Christmas Madness Read online

  “You know I adore a good surprise, Jacob, but you aren’t exactly famous for carrying-off surprises on your own. It’s as though your profession prevents you from being able to keep a secret. Not that I would complain about that. I’m dying to ask what you’ve got in store for me, but another part of me wants to experience the feeling of actually being surprised.” She took a deep breath and continued. “This is truly a quandary for me.”

  He smiled at her, a twinkle much like that of the streetlights reached his eyes. “You can ask all you want, but I will never tell. You’ll simply have to let me call the shots for once, Julia.”

  “Can you at least give me a clue?” She chose to ignore his comment about her always calling the shots. He wasn’t precisely wrong, but this was the 1920’s, not the dark ages. Women thought for themselves now. They even voted and very soon they’d be able even to get their own divorces when their philandering husbands showed their true colors. Her blood started to boil at the still broad disparities between what men and women could do under the law.

  She eyed the engagement ring on her hand and fidgeted with it. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to marry Jacob, but something gave her pause. She did want to marry him eventually, but given that her property rights would change once she was married and she was a quite happy, if overworked, business owner, the beautiful ring felt like a bit of an albatross around her neck—er, finger.

  She forced her thoughts back to Jacob and watched him as he shrugged, a smirk forming on his lips. Instead of speaking, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled a small bundle out. He checked that it was still wrapped in the handkerchief that masked the contents. She watched eagerly to see the secret contents, but he noticed her leaning forward.

  “What’s in the package, Jacob? And why so many secrets?”

  “Don’t be too eager, darling.” He moved to put it back in his pocket but she snatched the mysterious package from his hands.

  “You might be the death of me, Jacob. Detective Inspector Gibbs,” she added.

  He didn’t resist but instead watched her fumble with the package. She was more eager than she’d expected to be for this present.

  She caught a glimpse of a small box inside as she peeled back a layer of soft fabric, but he swept it out of her hands before she could unwrap it the rest of the way. He re-wrapped the handkerchief around it tightly and put it back in his jacket pocket. “You’ll have to wait, my darling.”

  “Well, aren’t you quite proud of yourself?” Julia asked, her heart beating in her chest. She already had an engagement ring, what else could he possibly give her? She didn’t wear very much jewelry. Julia Barlow was a rather plain girl as far as Bright Young Things were concerned. Most were done up regularly with perfectly pinned hair and a change of outfit practically on the hour, but Julia was much more serious than all of that. Certainly she’d participated in her share of excessive shenanigans as had the rest of her upper-class friends, but she’d fallen in love with a Detective Inspector, given up her position as a journalist at the paper, and taken her role as proprietress of Charing Cross Investigations quite seriously.

  She supposed that one day, when her youthful days were behind her, she might regret that she hadn’t done more sowing of her wild oats as the saying often went, but for now she was rather content in her more mature role. After all, it was still rather rebellious of her to own property, run her own detective agency, and solve crimes for a living instead of settling down with the first man who turned her head. She certainly felt rebellious when she was skirting the law and Jacob’s authority as she solved a crime. She found it rather ironic that at times, in order to get a mystery solved, going around the police was the best strategy.

  The car hit a bump and brought her back to the present and Jacob’s surprise.

  She was suspicious for more than the secret destination, the surprise present, and the mysterious circumstances. In a series of events very much unlike Jacob, he’d selected a specific dress for her to wear tonight and he’d thought of every detail from the pins in her hair, the rouge on her cheeks, and the style of shoes she was wearing over the stockings that he’d also laid out for her. If he hadn’t sworn that he’d picked everything out by himself, she’d have sworn one of her friends, maybe Mattie or Edith, had helped him.

  Where Jacob could be secretive and downright stubborn, however, lying was not a character trait that he possessed. She wasn’t sure he could do it at all. He was perhaps too honest for his own good. If he said he’d done it on his own, then he’d done it on his own. Besides, she knew that her friends went on a cruise to the Mediterranean for the holidays. She’d wanted to go with them, but her work had picked up and Jacob couldn’t take a holiday from work on such short notice, so she’d opted to have a quiet Christmas with her family and Jacob. Perhaps next year, if they planned far out enough, they’d be able to join their friends.

  They rode in silence and she peered sidelong at the subtle smirk that played at the corners of his mouth. Tonight was her first night off after what had been back-to-back cases of great intensity. She had been looking forward to a quiet evening with Jacob to celebrate Christmas Eve until he’d sprung this unexpected outing on her. She had thought to argue, but truth be told, even had she not solved the theft at Mr. Jones’s mansion from last week, she had a feeling that she’d still be in Jacob’s hired car heading to who knows what destination. He’d been hinting at a surprise for quite some time and insisted that her assistant block out her calendar, but Julia had thought it might be a dinner and then an evening spent together in a rare moment of peace during the holidays.

