A Very Dishonest Scandal (The Hero Next Door Book 5)

by Rebecca King

  ‘The name is Luke Horcroft.’

  Luke had no idea what was going on between the women but couldn’t find the will to walk away. Every instinct he possessed warned him that he should bow politely and take his leave of her. His gut screamed at him that he shouldn’t get involved, but the attack he had just witnessed made him hesitate. He wondered what was going on. It was highly unusual for four young women to be so physical with another woman that they would deliberately push her into the road, but that was what he had just witnessed the group do to the seemingly innocent young woman before him.

  God, she is gorgeous.

  The more Luke studied the beautiful features of the woman before him, the more he struggled to tear his gaze away from her. Despite her dress being ruined, she looked infinitely fragile, and so delightful that he wanted to touch her.

  ‘Might I be so bold as to ask your name?’ Luke asked, mentally wincing when he realised just how officious he sounded.

  ‘Rosemary Tynesdale. Miss Rosemary Tynesdale.’ Rosemary looked nervously up at him.

  Luke frowned. ‘Tynesdale. Now, where have I heard that name before?’

  The man’s words were quiet, as if spoken to himself. Rosemary mentally retreated when she heard them. She suspected she already knew where he had heard her name before. It was most probably from someone who had told him the gossip Samantha and her spiteful friends had spread. She waited for the stranger’s handsome face to harden, and for him to leave. He merely squinted at her as if trying to read her inner thoughts. Being beneath that auburn gaze was so disturbing that Rosemary dropped her eyes to the pavement beneath her feet and kept them there.

  ‘My father is the clock maker who lives over in Oakley Bridge,’ Rosemary offered when he didn’t seem inclined to engage her in further conversation but didn’t take his leave of her either.

  Luke quickly gathered up her purchases and placed them gently back into the basket before holding the basket out to her. ‘A few things look ruined but can be purchased again,’ he offered helpfully.

  Rosemary gasped when she saw the muddied mess in her basket. He was right, but she didn’t have any more money to purchase replacements because the surplus money had gone on her coaching ticket.

  ‘Are you new to the area?’ Rosemary asked curiously. She had never seen this man before and wondered if he was local, and unlikely to have heard the gossip about her. While she would never profess to know everyone in town, she had seen enough of the locals on her regular visits to know that she hadn’t even glanced at this man before.

  I wouldn’t forget someone as handsome as this stranger.

  He was taller than most men and towered over her with broad shoulders and a powerful physique that was a little startling. Despite her reluctance to delay her departure from town any longer, Rosemary opened her mouth to thank him only for the words to remain unspoken.

  Their eyes met. For a brief, wonderful moment, Samantha and the problems she brought with her faded into insignificance. The muddy, cold dress Rosemary wore didn’t cling to her chilled flesh as badly as it had a moment ago. The ruined purchases weren’t as devastating as they should have been either. All Rosemary could think of was the honeyed warmth of the stranger’s amber eyes, which were flecked with darker dashes of brown and gold. When framed with a thick sweep of lashes, his eyes were hypnotic and seemed to draw her in, compelling her to edge closer. There was something in the look he was giving her, a message of some kind, but Rosemary was too startled by him to read it.

  As they stood in the middle of the path, staring at each other, Rosemary slowly became aware of the silence between them, but it wasn’t as awkward as it should have been. It was watchful, wary, assessing, and nothing like anything she had ever encountered before. It was difficult to know what to make of it because Rosemary had never faced this kind of situation before.

  But then I have never met anybody like him before.

  ‘I have only just moved into this area,’ Luke confirmed, seeing no reason to lie to her.

  Rosemary had so many questions to ask him that she struggled to know which one to ask first.

  But that will be terribly presumptuous of me. I must leave.

  ‘I have to go,’ Rosemary whispered, mentally wincing when her voice came out more of a croak. She coughed to try to shift the imaginary obstruction in her throat but then became aware that he was still watching her in a careful, measured way. ‘Thank you for your help.’

  When he still didn’t move, Rosemary turned to leave only to glance up and see Samantha and her witchy friends walking down the street toward them.

  ‘Oh, no,’ Rosemary moaned.

  She tried to step off the path only for Luke to jump forward and haul her backward, and safely into his arms, seconds before a large carriage rumbled past. Rosemary dropped her basket again and gaped helplessly as the vehicle’s large wheels rolled over what was left of her morning’s purchases. It took her a moment to realise that she was leaning against this tall, handsome stranger, like a harlot in a booze-ridden tavern.

  ‘Oh, I am sorry,’ she gasped, but when Rosemary tried to push away, the handsome stranger refused to release her. Now, with no money, no purchases, and four spiteful women on their way to challenge her for the second time that day, Rosemary was well and truly stuck. But that wasn’t the only thing that troubled her now. What bothered her more than anything was that this man, this stranger, was going to witness her humiliation at the hands of her nemesis, Samantha Morton, and there wasn’t a damned thing she could do to avoid it. Further, he was going to give Samantha more spiteful gossip she could spread about her if he didn’t release her soon.

  ‘Who are they?’ Luke asked Rosemary curiously.

