Dawn’s mother stood with the blonde from the restaurant. Blake and two adults she didn’t know were surrounded by fifteen kids.
Dawn sucked in a deep breath. She shouldn’t have come. The boy next door had brought the entire neighborhood with him.
Gabe introduced her to everyone. “Should get you sat down.”
“Is she ill?” Countess Florence asked.
“I’m fine, thank you for asking.” Dawn bit her bottom lip. She would be civil if it killed her. “I just need to take it easy for a few days.”
“Gabriel said his car had hit yours and his valet and my maid were to blame.”
“That’s what the police told me this morning.”
“I do hope you’re not going to sue us. I assume those two policemen are yours. It is rather quaint. A picnic with a police escort.”
Dawn glanced at Gabe to find Janaya was hanging onto his arm and chatting away. Gabe held her gaze and rolled his eyes.
Blake spread out the blanket he was carrying next to a couple of benches. “Here will do. You kids can sit on here.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Gabe immediately sat on the blanket.
Dawn sat down opposite him. She set her hands on the ground either side of her hips and closed her eyes. The summer sun beat down, and the heat rose around her, mixing with the scent of roses. Bees buzzed, and crickets chirped.
“Are you OK, Dawn?” Gabe asked.
“Yeah. Just admiring God’s handiwork.”
“With your eyes shut?” Janaya scoffed.
“It’s not just sight. We have four other senses to use.” She opened her eyes and grinned at Gabe. He’d shed his jacket and tie and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He lay on the grass with his own eyes shut. “All you need now is a hat and a piece of grass in your mouth.”
He grinned. “I’d be a country yokel,” he drawled. “Ohhh arrrr, and I’ll give ye the key to my brand new combine harvester.”
“Gabriel, get up,” his mother scolded. “And you don’t have a combine harvester.”
“Maybe I’ll buy one instead of a new Porsche.” He looked at Dawn. “At least no one would steal it. Although Farmer Field might want to borrow it.”
“Not if I have the keys,” Dawn said.
“You already have the keys to the only thing that matters.” He put his hand over his heart causing her cheeks to burn.
Janaya sat beside Gabe. “So, what food did you bring?”
“Enough for two,” he said pointedly.
“Then it’s a good job I got Mrs. Jessop to pack up enough to feed an army,” his mother said.
Janaya opened Gabe’s basket. “Well, you and I can share this one, Gabe.”
Dawn looked at him. Why wasn’t he standing up for her? Did what he said in the car mean nothing.
Gabe stood and grabbed the basket. “Actually this basket is for Dawn and me.” He sat the other side of Dawn. “You are Mother’s guest, not mine.” He offered Dawn a sandwich. “I made them myself, much to Mrs. Jessop’s disgust. She stood over my shoulder the whole time.”
Janaya reached across and took one anyway. “Probably afraid for her work surfaces.” She bit into it and pulled a face. “Ewww, what is this?”
Gabe grinned. “Cheese and jam.”
Dawn laughed and took one. “My favorite. Thank you.”
“I love the summer,” Janaya continued. “I always wanted to be a June bride.”
“I prefer Christmas,” Dawn said. “Red and green velvet for the bridesmaids, with fur muffs and white velvet for myself.”
“Sounds good,” Gabe said. His arm rested behind her, brushing against her. “Snow or ice on the ground.”
“Far too cold for a sleeveless dress, thin stockings and high heels,” Janaya said.
“Wellies and long johns,” Dawn countered.
Gabe choked on his drink. “Seriously?”
“Try me.”
“Really,” Countess Florence complained. “You shouldn’t discuss this kind of thing in front of the men.”
“Men have worn long johns for years, Mother,” Gabe said. “There is nothing wrong with a little feminine equality. If Dawn wants to wear them under her wedding dress, then who am I to stop her?”
“It’s hardly romantic though,” Janaya said. “Most men prefer—”
Blake got to his feet. “Where’s Wendy?” He glanced around, panic on his face. “Wendy!”
“She can’t have gone far.” Gabe rose. “We’ll help look. If we divide up, it’ll be faster, and we’ll cover more ground.”
Janaya took Gabe’s hand and moved quickly away with him.
