The Matrimony Plan (23 page)

“It began at two.”

At least fifteen minutes ago. She might be too late. “I need to hurry. Please tell Luke I’ll see him later.”

“Godspeed,” Mariah called out after her.

Felicity ran like never before. Nothing had ever mattered so much. Her lungs burned by the time she reached the pavilion. She was gasping for breath when she skirted the ball diamond.

“Where are you going, Ms. Kensington?” young Freddie Highbottom asked, ball in hand.

“To the church.”

“I never heard of someone running to church before.” Nonetheless he, Matthew and a half dozen other children raced along beside her.

She reached Elm, and after glancing in each direction to ensure a motorcar wasn’t coming, she crossed the street. There was only a block to go.

“Felicity?” asked Mrs. Simmons, exiting from the secondhand store. “What’s wrong?”

“The church,” she gasped, unable to get more than one or two words out at a time.

“Slow down, dear, there can’t be anything so important that you need to make yourself ill.”

Felicity waved off her instructions. “C-council.” Deep breath. “Gabriel.” Deep breath. “Resign.”

Somehow Mrs. Simmons put it all together. “Gabriel’s resigning?”

“Forced.”

Mrs. Simmons nodded. “Then we have work to do.”

By the time they reached the church, Felicity and Mrs. Simmons had rallied a dozen residents to their cause.

“You tell them, Felicity,” Mrs. Hammond said. “I’ve never had a better customer. All his trouser legs need to be shortened.”

“And he bring many customer to boardinghouse,” added Mrs. Terchie. “Good-paying ones, too.”

They’d reached the church, and Felicity paused at the door to catch her breath and her nerve. The big oak door stood for authority. Her father headed the council. He’d sided with Gabriel before, but would he now? Not if both he and Mother attended. And Mrs. Grattan would now speak against Gabriel. She’d been furious that he took Peter from her. When added to Mr. Evans and Mr. Neidecker’s votes, Gabriel didn’t stand a chance.

She turned to the small crowd that had joined her and saw Mariah and Luke standing on the periphery. Luke needed Gabriel. This town needed Gabriel.

She summoned her courage. “Thank you all for joining me. Your support means a lot, but I want to address the council first.” She glanced at the door, darkened around the brass handle by the touch of hundreds of hands. “Give me a few minutes.”

Mrs. Simmons squeezed her hand. “Don’t let him go.” The twinkle in her eye told Felicity she meant something entirely more personal than saving the pastor’s job.

Felicity pulled open the door and stepped into the dark interior. She squared her shoulders. With God’s help, she could do this.

The council would be meeting downstairs. She walked carefully down the dark staircase. The door at the bottom was drawn closed, meaning the meeting was still in session. She pressed a hand and then an ear to the cool door. Silence.

Finally one lone voice spoke. “Then you don’t deny the allegations.” Daddy.

The hammering in her ears threatened to blot out the response.

“No.” That was Gabriel, calm and strong. “I accept the council’s recommendation.”

Why? Why would Gabriel capitulate? Why would he resign? If he refused to save himself, she’d have to do it.

“If God be for me, who can be against me?” Felicity whispered and threw open the door. Gabriel stood in the center of the room, facing the five-member council.

“Felicity.” Daddy rose from his place at the council table. “This is a closed meeting.”

Mother appeared from somewhere to her side and tried to tug her out the door, but Felicity would not be deterred.

“Why? This is my minister. I have every right to speak.”

Mrs. Grattan whispered something to Mr. Neidecker.

Felicity refused to let the woman distract her. “If it hadn’t been for Pastor Gabriel, I would never have been able to weather the shock of learning I was adopted.” She looked to Gabriel, and those deep brown eyes gave her even more strength.

“That has nothing to do with this meeting,” said Mrs. Grattan.

“Yes, it does,” Felicity insisted. “Since Pastor Gabriel came, my faith has grown stronger. He has touched many hearts, including those of five children who now have loving homes.” She gulped. Was that why Gabriel had been brought before the council? Mrs. Grattan must have initiated the action, but why would the others agree?

“Felicity, this is not the place,” Daddy cautioned.

“Why not? Why can’t I witness to the good Gabriel has done?”

“Did you hear that?” Mrs. Grattan sniffed. “She calls him by his Christian name. Have you ever heard anything more disrespectful? Do you need more proof of impropriety?”

Gabriel said, “Thank you, Felicity, but you should leave this to me. Please?”

“Listen to the pastor, little one,” Daddy echoed.

She didn’t understand. Gabriel should be grateful for her help, not try to lead her away. Daddy and Gabriel were acting exactly the same as always—trying to protect her, but from what?

Mrs. Grattan smirked and nodded to Mr. Neidecker and Mr. Evans. Judging by their expressions, she had her majority. What had Mariah said they were accusing Gabriel of? Improper behavior?

