An Agent for Diana: Pinkerton Matchmakers, #10

By Rebecca Connolly

Diana Gleason is determined to prove herself as a capable, confident, and essential Pinkerton agent, now that the agency had decided to bring women into their ranks. She'll do anything to accomplish her assignment, even if it means marrying her partner and training agent. Wyatt McGrath is a handsome, charming, experienced agent, filled with Texas politeness and the patience to teach Diana what she needs to know. But the more they get involved in the undercover investigation assigned to them, the more she discovers that her partner has secrets, and those secrets haunt him. More than that, those secrets could get in the way of their mission, and put them in danger. With growing feelings for Wyatt, and something to prove, Diana must decide if the mission comes before her partner, or if there is any way to save both.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barr26 Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Oct 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223249177

Book preview

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Denver, 1871

You may kiss your bride at the end of the ceremony.

Diana Gleason stiffened at the statement, least of all because of the pragmatic tone with which it was said. She’d agreed to come out here, to endure the training period, and even to marry her partner in order to give her the protection and cover she needed. But she had not agreed, and would not agree, to be in any way demonstrative with her partner and training agent, husband or not.

She looked at Mr. Gordon with all the derision in the world, as she was sure others in the room were doing, if the gasps and grunts and coughs were any indication. He, however, was already moving on to the vows, his brogue ringing out as proudly as though he were reciting poetry. Marianne, his secretary, stood nearby, her expression blank. She was the one who really ran things, and had taken all of the ladies under her wing.

But this was ridiculous, really.

A scoffing sound beside her drew her attention and she glanced over at her partner. What? she hissed, grateful, for once, that she was tall for a woman and that he did not tower over her.

He looked over at her, one side of his mouth curving in what was undoubtedly meant to be a charming smile, though it had no effect on her presently. Don’t know why Archie thought that needed to be in there. It’s not actually part of the ceremony.

So you’re not going to…

Do you want me to?

Absolutely not.

He nodded once. Thought so. And you don’t have to love or honor or cherish, whatever the vows say, but I do expect you to obey.

Diana coughed in surprise and tried to rear back, but he had her hand and kept her steady. I beg your pardon?

Not because you’re my wife, he hissed, leaning closer. But because I am the senior agent in this partnership. I don’t know anything about you but your name at this point, and until I can trust you and your instincts, you have to concede to mine. For both our safety, let alone our assignment.

Unfortunately, he had a point, and she saw it very clearly. What she did not see was why he was choosing this moment to dictate the terms of their partnership.

But if he was going to, she would join in.

Agreed, she replied, squeezing his hand. And while I do not expect you to have and hold me, nor do I wish you to, I do expect you to respect me. I may not have your experience, but I would not have come here without confidence in certain skills I possess. And I will not be patronized because of my gender.

She received another firm nod, his eyes locking onto hers. Fair enough. We listen to each other. Respect each other. You follow my orders, I treat you as an equal. He flicked his eyes towards Mr. Gordon, who was clearly enjoying himself, then returned his attention to Diana. And I will protect you at all costs.

Diana’s brow furrowed. Protect me? Because I am a woman?

Again came the lopsided smile. Partly. But also because you are my partner. Call it whatever you like, ma’am, but I’m from Texas, and where I come from, a gentleman protects a lady. And in this profession, partners protect each other.

Then I will protect you, too, she vowed, lifting her chin.

From what? he asked, chuckling softly.

Diana lifted a shoulder, ignoring the condescending implication. You never know.

He considered that, then cleared his throat. I, Wyatt McGrath, take you, Diana Gleason, to be my wife. He lowered his voice, and the blue of his eyes seemed to heighten as he looked at her. I promise to be a faithful partner to you, to train you to the best of my ability, and to keep you safe.

You can’t change the vows, she hissed, smiling in spite of herself.

He won’t know, Wyatt whispered back.

Diana rolled her eyes, then sighed heavily. I, Diana Gleason, take you, Wyatt McGrath, to be my husband. I promise to run when you say so, to duck when you say so, and to only say derogatory things when you can’t hear them.

Come on, he protested with a laugh.

I promise to be a faithful partner, she went on, her lips curving, to trust your instincts, and to keep nothing from you.

Wyatt smirked and nodded, his hand squeezing hers. He pulled a gold band from his pocket, the same gold band every other girl in the room was getting, and slid it onto her finger. With this ring, I thee wed.

You may now kiss the bride, Mr. Gordon announced to the room, gleefully looking around at the lot of them.

Diana cast a look at Wyatt. Don’t you dare.