  He had no intention of releasing her again because he suspected the woman would try to escape, and the spiteful women would follow her. Protectiveness toward the woman in his arms blossomed out of nowhere and took root within Luke so firmly that wild horses couldn’t get him to step away. The second he saw the snide looks the approaching women shared, Luke knew that he had to do everything he could to look after the woman in his arms. Consequently, when decorum demanded that he release her, Luke planted his boots and ignored the sly and curious looks being slid their way, and instead glared contemptuously at the sniggering young women.

  ‘What is going on here?’ Luke demanded quietly of the woman in his arms. He knew from experience that she was in danger. Luke glanced around at the market square beside them but suspected that very few pedestrians could see what was happening. Where they were standing was the perfect place for the women to assault their victim, and they had.

  ‘Please, I have to go,’ Rosemary whispered anxiously, but didn’t attempt to push away from him. Instead, she waited for the spiteful words and malicious looks from the women she could feel behind her. Rosemary was certain that if she listened intently enough, she would be able to hear their spiteful whispers. With her cheeks burning with humiliation, Rosemary closed her eyes and wished she were somewhere, anywhere, else.

  This man, this stranger, was going to want an explanation but she had no idea what was really happening, Yes, she knew that Samantha was behind the malice but had no idea why she had chosen to start to spread her spite against her father now, or why she had chosen to be spiteful at all. ‘Just because’ wasn’t really an excuse.

  ‘It will be all right,’ Luke whispered, gazing down at her. ‘Trust me.’

  ‘I don’t know you,’ Rosemary whispered.

  ‘Luke Horcroft, but you can call me Luke.’ He smiled to try to lighten the tension but all he succeeded in doing was making the atmosphere between them intimate. He didn’t stop to think about their embrace as they stood at the side of the road gazing into each other’s eyes. He didn’t give a damn that it might make them look like an adoring couple either. All he could focus on was the woman in his arms.

  Rosemary knew that they were attracting curious looks from the locals because they were embracing in broad daylight, starin
g deeply into each other’s eyes. However, she refused to look around at the onlookers because she wouldn’t give anybody else the satisfaction of being able to glare at her or hurl any more abuse.

  ‘I know you want to go,’ Luke murmured, picking one of her hands off his chest, but only so he could draw it up to his lips. ‘But standing your ground against them will warn them that you are not going to keep running from them. If you do, they will follow, and be worse when they catch up with you because they know they have frightened you. Bullies like them won’t like you standing your ground, Rosemary. Trust me.’

  ‘How do you know?’ she whispered.

  ‘I will explain another time,’ Luke murmured.

  Rosemary shivered at the feel of his warm breath across her fingers. Their intimate pose was startling and something she should be cringing away from, but she couldn’t move. This was the safest she had felt all morning.

  But that isn’t the only reason I don’t want to move.

  Rosemary wanted to stay with this man, this stranger, for as long as possible. He was someone she suspected would only cross her path once and was someone she wouldn’t ever forget. Not only was Luke Horcroft handsome, he was protective, kind, understanding.

  There was something about the trusting way that this woman looked at him that warmed something within Luke’s heart. He couldn’t release her. Not only did he suspect she was going to need the help of the Star Elite at some point in the future, he couldn’t ignore the connection he felt to her that was purely personal. While he knew he had never met her before he felt as if he already knew her.

  ‘I am an investigator with the Star Elite,’ he murmured for her ears alone. ‘And the young women who accosted you will go to the magistrate for what they have done today. They assaulted you by shoving you into the road. If there had been traffic on this road, you could have been killed; run over as effectively as your purchases have been. What they did to you will be considered attempted murder. You know that don’t you?’

  Rosemary blinked at him. It took a moment for his words to sink in. She started to shake her head but then looked at the road she had inadvertently stepped into and knew that he was right.

  ‘Don’t be worried by them. Look at what they do as criminal. Their minds are corrupt. They are far more damaged than you will ever be. They may harm physical things like goods and possessions, and may even physically attack you, but that is because the problem lies with them. They look for ways to attack and abuse you purely because it makes them feel better about themselves, stronger even. Do you know something? People who are healthy don’t even bother to look at others as they go about their business. Normal people pass others in the street without looking up because they are immersed in their own lives and are prepared to leave others to go about their own business as they see fit. It is the people like the young women, who go about watching others just so they can scorn them, who look for trouble, things they don’t like, because they are the most damaged. In my experience, it is usually because they are self-righteous, arrogant, and often have little in their own lives that they like. They just pretend they are better than everyone else because it helps them to pretend that they are better. The fact is that if you read what they say, or do, their words and actions reveal the truth about who they really are. A bully is a coward, nothing more. Pushing you into the road was an act of cowardice. It is attempted murder. Everyone must face justice for the crimes they commit no matter who they are connected to, or how much money they have in the bank, or what problem they have with the victim. Nobody has the right to damage or steal another person’s life. Remember that. Don’t look at her as an enemy you should avoid. If she sees you trying to avoid her, she will know that she worries you. It will make her more determined to target you because she will enjoy the power of being able to frighten you. She is nothing because she cannot keep her bullying ways to herself. That is incredibly dangerous to her as a person because it will land her behind bars. The second she starts to bring her problems into other people’s lives or homes, she commits crimes. It isn’t a question of if the authorities will put her behind bars, it is a case of when. That is what young women like her tend to forget. She will have the protection of her parent or guardian and will arrogantly assume that he will be accountable for her behaviour or will be prepared to make excuses for her crass arrogance today. Unfortunately, she is old enough to face a judge.’