  It was rather charming that he was naive enough to believe that in her line of work anything like a calendar could ensure a free evening even during the Christmas season. The homicidal maniacs certainly cared nothing of her scheduled availability and when crime struck, which seemed to happen regardless of the date, it was her job to appear for the occasion. Jacob Gibbs, a detective inspector at the Scotland Yard, certainly understood that given his line of work and would likely have been forgiving had a schedule change been required, but this time, for once, plans seemed to be going smoothly.

  She chided herself for even daring to have the thought. An excellent way to jinx the entire evening and she knew it.

  “If you won’t tell me where we are going, will you at least be kind enough to tell me if we are almost there?”

  There was an uneasy feeling in her gut that she couldn’t seem to be rid of and that alone made her very nervous. In answer to her plea, he smiled broader, gripped her hand tighter, and said, “Soon. You’ll know soon enough.”

  She groaned in frustration, noting that she felt not even a little bit of glee or anticipation at the surprise, only dread. Surprises were one thing but being intentionally left in the dark was another beast altogether, especially on a holiday. She hadn’t had a chance to ready his gift, let alone sneak it along. The new suit she’d had made after a month of slyly taking his measurements, wouldn’t fit in a handkerchief in her clutch. She was getting angry, and rather than say anything she’d regret later, she opted to press her lips together tightly and will silence to reign supreme.

  Five minutes later, the driver pulled to a stop and opened the door for the two of them to get out. Jacob led her by the arm up the steps while Julia chattered nervously. “The Royal Albert Hall? What have you got up your sleeve, Jacob? I thought there weren’t any more events this year.” Although still feeling a lead weight in her stomach, she was beginning to relax a little. An evening at the opera or a live musical performance was an activity that she would thoroughly enjoy.

  Once upon a time, they’d arranged a surprise engagement for Mattie here, so a private event wasn’t out of the question. Would her favorite opera singer be back for another performance? Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad after all. Mattie would be so disappointed to miss it, although she was probably having more than her share of fun in the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean.

  T
hey made their way up the steps to the grand entrance and she tried to ignore the biting wind that caused her eyes to water.

  “Is my mascara running, Jacob?”

  He looked, gently wiped the wind-induced tears from the corners of her eyes and then smiled. “You look perfect.” Then he took her hand and proceeded up the stairs where a uniformed doorman held the door open for them.

  The lobby, usually buzzing with members of London’s high society, was empty of people save a few staff, but it wasn’t bereft. It was decorated in the most spectacular fashion of the season, which Christmas trees hung with crystal ornaments and red ribbons and the few tables lit with red and white candles amid fragrant greenery. The scent of pine and candles and the sparkling lights made the entire lobby magical.

  “What is this, Jacob?”

  “Julia, do you trust me?”

  She did her best to maintain a poker face and hide the complicated emotions that were welling up.

  “Yes, Jacob, I do, but...”

  “But nothing. If you trust me, then follow me through those doors after a count of sixty.”

  “Jacob—”

  “Sixty seconds.” He kissed her on the lips, and she wasn’t sure if the kiss felt more hopeful or more nervous, but before she could ask, he’d vanished through the doors.

  Sixty seconds wasn’t long, but she needed to gather her composure. She hurried to the ladies and splashed water on her face, knowing she was ruining her carefully applied cosmetics but also keenly aware that the wind in her eyes had already ruined her mascara. She sighed. The one night out of twenty that she’d bothered to take such care with her appearance.

  “What a waste,” she muttered to herself. All this effort for whatever he had planned on the other side of those doors was for nothing. Now she looked as plain Jane as she felt most of the time lately. Her gaze caught the gorgeous lace detail on her blouse, and then she noticed the flush in her cheeks and the sparkle in her eye from the nerves that plagued her and decided that maybe she didn’t look quite so plain after all. Or at least plain with a bit of personality. It would have to do.

  She dabbed at her face to rid herself of raccoon eyes, took another deep breath, and she stepped back into the lobby and toward the doors that Jacob disappeared through a few moments before. She hadn’t kept track of the time, but it seemed close to sixty seconds. Close enough, she hoped.

  As she approached the door with the garland of ribbon and greenery hanging across the lintel, the uniformed doorman with the sprig of holly on his lapel straightened his posture and pushed the door open. Music started at the movement of the doors and when Julia stepped across the threshold she was left breathless with what awaited her.

  Decorated as it were a church ready for the holidays, the Royal Albert Hall had been transformed into the wedding venue of her girlhood dreams. Julia would have wondered how Jacob could have known such details except she saw her traitorous best friend Edith on the front row, grinning from ear to ear in mischief and delight. Every one of her friends who was supposed to be on a Mediterranean cruise was seated—though on their feet now as everyone had stood at her entrance—in the hall. Mattie, Frankie, Cecil, Oscar, Jimmie. They were all here, as were her parents.