Wyatt smirked at her. Yes, ma’am, he replied, and lifted the hand he held to his lips.

A strange shiver raced down Diana’s spine at the brush of his lips over her knuckles. She swallowed harshly and glared at her husband. Don’t call me ma’am. I’m your partner.

Wife, he corrected. For better or worse.

Don’t kid yourself, she snorted, tugging her hand free. I fully intend to take up the annulment once the assignment is over.

Wyatt seemed amused by that and held out his hand to shake hers.

She took it, proud that she could grip as firmly as him.

Wyatt nodded in approval. Alrighty, Mrs. McGrath. Let’s go to work.

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Who are you writing to?

Diana covered her paper with an almost frantic motion, twisting with a jerk towards the voice of her husband as her heart leapt into her throat.

Her husband.

Which, consequently, was what she was trying to avoid mentioning in her current letter.

Wyatt held up his hands in surrender and leaned irreverently against the door of the train compartment. Easy, Diana. Just a question, not trying to interfere.

No, of course he wasn’t. They’d been married a month now, and he’d been rather perfect about the whole affair. Other partnerships had gone on their way, but the pair of them had opted to stay in Denver for a time, choosing to ignore the command to get to the train immediately after the ceremony, if for no other reason than to find some sort of harmony as a team.

Clearly there was still more work to be done.

Right, Diana breathed as her pulse began to settle and her lungs resumed proper function. Right, sorry. Old habit.

Wyatt’s brow furrowed. How old?

She felt her lips curve. Don’t look so worried, I didn’t have a terrible childhood requiring me to be especially secretive. It’s been a habit for two years or so. Trying to find something to do with my life that didn’t involve joining my sisters in all elegant society. She deepened her tone and formalized her words at that, which made Wyatt’s brow clear as he smiled.

One of those families, huh?

Absolutely one of those families, she admitted, sitting back on the seat in a way that would have made her sister Alaina shriek. I’m from Baltimore…

I saw that in your file. Never been there myself.

She looked over at him with a wry smile. It’s like New York, only with more airs.

Ah, he said, nodding slowly. I see. And your family owns those airs?

Oh, yes. Diana looked at her partially finished letter, wrinkling up her nose. I never liked it. Papa indulged my curious nature and let me romp around with my brothers, gave me puzzles and mind games and the like. My mother, I think, wouldn’t have cared so much if my sisters hadn’t been so appalled by me.

Wyatt only grunted softly. So the secret letter writing…?

Diana smiled in fond remembrance. Replying to advertisements. Anything that struck my fancy. I needed to do something exciting, something that challenged me. Something away from Baltimore and anything related to Society. I hid every single letter, and bribed the servants to keep my secrets.

What do your family think you’re about now? Wyatt asked with a laugh. You’ve up and left Baltimore, and there’s no telling when you’ll get back.

They believe that I am receiving training from Florence Nightingale in the medicinal arts. She forced a smile that was more of a wince. In London.

Wyatt whistled low. And how is that going to be proved?

Archie said he’d take care of it. Diana shrugged and slid her unfinished letter into her diary nearby, sighing to herself. I have no reason not to trust him.

You can always trust Archie, he replied as he moved further into the compartment and took an open seat across from her. If he says he’ll take care of it, he will. Your family will never know the truth.

Diana tilted her head, a few dark curls sliding out from behind her ear. Why does that not sound like such a good thing?

Wyatt grinned, then shrugged a broad shoulder. In our line of work, Diana, the truth is very complicated.

Isn’t everything? She sighed and set her hands in her lap, turning towards him fully. Have you spoken with the conductor?

I have, he drawled, straightening up in his seat. We’ll reach Indiana in a few hours. We’ll change trains in Indianapolis, and then make our way down to New Albany. We’ll change our clothing on that train.

Diana frowned at that. Why would we need to change our clothing? I’m suitably dressed for travel, as are you. Quite dashing, if I may compliment my husband.

Wyatt chuckled and inclined his head in acknowledgement. You may, wife, and I thank you for it. But as suitably dressed as we are for our own tastes, it would not be at all suitable for our destination. Unless, of course, you’d like us to stand out.

He was teasing, she knew, but still it rankled. Of course she did not want them to stand out. That would defeat the entire purpose of the mission, and they would undoubtedly be an object of attention purely by being new in the town which, if reports were true, was not particularly large.

She hadn’t considered any of this before they’d left Denver, and she was tempted to curse, perhaps even aloud, for being so short sighted. Nothing would show her inexperience more than moments like this.

