Page 32 of A Wager with the Matchmaker (A Shanahan Match #3)

32

Kiernan leaned against the railing of the veranda, watching the road beyond the lane for Zaira. She should have been back by now.

He slipped a hand into his pocket, pulled out his watch, and flipped open the cover. It was half past seven. The party was already underway at the Douglas estate.

Liam had told him that he’d been instructed where, when, and how to propose to Shelia, which took some of the enjoyment out of the occasion. But Liam, as always, was a good sport. No doubt he’d do the deed with his usual finesse and charm, earning Shelia and her family’s approval and entertaining all the guests.

If Zaira didn’t return soon, they would have to leave for the party without her or miss Liam’s special moment altogether.

Kiernan slid a glance toward the shade of the veranda where his parents were sitting, Da smoking a cigar and Mam working on her needlepoint, both attired in their fine evening wear. They didn’t seem bothered that Zaira was late. Madigan and Quinlan didn’t seem impatient to go either and were playing an improvised game of cricket in the backyard.

Something didn’t feel quite right.

He straightened and stuffed his watch away. Then he crossed to the front steps.

“Going somewhere?” Da asked.

“To the city to find Zaira.” He couldn’t wait another minute without knowing how Alannah had responded to his list. He’d ride in and find Zaira. If she was positive about Alannah’s reaction, then he’d go directly to her and propose. This time the right way.

“She’ll be here in a wee minute.” Da set his cigar down in his ashtray.

“Something must have happened.”

“You know Zaira,” Mam said a little too casually. “She’s always such a good girl and will be back shortly.”

Kiernan turned to face his parents. “What’s going on?”

Mam continued to poke her needle through the fabric without giving him a glance, and his da twisted his cigar.

“It’s Alannah.” His muscles tensed. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Everything’s fine.” Da’s tone was placating.

Kiernan could only stare at them—Da in his finest tailcoat and top hat and Mam looking so grand, almost regal, in her evening gown. They’d made a life for themselves with wealth and prestige and power. For so long, he’d thought that’s what he wanted too—to follow in Da’s footsteps and do even better.

But in comparison with having the woman he loved, nothing else mattered anymore. Even if he wasn’t able to talk to Zaira first, he had to go to Alannah and try one more time to win her over.

He shook his head curtly and started down the steps. “Go to the party without me. I’m riding into town.” He couldn’t worry about hurting Liam. In fact, Liam probably wouldn’t notice his absence, at least not until hours had passed.

“Wait, Kiernan.” Da rose now too.

“I have to go.”

“I just wanted to let you know how proud I am of you.”

Da’s words halted Kiernan. Proud? Of him? “After the destruction of one business and having to sell the other? I’m a failure.”

Da waved a dismissive hand. “So you’ve had a couple of setbacks. You’ll recover.”

Kiernan wasn’t so sure about that, but he reined in the comment.

“I don’t tell you enough,” Da continued. “But I’m proud of the young man you’re becoming, so I am. You defended the people working for you. You’re standing up against the wrongs. And you’re pursuing the woman you love. There’s nothing more admirable than that.”

The unexpected praise brought a sudden lump to Kiernan’s throat. His da was sparing with praise, so to have his affirmation in the face of so many challenges softened the blow of losing so much lately.

“Thank you, Da,” Kiernan managed through a tight throat.

At the faint jangling and rattling of a carriage, Da squinted in the distance. “Ach, there she is now.”

At the bottom of the steps, Kiernan held himself back as the carriage came into view and then turned and rolled down the lane toward him. Hopefully, Zaira had good news for him.

As the carriage circled to the front of the house, the drawn window shades prevented him from seeing inside and gauging Zaira’s expression and whether the mission had been a success.

He blew out a breath, one containing all his frustration and anxiety over the past twenty-four hours since making his decision and writing his revised list. Then he stepped up to open the door for Zaira. Before he could reach it, she pushed open the door and began to descend. He took her elbow and assisted her, all the while searching her expression.

She was somber, and her eyes were guarded.

“Did you deliver my note to Alannah?” He was being rude, skipping right over greeting her, but at the moment, his heart felt like it was about to fall out of his chest.

“I did.” Zaira wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

“And?” He embraced her briefly, his pulse only beating more wildly with every passing second. “What did she say?”

Zaira stepped back and exchanged a glance with Da and Mam who’d risen from their seats and stood at the top of the stairs.

“Well?” Kiernan demanded.

A movement in the door of the carriage drew Kiernan’s attention away from Zaira. Alannah stood in the doorway, one satin shoe on the carriage step, a gloved hand on the handle, and mounds of satiny blue material surrounding her and turning her into a princess. A portion of her blond hair was elegantly twisted up, and part hung down in delicate ringlets, with a crown of white roses only adding to her royal ensemble.

Speechless, he was at her side in the next instant, taking hold of her elbow and assisting her. Her eyes met his tentatively, her blue dress making the blue of her eyes brighter. With the gown off the shoulders, her shoulders were bare, her pale, unblemished skin so smooth, begging him to touch it. If he could, he’d start at her shoulder and draw a trail to her collarbone and then stop right in the dip at the base of her neck. That would be a perfect place to kiss her.

