Amelia gasped. Gertrude put a hand on her arm soothingly. “Why don’t we get you some tea and allow you to sit down?” Gertrude suggested.
“All right,” Amelia agreed. Would this nightmare ever end?
“The other men are on their way,” Jed explained. “We decided not to take any chances.” Jed lowered his voice and spoke to Gertrude in hushed tones. “How’s she doing? Some of the men who are coming here are armed to help protect her.”
Gertrude nodded in understanding. She wasn’t a woman who often let emotion get the better of her, but this situation was worrisome, even for her. “I’ll do whatever is needed to keep Amelia safe.”
Jed winked at her. “That’s my woman.”
Gertrude pretended to roll her eyes, but she dearly loved her husband and his humor.
“Is Felix coming back?” Amelia asked. She couldn’t wait to see her husband and talk to him. She knew they could work out whatever was troubling him. It was a stressful time, but she knew they could resolve the issues together.
“That’s the plan,” Jed confirmed. “He should be here any minute now.”
Amelia hoped Felix wouldn’t run into any trouble on the way home. She needed to know that he was safe so they could face this situation together. She sat at the kitchen table and let Gertrude make her tea.
“Now, what have you ladies been up to all day?” Jed asked politely.
“I’m still working on my project.” Amelia held up a piece of fabric with a few stitches running through the center. “Penny tried to teach me how to sew yesterday. It’s supposed to be a dress, but it doesn’t look like it’s supposed to.”
Gertrude smiled. “Penny always has had a knack for making clothes. I’m sure she’ll help you sort it out.”
“And what about you, Gertrude?” Jed asked.
Gertrude held up her book, smiling.
“That’s what I figured,” Jed laughed. His wife almost always had a book in her hands. She was smart. It was one of the many things he loved about her. “Too bad I didn’t have a chance to bring my guitar.”
“Your guitar?” Amelia asked.
Jed nodded. “It’s what brought us together in the first place. Gertrude couldn’t help but throw herself at me once she heard me strumming.”
Gertrude swatted at Jed, but she was laughing. “You’re leaving out a lot, Jed!”
Amelia tried to force a smile. Jed and Gertrude were so sweet together, it was making her miss Felix even more. She turned her attention to the would-be dress and tried to focus.
A little while later, Amelia looked up at the clock. To her surprise, nearly an hour had passed, and no one else had arrived at the house.
She placed her sewing project on the sofa and began to pace the floor. Jed and Gertrude exchanged troubled looks. Where was Felix?
Amelia felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. She knew that something was wrong. Where are you, Felix?
Ten
Felix Gardener crept behind the small cottage, trying not to make a sound. He had promised Tom McClain and Jed Thorn that he’d go straight home, but then he’d caught sight of the very men who had threatened Amelia! The chance to confront the men who had made his wife so miserable was too great to pass up. Now he was tiptoeing around behind old Henrietta Patterson’s house, waiting for the perfect moment to make his presence known.
Felix was outnumbered—there were two men—but he thought he could take advantage of the element of surprise. Plus, one of the men looked short and overweight. Felix knew he could take him on.
He watched as the two men advanced on Henrietta’s house. He wondered what they were trying to do. They were covered in dirt, so they had probably been sleeping outside for the past few nights. They were probably trying to take advantage of an old woman and find a place to bathe and sleep. Felix felt his blood boiling as he watched the men approach Henrietta’s home.
The taller man knocked on the door. As he heard the door creak open, Felix couldn’t wait any longer. He raced toward the front of the house and knocked the shorter man over. The man toppled to the ground, rolling over in front of Henrietta’s cottage.
Henrietta stood at the door, looking shocked. Her three small terriers crowded at her feet.
The taller man advanced on Felix. “Who are you?”
Felix puffed up his chest and tried to sound braver than he felt. “I’m the husband of the woman you’ve been trying to intimidate. We won’t stand for this!”
Suddenly, Felix felt like he was flying through the air. The tall man had struck him, and he fell to the ground. He tried to catch his breath, but before he could stand, the tall man had bound Felix's hands together. The tall man tied Felix to the tree. He stood and faced Henrietta. “Give us food and shelter, and we won’t hurt you . . . yet.”
