The Final Baker Bride Read online

  “Father,” Tavia said as she threw herself into his arms. “Oh Father, I am so very sorry. Will you forgive me?”

  With her head buried in his chest, Tavia could not see her father’s expression soften as he wrapped his arms around her, but Rit did. A moment later, he gave her a kiss atop her head and then held her at arm’s length.

  “Welcome home, daughter,” he said most kindly. Abruptly his attention switched to Rit. “And this must be your fiancé. Octavia wrote us about your arrangement.”

  Rit smiled and reached out to offer his hand. “Merritt Baker, sir. And yes, with your permission, I wish very much to call myself your daughter’s fiancé.”

  He watched Tavia’s eyes go wide. “No Father, no real promises have been made,” she said as she turned to face Rit. “Tell him it was all a trick, Rit. That it was just a ruse to keep you from being pestered by all of those women.”

  “It did start out that way sir,” Rit admitted as he watched Mr. Derby’s brows rise. “But that has since changed.”

  Mr. Derby glanced down at Tavia. “I will see you after I have spoken to your fellow here, Octavia.”

  “But Father, I don’t think—”

  “Come, dear,” her mother said as she shepherded Tavia down the hall away from the men.

  Mr. Derby ushered Rit into a wood-paneled room lined with leather-bound books and populated with paintings of fine horses and Western landscapes. Above the fireplace was a portrait of a woman and a child, obviously Mrs. Derby and Tavia.

  Mr. Derby gestured to a chair opposite the desk. “Sit down, Mr. Baker.”

  Rit complied, but his host lingered at the fireplace. Finally he turned back in Rit’s direction and took his chair at the desk. They sat in uncomfortable silence with Tavia’s father studying him and Rit refusing to look away.

  Finally the elder Derby sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “I must say this is not how I expected things to turn out when Bridget presented her plan to us. It was a good plan, mind you, but I did not think that the situation would become so…” He paused long enough to allow a sweeping glance of Rit. “So complicated.”

  “I’m sorry, sir,” Rit said. “I don’t follow.”

  The older man shrugged. “No, I don’t suppose you would. You see, our maid, Bridget, has an aunt in your employ, a Miss O’Shea.”

  “She’s the backbone of Baker Shipping and is like family to me, sir.”

  “Which is why I allowed myself to think that…” He shook his head. “I will spare you the details, son, but the train that was supposed to see my daughter wed to you has run off track, and we need to set it to rights again.”

  “Excuse me?” Rit shook his head. “Are you saying that Tavia’s employment at Baker Shipping was designed to cause me to marry her?”

  “You needed a wife, and Miss O’Shea spoke highly of you. My daughter needed a husband, and Bridget spoke highly of her. The two of them began to put two and two together a while ago. All that was left was to get you together, but this false engagement of yours was not something her mother and I anticipated.”

  Rit grinned. “I can relieve you of your concern, sir.”

  “You can?”

  Rit nodded. “While this engagement did indeed begin as false, I have fallen in love with Tavia, sir. I cannot imagine a life without her, and I wish to marry your daughter as soon as possible. With your permission, that is.”

  Mr. Derby’s expected smile did not materialize. “Son, I appreciate the gesture, but I’m not sure I want my daughter wed to a man who was willing to pretend affiance in order to help himself. Did you ever once stop and consider what a broken engagement, pretend or real, would mean to Octavia’s reputation?”

  Rit rose. “I did not, sir, and for that I apologize, but I think you’ve just made your own case for me marrying your daughter.”

  By degrees the man’s stern face softened, “I suppose I have. However, I couldn’t help but notice the lack of enthusiasm my daughter showed at the idea of making your engagement real.”

  “I’m pretty sure I know what her objection is, sir, but with your help, I think she can be persuaded. Also, I propose we skip the engagement and go straight for the marriage. What do you say? I hope I do not offend you and your wife by asking permission to marry her immediately.”

  “Immediately? I say paying for the reception of the year is a sight better than having two wedding-mad women planning the wedding of the year for who knows how long under my roof.” Tavia’s father grinned. “If you can convince her, then I’m all for it. But that will be our little secret. Neither my daughter nor her mother is to know I approve, understood?”

  “Understood.”

  “It might help my cause if I can let Tavia know you aren’t against the idea. She does value your approval.”

  “All right but if she realizes you and she were introduced thanks to Miss O’Shea…”

  “Leave that to me, Mr. Derby.”

  “Welcome to the family, son,” he said. “With all the happiness and trouble that entails.”

  Rit reached across the desk to shake Mr. Derby’s hand. “Thank you, sir.”

  “Use my carriage,” Mr. Derby said. “It’s the least I can offer for now.”

  “Thank you, sir. It’s all I’ll need. Well, that and…” He raised his voice. “Do you realize, sir, that your daughter earned her own way for almost a month in a very large city?”

  Mr. Derby stared at him, and then the light dawned. “Yes, Mr. Baker, I have to admit that I was wrong about Octavia. She certainly does not need a man to take care of her. This little escapade of hers has shown me that.”

  ~

  A few minutes later, Rit opened the door and Tavia nearly tumbled into his arms. “Tavia! Were you listening?” he demanded.

  “I was trying,” she admitted without shame. “A pity you men don’t speak loud enough to be properly heard.”

  “As impertinent as always, daughter. And you’re certain you want to wed yourself to this sort of woman, Mr. Baker?” Tavia’s father said with a laugh.

  “I have no doubts, sir.” Rit turned to Tavia. “What about you, Miss Derby? Do you have doubts, or shall we make this false engagement real?”

  Tavia beamed at him “I have no doubts, Rit, but an engagement? I thought we were eloping.”

  Mr. Derby’s laughter, along with Rit’s, brought Mrs. Derby running. “What is going on in here?”

  “Never mind, dear,” he said. “These two were just leaving.”

  “Leaving?” Mrs. Derby shook her head. “But you’ve only just arrived. I had hoped to throw a party to celebrate your return to Denver, sweetheart,” she said to Tavia. “Something grand and elegant with the best music and oh, what fun!”

  Mr. Derby gave Rit a see-what-I-mean look.

  “Keep planning, Mrs. Derby,” Rit said. “I wager there will be cause for celebration very soon.”

  “What does that mean?” she demanded. “Explain what that man means,” followed them as Rit closed the door and then gathered Tavia up in his arms.

  “Put me down!” she demanded with a giggle.

  “Not until you’re safely in the carriage,” he said as the coachman opened the door and he deposited his soon-to-be bride inside. “Marry me, Octavia Derby. Be the final Baker bride!”

  Tavia reached up to kiss him. “I would be honored, Merritt Baker.”

  He stepped back and regarded her with a quizzical smile. “What’s this? No argument? No running away? What has happened to the woman I love?”

  “I am absolutely running away.” She paused to kiss him again. “With you, Rit. Now get in this carriage before I change my mind.”

  “Where to, sir?” the coachman asked.

  “Where does a man go to elope in these parts? With her father’s permission,” he quietly added.

  The coachman grinned. “I know just the place, sir!”

  “Onward then,” Rit called as he settled beside his bride-to-be. “We have a happily-ever-after to get
to!”

  THE END

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  Bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee and author of more than eighty books with almost two million copies of her books in print in the US and abroad. A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and several Top Picks by Romantic Times magazine. She celebrated her fifteenth year as a published author by receiving the Romantic Times Inspirational Romance Book of the Year Award for her historical romantic suspense Sadie’s Secret, a Secret Lives of Will Tucker novel.

  To find out more about Kathleen or connect with her through social media, check out her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.