  At the end of the aisle that was covered in crimson red rose petals matching the vases of roses around the garland and ribbon decorated arch, Jacob stood looking more handsome than he had a short bit ago.

  Her heart thudded in her chest when she looked toward her future. Surprise was too mild a word to capture her reaction. It was wonderful and beautiful and somehow no part of her was angry that someone else—several someones—had planned her wedding for her. She smiled as she realized that in truth, she had planned this wedding. It was all her. The others had simply executed it, but it was her dream wedding. At least as she’d dreamed it at fifteen years old when she and Julia had talked for hours about what their wedding would look like and who they’d marry. She had always wanted a Christmas Eve wedding, resplendent with holiday cheer. The magic of the season, the coming together of friends and family, a celebration of joy and love. What could be better?

  She’d never have imagined marrying a police detective or being married in this precise location, but otherwise this moment was plucked right out of her childhood dreams. It was perfect.

  Except for the part where she really wasn’t sure she wanted to be married at all.

  She took a tentative step forward and a processional sounded from the organ. Jimmie Hutchins, her photographer from the paper and lifelong friend, made his way to her, looped his arm through hers and proclaimed in a whisper, “Your father said I could walk you down the aisle since you broke my heart and agreed to marry Jacob.”

  They were already walking, but she risked a sideways glance at her friend. A smile was playing at the corners of his mouth. He was teasing. She knew it. He knew it was exactly what she needed in this moment. Thank Heavens for Jimmie and his wretched sense of humor, but it still wasn’t quite enough.

  As she walked down the aisle, the reality of her lack of desire to marry wriggled around in her belly and wouldn’t dissipate regardless of the beauty that surrounded her and despite Jimmie’s humor.

  It was all happening too fast. This was set in motion and there was no way to stop it without embarrassing everyone. Why had she ever agreed to marry? She loved Jacob, but lately marriage hadn’t felt right, not for her. Yet here she was, walking down the aisle toward a man she loved and yet not wanting to wed.

  Still, she walked toward him and with trembling hands, took Jacob’s when he offered them. He leaned in.

  “He’s not an official minister,” he whispered. “Nobody else knows. Everyone will be satisfied with the ritual and you keep your property.”

  Her eyes teared up. He knew her so well and she could scarcely believe that he was about to become hers for the rest of the time she inhabited this earth, even if it was technically a sham. It was exactly what she never knew she needed. A fake wedding to appease her family and friends. How did she get so lucky?

  “Oh, Jacob, that’s perfect. Thank you so much. It’s the perfect gift.”

  “You’ll go through with it, then?” He looked very serious, nervous even. “I was a little worried you’d turn and run the moment you saw what was happening.”

  “I love you, Jacob Gibbs. This is perfect. We can even get married for real eventually if you don’t decide I’m more trouble than I’m worth.”

  He squeezed her hand. “Never.”

  They turned toward the fake minister and exchanged very simple vows in front of their favorite people.

  The ceremony was brief and sweet, and once they’d greeted everyone outside the pretend chapel, Jacob leaned close.

  “Are you up for another surprise?”

  “Do I have a choice? Tell me it’s not a fake baby. Even fake, I’m not ready for a family yet.”

  “No, it’s not a baby. And no, you don’t have a choice,” he said with a wink.

  “Well, out with it then.”

  He smiled. “We’re off to the Mediterranean on that cruise your friends planned. I thought you might have more fun if all your loved ones surrounded you.”

  A thrill raced through her. “You do know me well, don’t you?”

  He nodded smugly. “I do,” he said, playfully repeating the vow he’d taken in serious promise minutes before.

  “I walked right into that, I suppose. I have one requirement for our real honeymoon to celebrate the fake wedding. The nights are ours alone.”

  “Count on it, Mrs. Gibbs. It will be a real honeymoon in every sense of the word.”

  “Well, then, for the second time tonight…I do.” She grinned.

  “You better.”

  They shared a kiss that lasted so long, Frankie had to break it up. “Let’s get the two of you to the honeymoon suite. I’m sure you’d rather not give all of us, the staff, and the minister a front-row seat to your, ah, Christmas gifts to each other.”

  Jacob ig
nored Frankie’s interruption at first and then managed to get a few words out around Julia’s insistent kisses.

  “Tis the season of joy and love, Frankie. Happy Christmas, Mrs. Gibbs.”

  “I’ve never had a happier one, Mr. Gibbs.”

  Heedless of their guests, they shared another kiss that held the promise a long and loving ‘marriage.’

  The END

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  Copyright © 2019 by Beth Byers, Carolyn L. Dean, C. Jane Reid, Bettie Jane

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