As if hearing his thoughts—or at the very least, reading the desire in his eyes—she lowered her gaze to the ground, watching each step as she made her descent. Once her feet were both firmly settled on the ground, she lifted her eyes again and met his, this time more boldly.

“Hello, Kiernan.” Even though her gaze was direct, her voice was soft, almost uncertain. “I wanted to deliver the answer to your letter myself.”

He didn’t need her to say anything more to realize she’d come to Oakland because she wanted to be with him and was willing to give their match a try. As tempted as he was to gather her into his arms, he held himself back and let her speak what she’d come to say.

“I love you.” She spoke the words loudly enough that everyone could hear them, even his parents. Her fingers trembled, but she clasped her hands together. “I hope you can forgive me for pushing you away—”

He dropped his mouth against hers the way he’d been dreaming about doing since the night he’d kissed her in the shed. He almost groaned at the taste and feel of her. He didn’t care that his family was watching, didn’t care that he was delaying their departure to the party even more, didn’t care that he was declaring in front of his family how much he cared about her.

It was past time they all knew exactly how he felt about Alannah.

She melded her lips to his eagerly, clearly not worrying about their audience either. The passion, the wanting, the need ... it was all there the way it had been during their last kiss. But it was stronger and more powerful, drawing their souls together and leaving him in no doubt that he’d lose a part of himself if he let her go without him.

“Save it for later.” Zaira laughed and shoved him.

The movement was enough to make Alannah break the connection. She ducked her head, suddenly shy, as though remembering that his parents were there. Madigan and Quinlan had also come around the house, tousled and sweaty in their suits and staring at the two of them.

Alannah smoothed her gloved hands over her skirt, the slim waist and tight bodice revealing all her womanly curves. “I came tonight to accept your offer to attend the engagement party with you.”

“You did?” He couldn’t keep the surprise from his voice.

“Oh aye. I need to do it. For you and for myself.”

He wasn’t sure exactly what she meant, but he guessed she wanted to overcome the barriers and fears that had been holding her back the same way he’d needed to move beyond his. Even so, as much as she wanted to go, she couldn’t. He didn’t even like that she was standing out in the open where anyone could see her.

He reached for her hand. “You can’t show yourself at the party. It’s not safe—”

“It will be, to be sure.”

“It’s not worth the risk. I’ll stay here with you, and everyone can go without us.”

She turned and glanced into the carriage. A moment later, a man wearing a priest’s robe poked his head out. He was one of the priests from the Cathedral. What was he doing here?

Before Kiernan could make sense of what was happening, Alannah lowered herself to one knee amidst the pooling of her beautiful gown and then took hold of his hand and peered up at him. “You’ve already done the asking more than once. Now it’s my turn.”

His heart began to race. Was she doing what he thought she was?

“Kiernan, you would make me the happiest woman alive if you agree to marry me.”

“Tonight,” Zaira hissed.

Alannah blushed. “Tonight.”

Everyone around him seemed to be holding their breaths—his parents, his siblings, even the priest. But the answer was already obvious. At least to him. He lowered himself to his knee in front of her, pulled the box from his trouser pocket, then opened it to reveal the ring he’d purchased earlier in the week. It was a blue topaz with tiny diamonds surrounding it.

He slid it down her finger, claiming her for himself as he did so. This woman would forever and always be his and his alone.

When he finished, she held her hand out and examined it.

“I love you, Alannah. And I’d go to the ends of the earth to be with you.”

Her eyes rose to his, and she seemed to be searching his soul.

He couldn’t hide anything from her, didn’t want to hide anything. He wanted her to see all that was within him, including how deeply passionate he was about her. He’d meant what he said at the bottom of his new list—he’d intended to go to California with her.

She pressed a hand to his cheek. “I’ll not be going anywhere, Kiernan, except to be wherever you are. That’s all that matters to me.”

Her eyes were bright and honest and true. And he knew she was telling him that she wanted to live in St. Louis with him and let Torin go on ahead to California.

The problem was, Kiernan wasn’t sure if he needed to stay. He was done comparing himself to his da. He no longer needed to prove anything. He wasn’t sure why he’d ever felt the need in the first place. If he never gained as much or made a name for himself, it wouldn’t matter. He would be content having Alannah and their life together, whatever that entailed.

His da was grinning as though he’d been in on the plan all along—maybe he had been. And his mam wore a tender smile, one that said she wanted him to be happy, and that if Alannah brought him happiness, she’d be okay. His siblings crowded closer, and the priest descended and moved to stand in front of them.

Alannah smiled at Kiernan tentatively. Then she leaned toward him and touched her lips to his in an achingly soft kiss, one that said she saw him for who he really was and would always love him no matter what the future brought their way.

“Are we going to have a wedding or not?” Zaira asked with a laugh from beside Alannah.

Kiernan broke the gentle kiss and then stood, bringing Alannah to her feet with him. “I can’t think of anything better.” As he wrapped his hand around Alannah’s, her fingers tightened within his, and he knew that she couldn’t think of anything better either.