  ‘Are you telling me to report it to the magistrate?’ Rosemary whispered.

  ‘Yes, I am. I must come with you because I am a witness. Believe me when I tell you that the magistrate may have ordinarily put any argument between you down to feminine squabbles that you women need to sort out between yourselves. However, given the seriousness of their attack on you today, he won’t be so lenient. The magistrate might have warned her to keep her hands to herself in the future if she had just nudged you. He may even have gone to speak with her guardian to warn him to keep her under better control and get her to resolve her problems. However, he would inadvertently have made the matter worse because if she weren’t properly rebuked, or told her behaviour is criminal by people she respects, she would carry on and even get worse. But I am an investigator with the Star Elite and have witnessed a profoundly serious attack on you today. The magistrate needs to know what happened because if those women do ever push you into the road again, they will face justice if you are run over and killed next time. If you don’t report it, the magistrate won’t know what they have done today and won’t suspect them. It will be up to them to prove that they haven’t been involved, but that will be difficult after what they have done today. If someone is prepared to do something like that once, they will do it again, and more besides. Don’t let them get away with it even once. You have the law on your side. Each act of violence, or abusive word, has a law attached to it that they are breaking. The more they get used to breaking laws and think it is acceptable or that they will get away with it, the more the magistrate will be aware that it is their way of life and be determined to stop them. The sentences they will be given will then be considerably harsher when they are put before a judge. This isn’t a one-time event, is it?’

  ‘They haven’t pushed me before today,’ Rosemary replied honestly.

  ‘But they are prepared to push you now when they weren’t before. Doesn’t that warn you that she is – they are - gaining in arrogance and confidence?’ Luke reasoned.

  Rosemary contemplated that. ‘But she will target us even more when she realises that I have reported it.’

  Luke’s stomach flipped with something indefinable when he heard that word us.

  Rosemary glanced around and sighed heavily. She contemplated whether she really could trust this man but knew, deep in her heart, that he was right. She had to report what had happened today, if only to warn Samantha that she was not going to be her victim any longer, nor was her father.

  ‘They are spreading spiteful gossip about us. My father and me. He is the clock maker over in Oakley Bridge. He has lived there all his life. Everything was fine, until Miss Morton – Samantha – moved into the village with her family a few months ago. At first, they seemed nice, but then she changed, almost overnight. Then the gossip about us began. People have stopped coming to the shop. Business has almost dried up. People we called friends have stopped talking to us. It’s awful.’

  ‘Have you fallen out with her?’ Luke pressed, intrigued. He scowled suddenly and whispered: ‘Your father is Thomas Tynesdale.’

  Thomas Tynesdale was famous throughout the country for his exquisite watchmaking. Rumour had it that even the King wore a Tynesdale fob watch.

  ‘Good Lord,’ Luke whispered. He suspected then that he had stumbled into something that was going to require not just his involvement but the Star Elite’s as well.

  Rosemary shivered when a cold breeze swept around her. It made the wet material of her dress ripple against her chilled skin, which made her shiver even more. Luke immediately dragged his cloak off
and draped it across her shoulders even though they were already covered by her thinner cloak. He smiled when she immediately huddled into the woollen warmth and offered her thanks.

  ‘Come on, we can talk while we walk to the magistrate. Then I will escort you home.’ He held an elbow out to her and wasn’t at all surprised when he glanced up and saw the young women watching them from across the street. Luke immediately turned away but not before he caught the spiteful look the most arrogant of them gave him.

  Samantha Morton.

  He tucked that name away and made a mental note to speak to Roger about investigating the family.

  ‘What can you tell me about her?’ Luke asked Rosemary quietly with a nod toward the women.

  ‘Nothing much. I have no idea why she has decided to target us, but it is definitely her. She admitted it to me this morning,’ Rosemary whispered miserably.

  ‘What is being said? I have only just moved into the area and don’t listen to gossip.’ While their conversation was worrying, Luke found it rather pleasant to stroll casually down the road with a beautiful woman on his arm. In fact, it felt so right that Luke wanted their journey to last a little longer so he could enjoy for as long as possible.

  ‘They are spreading lies that my father is selling sub-standard watches,’ Rosemary sighed.

  Luke’s brows shot up. ‘I doubt anybody as notable as Thomas Tynesdale would stoop so low.’

  ‘But people are believing the gossip,’ Rosemary whispered. ‘I just don’t know why. My father is so deeply upset.’

  Luke scowled into the distance and contemplated what Rosemary had just told him. He didn’t want to pass judgement without getting all the facts but suspected that Thomas Tynesdale was an innocent victim in all of this, just like his daughter.

  When she heard the tittering of feminine laughter, Rosemary glanced over her shoulder. Even on Luke’s arm, she felt a jolt of fear course through her. ‘They are following us.’