Henrietta looked terrified. She opened the door to her home and stammered. “Y-y-yes, sir. Of course.” The tall man sailed inside the house, clearly not caring about his pudgy friend, who was still slumped over in the grass, moaning and holding his head. Before Henrietta followed him into the house, though, she winked at Felix.
Felix sighed. Clearly, the woman had gone batty. She probably didn’t know what was happening. He pulled against the ropes. Jed was expecting him at his house. Why hadn’t he just followed the plan? He had been foolish to take on the mysterious men on his own.
Just then, one of Henrietta’s terriers ran out of the front door and raced in the direction of town. Felix frowned. What was going on inside the house? Was the tall man hurting Henrietta? Whatever it was, the poor dog had been so frightened that it was now running away.
Another dog came barreling out of the cottage next. To Felix’s surprise, this dog came up to him.
“Hi, buddy,” Felix said kindly. He wished he could pet the dog, but his hands were firmly secured to the tree. He wished he could do anything, for that matter. How would he get the word out that the dangerous men were in Henrietta’s house? Felix exhaled, frustrated and furious. How could he protect Amelia when he was tied to a tree?
Suddenly, the small dog began yapping. “Shh,” Felix cautioned. He didn’t want the men to get annoyed and hurt the pup. But the dog continued to bark and nudge Felix.
“What is it, little dog?” Felix asked, confused. It was almost like the dog was trying to tell him something. The dog was nipping at Felix’s side. It was almost like he wanted to—
“Oh!” Felix scooted over and let the dog in closer to the tree. The dog began to bite at the ropes that bound Felix’s hands. In a few minutes, the ropes were severed from the tree, and Felix could move around, but his hands were still tied. He turned his back to the terrier and let the dog do his work again. Moments later, the rope fell to the ground, and the dog raced back into the house.
Felix couldn’t believe it. Just then, the tall man came out of the house.
Felix wasn’t sure what to do. He should run away to get back-up, a group of men who could help him fend off the sinister man. But he wasn’t sure if Henrietta was all right, and he didn’t want to be responsible for her being hurt. On the ground, the shorter man groaned and kneeled. He pushed himself up to a wobbly, standing position.
Now it was two against one. Felix felt his pulse quicken.
There was only one thing to do.
Felix raced into the house, sidestepping the short man and knocking the tall man out of his way. He had to make sure Henrietta was all right. “Henrietta!” Felix called.
He heard muffled sounds coming from the back corner of the small cottage. He rushed toward them and found Henrietta tied to a chair, her mouth filled with a handkerchief. Felix yanked it out of her mouth. The third little dog was at her feet, trying to get at the ropes on the chair.
As soon as Henrietta’s mouth was free, she turned to the little dog. “Go find your sisters, Scoop!”
Felix sighed. Poor Henrietta didn’t know what she was talking about. “Are you all right?” Felix asked, trying to inspect her for cuts or bruises.
> Henrietta laughed. “My dear, when you’re as old as I am, it takes more than some angry men to ruffle my feathers!”
Felix shook his head. The poor woman was delusional after all. He untied the ropes and helped her out of her chair.
“Don’t worry about me, young man,” Henrietta ordered. “Go help your wife.”
“My wife?” Felix asked. How did Henrietta even know he was married if she had lost her mind?
“Yes, Amelia. Go make sure she’s safe!” Henrietta continued.
Felix ran outside, perplexed. He would have to figure out the mystery of Henrietta Patterson later. For now, he had to focus on his wife’s safety.
When he got outside, both the taller and shorter men were arguing loudly. Felix tiptoed away from the cottage toward one of the trees, hoping to sneak by without the men noticing. They turned to look at him. Felix froze. Now he was surrounded.
As the tall man rushed toward him, Felix did the only thing he could think of: he ducked. The tall man slammed into the tree headfirst and fell to the ground.
Felix looked for the shorter man. The round man advanced toward Felix and pulled out a knife! Felix shouted in shock and fear.