Dawn scowled, but she’d deal with that later. Right now they needed to find five year old Wendy. Thinking she’d probably gone to the loo, Dawn headed into the ladies’ toilets. “Wendy? You in here?”
A scuffling sound followed by flushing came from the end cubicle. “I can’t do my straps,” a small voice said.
“I’ll do them, sweetie.”
Wendy washed her hands, and Dawn led her outside. “Gabe, Blake, I’ve got her,” she called seeing the two men in the distance.
A gun clicked. “And I’ve got you. If you don’t want to die, you keep very, very still.”
14
Wendy screamed.
The sound ran through Gabe like a knife. He ran over towards the gunman, Blake at his side, his heart in his mouth. Blood raced through him, but a strange calm pervaded his taut body, despite the fact that Dawn’s life was in danger. God was in overall control, and nothing would happen unless He wanted it too.
“Leave them alone, Damon,” he yelled.
Beside him one of the cops radioed for back up. Another began to evacuate the park.
Dawn stood motionless. “What do you want?”
“For you to stay away from Lord Tyler.”
“Then let the child go.” She looked at Gabe as he edged ever closer, his hands raised.
Damon’s grip on both Dawn and Wendy tightened. “You lot keep away, or I’ll kill them both.”
“Let the child go. She has nothing to do with this.” Gabe tried to reason with him. “Does she?”
“I’m doing this for you, sir. She’s no good for you. Your own mother can see it, we can see it. Why can’t you?” He shook Wendy. “Shut up.”
“She’s scared,” Blake said.
“Let her go,” Dawn said. “And I’ll do what you want.”
Damon pushed the child away, and she ran towards Blake. He scooped her up, one of the cops running them out of harm’s way.
Gabe stepped closer. “Thank you. Now let Dawn go.”
The gun clicked as lights, sirens, and more cops flooded the scene. Damon scowled at him. “I’ll do it. Don’t think I won’t.”
Gabe prayed hard for guidance. “I know you won’t. We’re going to talk about this man to man, just you and me.” He looked at Dawn and tilted his head backwards a little hoping she’d remember what he’d taught the kids at the campfire. Then he swung his hands to the left.
Her eyes widened then she blinked twice.
“So talk,” Damon said.
Gabe held up a finger, then two.
“Actually I’d rather do this.” Dawn shoved her head backwards connecting violently with Damon’s face. At the same instant, Gabe rushed him, twisting the gun from his hand and knocking him to the floor.
The cops swarmed.
Janaya ran over and pounced on Gabe. “My hero. I was so worried.”
Gabe pushed her aside and wrapped his arms around Dawn pressing his lips to her forehead. “Are you all right?”
“I want to go home,” she whispered. She shook from head to foot.
“I’ll take you. The cops can speak to you there.” Gabe looked at one of the two cops who were escorting Dawn. “Assuming that’s OK with you blokes.”
The cop nodded. “But we’ll take you in a marked car.”
~*~
Two days later, Gabe sat in the study with Blake. Outside the window the sun was setting on the last day of June. It had been another hot, glorious day, but his heart was breaking once more. “She won’t even return my calls. Which Mother is thrilled about. What do I do?”
“Why ask me? I’m not married and don’t have a girlfriend, despite the twenty-four kids.”
“Not why I’m asking. You’ve always been full of good advice.”
“Have you gone over there to see her?”
“Yes. She’s either not in or not answering the door. And she’s not at work either.”
“So perhaps she was out or down the police station giving statements, like we all had to do.” He paused. “Go over there and don’t leave until she opens the door.”
“Now?”
“Now.”
The study door burst open, and his mother came in followed by Janaya. “There you are, Gabriel,” his mother said. “Dinner is ready, and we have a guest. It’s high time you two stop pussy footing around and set a date for the wedding.”
Gabe stood. “That’s what I intend to do.”
Janaya ran to him and hugged him. “Oh, Gabe, yes, of course I will.”
He brushed her off. “Not you. Dawn is the woman I’m convinced God has prepared for me, and it’s her I’m going to speak with now.” Matching looks of horror adorned the women’s faces as he moved to the door. “Hardy, have Peters bring the car around.”