She screwed up her face in a grimace and shook her head. No, you’re right. Perhaps on the train from Indianapolis to New Albany we might coordinate our cover? There will likely not be much time to prepare once we are… wherever we are going.

We’re staying in New Albany, Wyatt reminded her. It’s as good a place as any to start.

Diana nodded, mentally running over the notes in their unnervingly thin dossier. We’re doing more investigating than anything else, aren’t we?

Her partner nodded in return, his expression less than encouraging. All we have are rumors and the evidence of the past. I wish I could say New Albany is the only place we need to look at, but there is so much more. Honestly, Diana, I’m not entirely sure what we’re getting into. Which is probably why Archie picked me for this assignment. I’m used to adapting to whatever situation arises.

How so? Diana asked, curious now about this Texan she had been partnered with. And married to. They’d spent much of the last month together, but that had been training and preparation and making sure that she knew every line of the various protocols that were in place. They’d had almost no opportunity to really get to know each other, aside from various character traits and particular skill sets.

Wyatt was a fighter, that much she knew, but he wasn’t a particularly rough man. In fact, he’d treated her with all the respect she could have wished for without any of the condescension that so often accompanied such treatment in their day and age. He was a quiet sort, and his voice never seemed to rise in volume no matter his emotion. Yet he seemed to speak enough with and to her, taking care to explain things in detail and with an absurd amount of patience for one who clearly did not agree with women becoming agents. He was an interesting enigma, this Pinkerton man, and she wondered as much about that as she did their case.

Wyatt shook his head, smiling just a little. Another story for another day, wife of mine. I’d get some rest if I were you. We’ll need every minute of the trip from Indianapolis to New Albany to get ready, and I have no idea how much time to coordinate we’ll get after that.

Diana nodded to herself, then slowly shook her head, her thoughts whirling in twelve different directions.

What? What is it?

She frowned, her lips pursing in thought. It’s just… well, you know why Archie assigned you to this particular mission. We’re not even in it yet, and you know why. I have no idea why I’m here. I’m not sure what skills he sees in me that render me qualified. I know I can be an excellent Pinkerton agent. I know I’m intelligent and capable and strong, and you said yourself that I trained well.

You did, yes.

But I wish I had your confidence going into this unknown. She sighed a little and made a face. It’s leaving me very uneasy, I’m afraid.

That’s normal. Wyatt scooted closer and folded his hands before him, drawing her to meet his gaze. My first mission, I was terrified the entire time. Could barely speak without my knees shaking. I was convinced I was going to be made at any moment and the whole thing would blow up in my face.

Diana narrowed her eyes at him. I’m not sure I believe you.

He grinned and chuckled warmly. Well, when we get back to Denver after all of this, you march up to Archie and ask him. He’ll tell you straight. But listen, Diana: I would never go into a mission with someone who thought they knew everything and could handle anything. I would never want to be partnered with someone who didn’t feel at least some degree of fear in all of this.

Why’s that? It seems to me that would be rather perfect.

If you aren’t afraid, you aren’t careful, he said simply. In this job, we need to be careful more than anything else. You can be afraid or uneasy or whatever else you’re feeling. The only question you really need to answer is can you go forward in spite of it all?

Diana gave him the respect of considering the question thoughtfully, then nodded once. I think so, yes.

His crooked grin appeared, making his eyes crinkle at the corners. "I know so. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be on this train with me right now. And you certainly wouldn’t have married me. I’m a charming fellow, but no one would marry me for that alone within five minutes of meeting me. Not even I am that charming."

She rolled her eyes and made a shooing motion with her hands. Absolutely not. Now go away, I need to rest.

He laughed and saluted as perfectly as any soldier. Yes, ma’am. I’ll bring you supper in a bit, should be just before we change trains. Sleep well.

Diana smiled as he closed the compartment door behind him, shaking her head.

Married for the mission or not, it was entirely possible that she had the most perfect pretend husband she could have hoped for.

One could only hope he was equally as perfect a partner and agent.

After taking her rest, which was fitful at best, Diana quickly finished the letter of lies to her mother, dutifully ignoring the twinges of guilt that flared within her at it. She was to post the letter, and all others, to the headquarters in Denver, although how Archie was going to make it appear as though the letter came from London she could not possibly imagine.

Wyatt, ever the dutiful husband, had dinner brought into her, and the pair of them ate without much conversation, which she did not mind. Now they were well on their way to their assignment, she felt the weight of it all upon her. She had never done anything especially brave or bold, unless traipsing off to Denver to marry a man in order to become a Pinkerton agent counted, and certainly had never done