To his surprise, he heard galloping footsteps approaching. Both Felix and the short, squat man turned in the direction of town.
Ten men raced toward them on horseback, accompanied by the little dog Felix had seen running away earlier. “You weren’t running away,” Felix whispered in understanding. “You were getting help. Clever little pup!”
The short man held the knife up and walked closer to Felix, brandishing the blade. Felix had never been so fearful in his life.
Amazingly, Tom McClain reached them in mere moments. He charged at the short man, knocking the knife out of the man’s hands. Bryce Smithers leapt off his horse and retrieved the knife so the short man couldn’t pick it up again. Kent and a few other men from the ranch quickly surrounded the short man.
“Does anyone have rope?” Kent shouted.
Henrietta Patterson trotted out of her cottage, holding the same coil of rope that had been used to tie her to a chair. She tossed it in Kent’s general direction. “I hope that will do, my dear.”
Everyone looked at Henrietta appreciatively.
“My dears, I may be old, and I may be blind, but I’ve still got some life left in me,” Henrietta said theatrically. The group of men burst out laughing despite the circumstances. Then she turned to Felix sternly. “Why are you still here, Mr. Gardener?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Felix agreed. He had been so stunned by the turn of events, he had almost forgotten where he had been heading. As Felix rushed away, he saw Cletus and a tall man in a buttoned uniform he’d never seen before approach, also on horseback. He wondered what that was about but he refused to let anything get in the way of Amelia.
At the house, Jed Thorn was pacing on the porch. When he caught sight of Felix, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Felix! Where have you been? We’ve all been worried sick!” Jed Thorn wasn’t normally a worrier. But in this case, he had been terrified.
Felix clapped Jed on the back and grinned. “I promise I’ll explain later.” He rushed inside the house.
Amelia rose in fear when the door burst open, but then a sense of peaceful relief and love washed over her. It was Felix! She ran to him and let him embrace her. “Oh, thank goodness!”
“I missed you so much. I’m so sorry,” Felix told her. “I was angry before, and I took it out on you. I didn’t mean to!”
“Oh, Felix, I’m sorry, too. I should have confided in you and asked for help. This marriage thing is all so new to me,” Amelia said.
“It’s new to me, too,” Felix replied. “Maybe from now on, we can learn together and not hide things from one another.” He kissed her passionately.
“Oh, Felix, I’d like that. Yes, let’s learn together,” Amelia agreed.
Gertrude sighed as she watched the happy scene unfold. Being with Jed had made her appreciate love. She was glad that Felix and Amelia now had what she and Jed had with one another.
That evening, everyone gathered at the Nowhere church for more information on the situation. Cletus and the man in the buttoned uniform stood at the front of the church. Amelia and Felix sat in the front row next to Micah, Sarah Jane, and Edna Petunia.
“Are we still in danger?” Cora asked. “What’s happened?”
Cletus began. “We’re going to get started. Thank you to Pastor Barton for allowing us to use the space. This is Constable Harrison James from Austin. He’s going to give us all an update.”
The man in the uniform stepped forward. “Thanks to the brave men and women—and dogs—of Nowhere, there’s no longer a threat to the people of Nowhere or to Amelia Gardener specifically. Over the next several months, I’ll be conducting a full investigation on these men and their activities. They’ve been wanted for a while now. I am pleased to report that they are currently in the Travis County jail.”
Edna Petunia turned to Sarah Jane. “He’s a looker, isn’t he? If I weren’t married . . .”
Sarah Jane tried to hide her smile and look stern. “Sh, Edna Petunia! He’s talking about important things.”
Edna Petunia shrugged. “I’m just saying, I don’t mind if he needs to spend some extra time in Nowhere.”
Sarah Jane shook her head wearily and tried to focus on what the constable was saying.