Gabriel gently led her toward the door. When he reached for the handle, she saw Slinky’s leash hanging from a hat peg. Of course. One other person saw her give the leash to Gabriel. One other person saw their first kiss: Mrs. Grattan. The improper behavior was Gabriel’s relationship with her.

“I’m not leaving.” She turned around and strode toward the council. “This is about Gabriel and me, isn’t it?”

The council sat silent.

“We didn’t do anything improper.” Felicity scanned the five grim faces and knew Gabriel was doomed. If true, she had nothing to lose and everything to gain. “In fact, I love Gabriel Meeks.”

Mother gasped, but Daddy leaned back in his chair grinning.

“If the reason you’ve called Gabriel before the council is his relationship with me,” she said boldly, “then I confirm everything.”

Mother buried her face in her hands.

“I knew it,” Mrs. Grattan gloated. “Branford, I believe we are ready to vote.”

“Not so fast, Sophie. Let’s hear my daughter out.”

Felicity gratefully acknowledged her father. This had to be said, no matter what rumors it stirred up. “Yes, we washed a dog in the parsonage’s backyard. Yes, I spent time alone with him. Yes, I kissed him. I’m not ashamed of that because I love him.” She stared right at Mrs. Grattan. “No woman could do better than a man of God.”

Mrs. Grattan’s jaw dropped, but Felicity didn’t care. Let her think whatever she wanted, for the only person who mattered was Gabriel, and he was giving her the most wonderful look.

“You love me?” he breathed as if he didn’t believe her words.

She could understand his reluctance after the way she’d treated him last night, never giving him a chance to explain. “Can you ever forgive me for being angry with you yesterday?”

“I deserved it.” He brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. “I’m the one who behaved like a cad. I jumped to conclusions, the wrong conclusions. Will you forgive me?” His eyes darkened like one of those deep pools in the river.

She sank willingly into them. “Always.”

Then he kissed her in full view of the Church Council. Daddy laughed, and Mother wailed, but Felicity could have danced with joy. Gabriel loved her so much that he’d been willing to suffer scandal in order to protect her reputation. Every action he’d taken had been for her sake. Sometimes he was a little too protective and sometimes he was wrong, but she couldn’t fault him when he did it from love.

“And there are a lot of other people who love him, too,” said Mrs. Simmons, ushering in the crowd who’d followed
Felicity down the street. “Don’t you have something to say to Ms. Felicity, Pastor?”

Gabriel nodded solemnly, knelt and took Felicity’s hands. “I made a lot of mistakes, and I’m bound to make even more, but I love you. If you’re willing to accept an imperfect man, I would be honored if, in due time, you would be my wife.”

She gazed deep into his eyes. “There is nothing I’d rather do.”

“Even if it means eventually taking on a small boy?”

“Especially if it means being a mother to Luke.”

He rose, but his gaze never left her. “I’ll wait for you to finish veterinary college.”

She shook her head. “Maybe later, but now I most want to be a wife and mother.”

Gabriel still hesitated. “This has to be done properly, with your father’s blessing.”

“Daddy?” Felicity raised hopeful eyes to her father.

“And a proper period of courtship,” Gabriel added.

Her father chuckled. “You have it, son. You always had it.”

Felicity threw herself into Gabriel’s arms, and he kissed her again to seal the vow. Mrs. Simmons and nearly everyone else clapped. Daddy quickly called for a vote, which came out four to one in Gabriel’s favor.

“Well, I never.” Mrs. Grattan gathered her bag and stomped from the room, but no one paid her much attention amidst the congratulations and Mother’s racking sobs.

Felicity tried to console her. “It’s all right, Mother. In fact, everything’s perfect.”

“I—I j-just wanted the best for you.” She blotted her eyes with a lace-edged handkerchief. “New York. The Academy.”

“Don’t you understand? I have everything I could ever
want right here in Pearlman.” Felicity held out her hand, and Gabriel joined her.

His eyes twinkled, and he grinned mischievously. “If it makes you too uncomfortable, Mrs. Kensington, I’ll have Mom and Dad leave the Astors off the guest list.”

Mother miraculously stopped weeping. “
The
Astors?”

“They’ve been friends for years, but I wouldn’t want their presence to make you uncomfortable.”

“But—” She looked from Gabriel to Daddy in disbelief.

Daddy roared. “That’s right, Eugenia. Mr. Blevins never summered in Newport, but Pastor Gabriel did.”

Mother’s jaw dropped, just for an instant, and then she did the only thing a woman of her breeding could in such circumstances. She fainted.

“T
hrow the bouquet now,” Mother instructed.

She hovered near Felicity on the church steps as the bells pealed. The clear blue October sky glowed with the first scarlet maple leaves. The town’s unmarried girls had gathered beyond the bottom step. Sally Neidecker jostled Anna Simmons aside, but Eloise Grattan, by virtue of her superior size, claimed the front spot.

