24

Abrianna waited for Flora and Eloise to put the finishing touches on her hair. She had chosen a Grecian arrangement, where her dark red curls could be drawn up and pinned at the front and side, while allowing the rest of her hair to spill down her back.

“You look beautiful.” Eloise took a step back. “Pity it has to be wasted on this occasion.”

“It is indeed a pity.” Abrianna tried not to sound overly nervous. “Let’s finish this. Flora, will you attach the train and then help me into the overlay?”

The younger woman nodded and quickly went to work with the beautiful cathedral train. “This is fit for a queen’s coronation,” Flora declared.

“Perhaps when this is all over, I could send the gown to one of the crowned heads of Europe,” Abrianna mused. “Imagine it arriving and the royal stewards trying to decide why a woman in America would send them such a concoction of fabric and lace. There are a great many princes and princesses, I’ve heard. Seems most every country over there has several to spare. Even so, I doubt they’d want this mess.”

Flora giggled. “They already believe all Americans to be fools. I read that much in one of the newspapers last year. I had wanted to visit Europe prior to hearing such things. That just seemed rude and uncalled for.”

“Well, let them have their notions.” Eloise set the crowned veil atop Abrianna’s head. The circlet of pearls fit perfectly over the crest of the pinned curls. Eloise held the bulk of the veil aside while Flora helped Abrianna into the lace overlay. When everything was in place, they stood back to admire their work.

“You may not have chosen this style,” Eloise declared, “but you look truly beautiful. Should I pull the veil over your face?”

Abrianna gazed into the cheval mirror that someone had thoughtfully placed in the room. She had to admit the image reflected there was of a royal princess rather than a mischievous hoyden who frequented the docks to feed old sailors.

“No. There’s no need. I must speak face-to-face with Welby.”

“The man certainly spared no expense,” Eloise said, handing Abrianna her gloves. “Even these gloves are edged with pearls.”

“Pity he didn’t use the money to benefit the poor or help those in need. When I think of the money this gown costs and how it could have been put to much better use, it sickens me. Maybe not as much as actually marrying Welby, but it’s close.”

A knock sounded on the door, and all three women started at the noise. Eloise went quickly and admitted Kolbein. “It’s time, Abrianna. The men are ready. I’m going to let them in back there.” He pointed to where she’d been told there was another door. “It will only take a moment, and we will all be in place, so send for Welby now.”

She nodded. “I’ll have Flora go get him. Do you know where he is?”

Kolbein nodded. “He’s speaking at the back of the church with Jay. Jay thought to keep him busy there for easier access.”

“Good.” Abrianna turned to Flora. “Please go tell Mr. Welby that I must see him. Go slowly and give the men time to hide.” She looked at Eloise. “You go and get out of harm’s way.”

Eloise leaned over to kiss Abrianna’s cheek. “I am going to be praying for you. You won’t be alone, just remember that.”

Abrianna nodded and turned to say something to Kolbein, but he had already disappeared. She glanced toward the back of the room but saw nothing amiss. There wasn’t even so much as a stirring coming from that area.

Eloise and Flora left the room, and Abrianna drew a deep breath and began to pace. She hadn’t thought of how cumbersome it would be with the long train attached, but she did her best to look a nervous wreck by the time a second knock sounded on the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.” Welby’s voice was barely audible.

Abrianna swung open the door and watched the man’s expression change from disturbed to awe. He stood completely silent, spellbound for several moments. “You look more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. I must say without any doubt whatsoever, you are the most beautiful woman in Seattle.”

Abrianna shook her head and walked away from the door in what she hoped looked like a fit of fear. “I can’t do this. I can’t do this,” she muttered.

Welby followed her into the room and closed the door. “I’m sorry. What did you say? Why did you send for me? Aren’t you afraid of causing bad luck for our marriage?” He laughed, causing Abrianna to whirl around.

“Surely you jest. This entire ordeal has been nothing but bad luck.” Abrianna wrung her gloved hands. “I can’t do this, Welby. I cannot go out there and lie to all those people—to my loved ones and to God. I can’t.”

Her words took a moment to sink in, but when they did Welby shook his head. “You will. I’ll have you dragged down the aisle if necessary.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Abrianna countered. She fought to think fast. “Think of the public humiliation you’d face. Why, you’d never have a political career if you were known to force a woman into marriage.”