“Thanks to the quick thinking of Henrietta Patterson, we were able to apprehend the criminals. Miss Patterson slipped a note onto the collar of one of her dogs, who then ran all the way into town and alerted many of us that the criminals were located at her home. I met up with the group by chance, because I was on my way to town. Thanks to Judge Cletus’s telegram and the picture drawn of the suspects, I knew that these dangerous men were in Nowhere. We had received word from our colleagues in Boston that these men were wanted by law enforcement. As soon as I received his letter, I didn’t want to wait for the post. I immediately rushed to Nowhere,” Constable James continued.
Cletus picked up the story. “Constable James has evidence that these men are the very criminals who are wanted in several cities and towns. This means we’ll be able to keep them locked up for a long, long time. Thank you to all of you who worked together to keep our town and its citizens safe.”
Amelia breathed a deep sigh of relief. She couldn’t believe that this whole ordeal was over. She turned to Felix, who was also smiling. It felt like she had a second chance at a whole new life with her wonderful husband. She wouldn’t waste a minute.
Epilogue
Eight Months Later …
Amelia balanced two pie tins in her hands as she walked to the door.
“Absolutely not!” Felix declared. He took both pie tins from her and kicked the door shut with his foot. “You have one job, and one job only.”
Amelia grinned. “Felix, don’t be silly. I’m fine.” She looked at the clock. “But we should hurry. We’ll be late.”
Felix kissed her on the lips. “I’m sure they’ll wait for us. They understand our situation.” He winked knowingly at Amelia, and Amelia laughed.
Felix loaded the pies into the back of the new wagon he’d purchased. After nearly eight months of working extra hours and saving, it was an investment he knew would come in handy for years to come.
He helped Amelia step up into the wagon, watching her closely. Amelia accepted his help and settled in.
The spring day was crisp and cool but warm enough to eat outside. Felix helped Amelia down from the carriage, still keeping his eyes on her every step. Sarah Jane and Micah had arranged several long, narrow picnic tables outside of the church. At the head of the center table sat the guest of honor.
“We should say hello,” Amelia told Felix as they carried the pies toward the center table.
“Oh, my dears! You look absolutely stunning!” Henrietta Patterson said as Amelia and Felix approached. At her feet, the three little dogs ran around and played with each other. Th
e town of Nowhere had organized this reception to honor Henrietta and her terriers’ bravery and thank her for her part in apprehending the criminals.
Constable James had even returned to help present her with a special award from the county. Cletus had prepared remarks, and Edna Petunia had made fried chicken and chocolate cake for all to enjoy.
Amelia blushed and hugged Henrietta. “Thank you!” Amelia could barely fit her arms around the elderly woman because of how far her stomach protruded.
Henrietta leaned in close, as if she were listening to the baby inside Amelia’s body. “Oh, yes. It’s a girl! How delightful!”
Amelia and Felix grinned at each other. They had each separately suspected it was a girl, and now that Henrietta had agreed, they were both convinced.
“You know, dears,” Henrietta confided. “The real hero of the day is over there.” She waved to the other person.
Edna Petunia happily strolled over. She patted Amelia’s belly. “Another beautiful little grandbastard!”
Amelia looked quizzically at Felix. “I’ll explain later,” Felix whispered.
Henrietta beamed. “Edna Petunia is really the one you have to thank for your safety, Amelia. No one wanted to visit old, batty Henrietta Patterson. But Edna Petunia proved them all wrong. If I hadn’t known that those two men were dangerous criminals, why, who knows what might have happened?”
Edna Petunia shrugged. “It was nothing. These little pooches are the real heroes, now aren’t they?” She bent down and cuddled Scoop. “Would you like a treat?” She reached into her bosom.
Felix reached his arms out in alarm. “Edna Petunia, I don’t think dogs can have—”
But instead of a peppermint stick, Edna Petunia pulled an entire fried chicken leg out of her dress. She held it out for Scoop, and he began to eat it eagerly. Piper and Harper joined in happily.
“How did you . . .” Felix began to ask, but then he realized he didn’t want to know. He was happily married to an incredible woman, and they would soon expand their family. He had an honest job he enjoyed and made him a steady wage. He was surrounded by friends and loved ones who would do anything for him and Amelia. He truly had it all.
Amelia’s Arrangement: Madame Matchmaker Page 8