His mother grabbed his arm. “Gabriel, you can’t.”
“Yes I can. And if you don’t like it Mother, you can move out of my house into the estate cottage, and you can do it tonight. Don’t keep dinner for me.”
He strode out of the house, determination in his step, love in his heart, and the knowledge that he was doing the right thing filling him.
~*~
Dawn took a deep breath. She glanced across the bedroom where she sat talking on the phone. “So what do I do?”
“Talk to him,” Jonni replied. “The bloke saved your life. You can’t just ignore him forever.”
“It was his valet. He said…”
“Stuff what he said. The bloke’s a loon. Gabriel stopped you getting shot. He proposed to you, said he’d give it all up in a heartbeat for you. Right?”
“Yes.”
“So? What’s stopping you?”
“Scared I guess.”
Jonni scoffed. “You fight off a bloke holding a gun to your head, and you’re scared of Gabriel? Just pray and then leap right into his arms.”
As Dawn prayed, she could hear a car door slam, followed by footsteps. Then something hit the window. Her heart pounded. She got off the bed as more thuds hit the window.
She opened the window and looked out.
Gabe stood below, a bunch of red roses in his hand. As he saw her, he began to sing. He must be nervous, she realized, as he was incredibly flat and off key.
The window opened next door and a bucket of water emptied all over Gabe’s head.
Dawn laughed.
Gabe pushed the water from his eyes and took a deep breath. “
Just one more chance, give it to me,
” he sang. “
Oh, Dawn, I love you, will you marry me?
”
Her heart racing and stomach pitting, she grabbed a towel from the airing cupboard. She flew down the stairs and opened the door. “Is it raining?” she asked, taking in the drenched figure before her.
“A localized shower,” he answered taking the towel she offered.
He dried off then dropped to one knee. He shoved one of the roses between his teeth and took her hand. “Dawn, I love you. I want to be with you forever. Will you marry me?”
Fighting the urge to tell him not to talk with his mouth full, Dawn nodded. “Yes.”
“In December. With a long white velvet dress, long johns, and wellies?”
She dropped to her knees beside him. “Yes.”
He wrapped his arms around her, dropped the rose, and kissed her.
Seven months later…
Gabe gazed at his wife as the car turned into the drive at Southby. “I’ll finally get to meet Jonni.”
“It’s a shame she couldn’t make the wedding. She’d have found the whole long john thing hilarious. Just think, most people have stocking and garter photos. We have long john and welly ones.”
The car stopped and Gabe exited. He sighed as he saw the crime scene tape. “Guess Blake and Jonni thought that would be funny.” He swung Dawn into his arms and carried her up the steps into the hallway.
Hardy smiled. “Welcome home, Lord Tyler, Lady Tyler.”
Gabe thanked him and carried Dawn to the foot of the staircase.
“Lord Tyler…”
“Hardy, whatever it is, it can wait. I need a few moments alone with my wife.” He started climbing the steps, passing the portraits of the past earls.
"Wait." Dawn went still in his arms.
He gazed down at her and was startled by her shocked expression. “Dawn? What’s wrong?”
“Sir, the police…” Hardy’s voice came again.
“Why haven’t I seen this before?” She pointed to the painting on the wall.
“It’s been out for restoration." Gabe began to launch into a history of the estate.
“Sir, I’m afraid I have to insist.” Hardy interrupted. “It’s Miss Peterson. Two policemen are in your study waiting to talk to you.”
The doorbell rang, and Hardy excused himself to answer it as Dawn gazed at the painting with a furrowed brow. She dug in her handbag a moment before removing a photo. “See?”
Gabe took the photo and compared it to the painting. The likeness
was
incredible.
Hardy came back up the stairs. “Lady Tyler, this just came for you.”
Dawn took the letter. “It’s from Jonni, but…” She opened it, scanned the page, and sagged against Gabe. “I don’t believe this…”
He caught her and took the letter, reading it swiftly.
Regardless of the shadows of the past, he and Dawn’s future was safe in God’s hands.
The End
________________
Jonni’s story can be found in
Time’s Arrow available from Pelican Book Group
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