He crossed the distance between them in two long strides. Taking hold of her at the shoulders, Welby shook her hard. “You aren’t going to ruin this for me now.” He raised his right hand back, as if preparing to slap her.

“I’m sorry. You can beat me if you choose, but I cannot go out there and marry you.”

He calmed in an unnatural silence, and for a moment Abrianna thought he might hit her, but then he slowly lowered his hand. “We have an agreement about this. I got your beloved Wade and father out of jail, all charges dropped, or have you forgotten?”

“I haven’t forgotten anything.” Abrianna let her fear show. She felt a trembling start at her knees and work its way up through her body. “I especially haven’t forgotten that you are heartless and evil.”

Welby let go his hold on her. “You know what I’ll do.”

Abrianna knew she would have to choose her words carefully to get Welby to remind her of his terrible deeds. “You can hardly have them falsely accused of murder—again.” She looked at him for a moment, daring him, praying to God that he would take the bait.

“No, but I can have them killed.”

She was partway home. Kolbein said it was absolutely necessary, however, for him to admit to the other deaths he’d arranged. It wouldn’t be enough to just threaten murder. “Like you did poor old Charlie and Billy Boy and the others. Poor Mr. Greene. He didn’t deserve to be beaten to death.”

“Perhaps none of them did.” Welby shrugged. “But they’re just as dead.”

“And all because you found it necessary. Who are you to determine a man’s life? You aren’t God.”

“I am in this situation.” Welby narrowed his eyes and pointed his finger at her. “You are going to walk down that aisle and marry me, and you will do so with a smile on your face, or I will systematically start eliminating your family members.”

“Will you do the deed yourself?” She asked sarcastically. “Or will you get that brute of yours to do it?”

Welby gave a sinister smile that chilled Abrianna to the bone. “I will do whatever I need to. Carl proved most useful to me in seeing the others dead. It’s amazing how much a man can get done when people simply follow his orders.” He took hold of her jaw and squeezed tightly. “But Carl isn’t the only one capable of killing, and you should know that by now. I will tell you something I didn’t before, but now I think it’s important you know. Perhaps it will convince you to stop this nonsense.”

He let her go but didn’t move away. “Carl wasn’t the one who killed Greene. I did, and if you don’t do exactly as I demand you to do, I will personally kill those old ladies you love, and furthermore, I will make you watch.”

Abrianna willed herself not to move, but with this last statement she couldn’t help but back up a step. She waited, hoping that the authorities would spring into action, but before anyone came to her rescue the door opened and Aunt Miriam came in with Selma and Poisie right behind her.

“Goodness, Mr. Welby, what are you doing here? Don’t you know that it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?”

“You shouldn’t be here.” Abrianna was terrified that Welby would kill one of them here and now just to prove himself to her.

“They’re here at my insistence,” Kolbein said, coming into the room behind the trio. His entry surprised Abrianna. She had thought him to be hiding with the other men. “We were listening at the door and heard everything.”

“You’ll have a hard time proving it,” Welby said.

“No, he won’t” came another male voice. This one from behind them. Abrianna turned, as did Welby, to see who it was that spoke. “Priam Welby, you’re under arrest for the murder of Guyland Greene.”

In one fluid movement Welby took Abrianna in front of him like a shield. One arm held her tight while he pressed something into the middle of her back. “Move and you’re dead,” he whispered in her ear.

“Let her go,” Kolbein demanded.

“I have a gun.” Welby moved a few steps back toward the door, where Abrianna’s aunts had been. Abrianna tried not to move with him, to make it difficult for him to keep his hold and pull her along, but he was far stronger than she’d given him credit for.

“Let her go now, Welby. We have police surrounding the church.” This came from the same well-dressed older man who’d announced Welby’s arrest. Wade stood right beside him.

Welby took another step back. “I’m honored that the chief of police—a man who would not be bought—would arrest me personally. I’m afraid I must decline your request. You have been a thorn in my side since the beginning. If you think I’m going to give in and allow you to take me to jail, you’re a fool.”

“And you’re a fool if you think we’re going to stand by and let you kill this young woman. You’ve already confessed to murder, and there is really no reason that my men won’t put a bullet in your brain if you so much as attempt to leave this church.” The police chief smiled. “You are had, Mr. Welby. Something I’ve looked forward to for a very, very long time.”

Welby leaned closer to Abrianna’s ear. “They think I won’t kill you. They think they can save you.”

