An Agent for Diana (The Pinkerton Matchmaker, Book 10)
Page 14
Diana jumped down from the wagon just as they pulled up. “I’m going to look for Cathleen,” she told him in a rush. “You get the tickets.”
He couldn’t even reply before she was gone, but the time to himself would serve him well, however brief. He had to be careful and strategic with this, couldn’t order her about and be brusque as he had before. This had to be all sincerity and raw honesty.
Vulnerable.
He hated that word, and hated the feeling even more, but for Diana, he would risk it.
Holding his breath, he purchased the necessary tickets, then moved out into the main of the station, scanning the faces before him. It didn’t take long for him to find Diana, and less than that to see she had been successful in her quest. She was crouching down before the fair haired girl, so tiny and frail on the bench by herself, her clothes in tatters. He watched as Diana wiped tears from the girl’s cheeks, and had to swallow as she hugged her close.
He released that breath now, and strode forward, forcing himself to smile as gently as possible when he approached. “What have we here, then?”
Diana beamed up at him, taking Cathleen’s hand. “Look who I found, Wyatt.”
“If it isn’t our little friend Cathleen!” He feigned surprise, though the delight was genuine. “Lovely to see you again.” He held out a hand and the girl stared at it.
“It’s all right, Cathleen,” Diana insisted. “You are fully free to shake his hand.”
Smiling shyly, the girl did so, and Wyatt was stunned at how small and cold her hand was compared to his. He cleared his throat. “Tell you what, child. I see some fresh buns at the bakery stand just there. You seem rather hungry, would you like one?”
Cathleen nodded hastily, making Diana and Wyatt laugh.
Wyatt reached into his pocket and pulled out some coins, handing them to her. “Off you go, then. Get yourself as many as you can, then come right back here and eat every last piece.”
She dashed off without a question, and he shook his head as she did so. “Not so timid now, is she?”
“I want to take her back with us,” Diana whispered, leaning close. “She doesn’t know her second cousin, and they won’t be expecting her. They’ve never been part of her life, and I can’t imagine they would take it so kindly. It will be difficult with staying in Indiana for a time, but…”
“We’re not staying in Indiana,” he interrupted quickly, taking her arm and moving her a bit out of the main thoroughfare. “Knowing what we now do, we have to go back to headquarters. They may send us back out again, but they have to know what we do, and a telegram is too risky at this point.”
Diana smiled with relief. “Oh, good. We can easily see her safe in Denver. I’ve always wanted a child or two, and starting off with one already growing up would be a decent test of abilities. I don’t know how we’ll explain a new child to Archie, but we’ve got time to figure it out.”
She was not making it easy, but he had to tell her, and it had to be now.
“Diana,” he said quickly, cutting off whatever she was going to say next.
She gave him an inquisitive look. “Yes?”
He swallowed. “Diana…” Words failed him for a moment, and he shook his head, giving up any idea of romantic speech. “Look, we have to go back to Denver to report in, but I’m not interested in an annulment.”
Her eyes widened at once. “What?”
“I’m in love with you,” he told her, barely avoiding a catch in his voice. “And I’d stay married to you for the rest of my life if I can. But it’s your choice. Train leaves in an hour. Here’s a ticket for you and Cathleen. You want the annulment, you sit wherever you want on the train. If you’re interested in sticking with me beyond this assignment, meet me at the platform and ride with me for the rest of our lives.”
His voice faded in the face of his passion and he had to look away for a moment. Then he turned back to her taking one of her hands in his and squeezing hard. “The choice is yours, no strings attached.”
And then, without breathing, he turned his back on her and walked away.
The next hour was excruciating. He’d never felt anything like it, not with any injury, illness, misery, or grief. The anticipation was slowly eating him alive, and he couldn’t even dare to hope.
He’d never prayed like this in his life, but praying for Diana to choose him seemed the most holy and fervent thing he could have prayed for.
And now as he made his way back to the platform, after wandering about aimlessly for an hour, he felt more like running for the hills.
What if he didn’t see her? How would he explain that to Archie?
Wyatt stood at the edge of the platform, inhaling and exhaling the humid Indiana air as though he had nothing else to do, rocking back and forth on his heels. His fingers rubbed against each other, and a strange moisture formed on the surface of his skin.
Just a few minutes now. Just a few more minutes and he would know.
He heard the train whistle and looked down the tracks, where an approaching train was visible. The sight of it sent a chill down to the tips of his toes.
She wasn’t coming. It was over.
Someone cleared their throat behind him, and he ignored it. At a second and more determined clearing, he turned, ready to tell off whoever it was.
The rebuke died before it ever fully formed.
Diana stood there, smiling in a mixture of delight and shyness that would forever warm his heart. Clutching her hand was Cathleen, looking rather impish compared to the girl he knew.
He stared at Diana again, waiting, hoping.
She wet her lips carefully, then released Cathleen’s hand and reached into her pocket, producing the ticket he had given her. She held it up, then pointedly tore it in half, then in half again.
The pieces fell to the ground before her, but his eyes stayed on hers. “I love you, too, Mr. McGrath,” she told him in a perfectly clear voice, her eyes shining.
Wyatt released a ragged breath, then laughed as he closed the gap between them, taking her in his arms and kissing her as he had never kissed another woman in his life. Her arms twined about his neck, pulling him in and keeping him close as she gave back the same passionate enthusiasm he showered upon her.
Cathleen’s giggles broke them apart, and Wyatt chuckled, smiling against Diana’s lips, then sealing his lips over hers again, brief, but fierce. “I love you,” he whispered.
She touched her nose to his. “I love you.”
He kissed her brow quickly, then took her hand and laced their fingers before turning to the girl beside them. “What do you think, Cathleen? Shall we take you back to Denver with us and become your mother and father?”
“Yes!” the child cried, wrapping her arms about his waist. “Oh, yes please, sir!”
Wyatt laughed and patted her back, then bought Diana’s hand to his lips, smiling as he kissed it. “And what say you, Mrs. McGrath?”
Diana sighed and shook her head, her smile carrying the very light of sunshine. “Nothing, Mr. McGrath. I’m so perfectly happy, I have nothing to say.”
“Well, that’s a first.” He grinned cheekily and moved his wife and his soon-to-be daughter towards the train. “All right, ladies, let’s get on board.”
Diana gasped suddenly, and pulled him to a stop. “Wyatt!”
He turned back in surprise, utterly lost. “What?”
Horror crossed her features, and her grip on him tightened. “What in the world are we going to tell my mother?”
I hope you have enjoyed Wyatt & Diana’s story of finding love. Want to find out what happens to all the agents in The Pinkerton Matchmaker series? Follow the link to find out what is next in the Pinkerton series!
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Coming Soon in The Pinkerton Matchmaker Series
Series starts October 12, 2018 with new releases weekly
An Agent for Lucy – Amelia Adams
An Agent for Claudette – Christine Sterling
An Agent for Regina – Marianne Spitzer
An Agent for Wilhelmina - Sophie Dawson
An Agent for Audrey - Laura Beers
An Agent for Victoria - Kate Marie Clark
An Agent for Elizabeth - Julia Ridgmont
An Agent for Cecily - Marie Higgins
An Agent for Charity - Patricia PACJAC Carroll
An Agent for Diana - Rebecca Connelly
An Agent for Belle - Nerys Leigh
An Agent for Ada - H.L. Roberts
An Agent for Arielle - Parker J. Cole
Plus, many more books being released in 2019!
About the Author
Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story.
She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back.
She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.