“Really, that’s such a ridiculous tradition,” Mariah said under her breath.

Felicity laughed at her best friend and new sister. She’d had to plead with her to don the taffeta maid of honor dress. Gabriel squeezed Felicity’s hand and inspired cries from the gathered guests to give her another kiss.

“Show us how it’s done, Pastor,” one man called out.

Gabriel blushed slightly, warming her heart so completely that she thought she would burst. Then he cast aside any embarrassment and obliged, kissing her until she tingled clear to her toes. When they broke, she had to blink to clear away the tears. Everything was perfect.

Gabriel then bent to pick up Luke, who had been waiting quietly by his side after finishing his solemn duties as best
man. The boy wrapped his arms around his new father, and Felicity gave him a kiss.

“You did a wonderful job.”

He gave her a broad, semitoothless smile, for he’d lost two baby teeth in the past week.

“Throw it to me,” the gathered girls cried, jostling for position.

“All right,” Mariah groused, “if you must throw the bouquet, you’d better get it over with.”

Felicity did hate to give up her bouquet. It wasn’t a fashionable Bernhardt bouquet or even a hothouse posy. No, she carried a rather ragged bunch of chrysanthemums that Luke had gathered from every garden in Pearlman. The patchwork whites and yellows and rusts didn’t match the elegance of her gown, but no bouquet could have been dearer.

Yet she had to let it go. Quicker was better. She whirled around and tossed it over her head, eyes closed.

“Ouch!”

That was Gabriel.

She opened her eyes in time to see it bounce off her new husband’s head and land square in Mariah’s hands. Everyone stared a moment in shock, and then Beatrice started giggling. Felicity followed, and before long everyone was chuckling. Mariah, who preferred to be single and had no use for marriage, had caught the bouquet.

“Embarrassed, sis?” Gabriel teased.

“It’s the cold,” Mariah said, patting her red cheeks. She held the bouquet out to Felicity. “Throw it again.”

“No, no, dear sister,” Felicity laughed. “The bouquet has been thrown. You’ll need to get married now.”

“That’s right,” said Gabriel. “You can’t live at the parsonage any more now that I’m bringing a bride home.”

Mariah crossed her arms. “Tease all you want, Gabriel
John. I promise I won’t be in the way. When Mr. Simmons has my car ready, I’ll be off.”

Felicity shook her head at Mariah’s plan to drive home alone, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it because the whole family enveloped Gabriel and her in a big embrace. Even Slinky barked his approval.

“Welcome to the family, son.” Daddy clapped Gabriel on the back, making him cough. “I always knew you were the one for my girl. No one else would put up with all the strays she’s going to bring home.”

Gabriel laughed, though she knew he was still uneasy around her father. Daddy had a way of intimidating people, and Gabriel didn’t quite understand how much her father adored him. Why, he’d told her in all confidence that he hired Gabriel because he knew he was perfect for her. And when she hesitated, Daddy asked Robert to play the suitor. Felicity didn’t appreciate her father’s interference but seeing as he’d been right and did it from love, she forgave him.

“Mrs. Meeks?” Mrs. Grattan stood quietly before her, hands gripping her bag tightly. “My congratulations.”

Felicity wasn’t quite used to her new name, but as soon as she realized Mrs. Grattan meant her, she extended a hand. “Thank you so much.”

Two months ago, Felicity might have had difficulty forgiving, but Mrs. Grattan had suffered a great deal thanks to her husband’s involvement with the bootlegging ring. The prosecuting attorney wanted him sentenced to prison, but Gabriel’s plea for a reduced sentence and community service won out.

Mrs. Grattan tentatively accepted her handshake. “I’m sorry…for what happened.”

Felicity warmly grasped her hand. “I’m glad you spoke up that day. If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here now.”

The color returned to the woman’s face.

“And I look forward to your ideas and suggestions in the society meetings,” Felicity added.

Tears welled in Mrs. Grattan’s eyes, and Felicity was glad to let go of past hurts. On this day, all of Pearlman was family, even Einer Coughlin, who’d worked with Gabriel to repair the broken fence and even stood outside the church during the wedding ceremony. Maybe one day he’d set foot inside.

Gabriel’s father surveyed the town from the church steps. “I think you might have been right, son. It’s a fine town. You’ll do well here.”

Gabriel gazed at her with such love. “I already have, Dad.”

Then he took her hand and, with Luke, they got in Daddy’s old Stanley Steamer, gleaming bright in the sunshine. With a puff of steam and a tug on the whistle, they started the procession through Pearlman to the cheers and clapping of the people they’d grown to love.

As they passed by the park with its little wooden pavilion, Felicity couldn’t help recalling her goal to marry by the end of summer. She hadn’t quite made that deadline, but she’d married well, and that, in the end, was the better plan.