A loud clunk sounded from somewhere behind Abrianna, and to her surprise Welby’s hold loosened. Then before she knew it, he collapsed to the floor, tearing the veil and crown from her head as he went. Abrianna jumped away from him as best she could in the weighty gown and moved toward Wade. She saw the stunned look in Wade’s eyes and then noted it was on the faces of all the men. Turning, she realized what had taken them all by surprise. Aunt Poisie stood over Welby’s still body, hammer in hand.

“Well done, Miss Holmes,” Kolbein said in absolute awe.

As the shock wore off, some of the men began to chuckle while Aunt Miriam and Aunt Selma went to stand beside the younger woman.

Aunt Miriam fixed her sister with a sober gaze. “I thought we agreed you’d leave the hammer at home, Poisie.” Her tone was that of a chastising mother to her child.

“Sometimes, Sister, I simply have to listen to my own good sense,” Poisie replied. She put the hammer back into her large reticule and raised her gaze to the others. “This time it served me quite well.”

“It’s true.” Aunt Selma allowed her gaze to dart from person to person. “I often felt that same way when Mr. Gibson made unreasonable suggestions.”

“God rest his soul,” Aunt Poisie murmured without looking up.

“Amen,” Aunt Miriam and Selma replied.

Abrianna stared in wonder at the entire scene. Welby lay moaning on the floor as he regained consciousness, while her aunts stood over him like faithful watchdogs.

Somewhere in the midst of all the commotion Abrianna’s father had come into the room, Eloise and Flora close behind him. “Are you quite all right?” Flora came quickly to Abrianna’s side. “I was ever so fearful for you. Did you get him to confess?”

“She did,” Wade replied for her. “She managed it quite professionally. You should be proud of her.”

“Oh, I am.” Flora looked at Abrianna with wide eyes. “She is the bravest woman I know.”

Wade nodded. “Me too.” He smiled at Abrianna and winked.

The authorities managed to get Welby to his feet. Welby put his hand to his head. “Who hit me?”

“Unimportant,” the police chief replied. “What is important is that you understand we are placing you under arrest for the murder of Guyland Greene. We also have your man Carl Neely. Your days of blackmail, vice, and murder are at an end.”

Welby’s brows furrowed, but whether in pain or confusion Abrianna couldn’t be sure. “You arranged all of this, didn’t you?”

“Not me.” Abrianna point to her beloved. “Wade was responsible. He’s my knight in shining armor.”

“It was a combined effort.” Wade put his arm around Abrianna. “One that I hope we never have reason to repeat.”

“Well, given all that Mr. Welby’s admitted to,” the police chief said as his men led Welby away, “you won’t have any more trouble from him. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to see to a proper reception at the armory for Mr. Welby.”

Aunt Miriam came to Abriannna and took hold of her hand. “Are you all right, my dear?”

She managed to nod. “I’m just relieved it’s all over.”

“What should we do with all those folks in the church?” Jay asked.

Aunt Miriam considered this a moment. “It seems a pity to have them all assembled for a wedding and not have one. Then, too, there’s the wedding breakfast. Mr. Welby has paid a great deal of money, and it would be most sinful to waste all that food.” She looked at Wade and Abrianna. “Perhaps you two should marry. I know the judge will be happy to supply the proper papers.”

“No.” Wade shook his head. “I wouldn’t expect Abrianna to do that.”

“Sister makes a good point,” Aunt Poisie interjected. “You could forego the church and marry at the house. The skies are clear, and the gardens are still quite lovely. You could marry there or in the ballroom where the wedding breakfast is awaiting.”

“I think it would be great irony,” Aunt Selma added. “Just think of it. Mr. Welby’s money will pay for your wedding.”

Aunt Miriam fixed them with a hint of amusement. “Don’t let pride stand in your way. You’ve already seen where that gets a soul. I think it would be the perfect way to put the ugliness of this ordeal behind us.”

Wade looked at Abrianna. “What do you want?”

She smiled. Suddenly nothing else mattered as much as becoming his wife. “You, of course.” She looked to Flora and her aunts. “I won’t go another day without him. Take me home, where we can rid me of these ghastly attachments.”

“You heard the lady.” Wade lifted Abrianna in his arms. He frowned and shifted her with a groan. “You must be wearing ninety pounds of material.”

“At least.” She felt sorry for him. “So why don’t you let me go?”

He shook his head, his gaze never leaving hers. “Never.”