
Is that a yes, my love?
”
Robert
breathed
.

“
Yes, oh, yes!
”
Carol
Ann
laughed, the people around her temporarily forgotten. Robert leaned up and planted a quick kiss on her mouth and Carol
Ann
gasped.

“
Get used to it, Sweetheart,
”
he smiled,
“
because you
’
ll be getting plenty of those.
”

Carol
Ann
blushed prettily and then gasped again as their position on the floor and the spect
at
o
rs suddenly registered.

“
Oh, my,
”
she whispered.

“
Here, let me help you up, Carol
Ann
,
”
Matthew laughed. He reached down and clasped Carol
Ann
by the elbow, pulling her to her feet. Carol
Ann
sank into her chair and hid her face in her hands.

“
A
re
you all right, my child?
”
Lilith asked, far from concerned. In fact, she was enjoying the whole affair immensely.
Carol
Ann
bobbed her head up and down, but didn
’
t move her hands away from her face.

“
Carol
Ann
,
”
Marcelle hedged, attempting to keep her laughter at bay,
“
you don
’
t have to be embarrassed.
A
fter
all, we
’
re family now, and as a member of this family, you are going to have to learn to toughen up a bit. If you hadn
’
t realized it by now, shenanigans are a large part of who we are. Can you accept that?
”

Carol
Ann
peered at Marcelle from between her fingers, then at everyone sitting around her. When her gaze drifted back to Robert, still seated on the floor in front of her, she moved her hands away from her face,
“
Y
ou
don
’
t mind if I behave
. . .
well,
as
Marcelle said?
”

“
S
weetheart, I want you to be so comfortable with me that you wouldn
’
t hesitate to run around the house in your bloomers if you felt like doing so,
”
Robert laughed.

“
Tr
uly?
”

“
T
ruly,
”
Robert said, then quickly amended,
“
however, I prefer you wait until we have a
home of our own before doing so.
”

“
I
’
ll see what I can do,
”
Carol
Ann
retorted and then blushed at her own audacity.
“
You know, I used to think you were a poor influence on me, Marcelle. Now I think I couldn
’
t be happier to know you
; s
ince, if it wasn
’
t for you, I wouldn
’
t be able to tease my husband like this. It feels
–
freeing.
”