Smythe settled back on the chair. “No, Frank, I don’t.”
“We made a mistake. I want to fix it.”
Smythe remained impassive, leaving Frank to wonder what had happened to make Pearl tell lies. Then it struck him. She’d had the baby and no one had told him. He didn’t know if she’d given birth to a boy or a girl. He wanted to go directly to Swan’s Nest but couldn’t. Thanks to Smythe’s visit, Frank had to be on his best behavior.
The elder cleared his throat. “Aside from all that, I wanted to make you aware of the change to Thursday’s agenda. We’ll be voting on Tobias’s replacement.”
Pictures of Pearl raced through Frank’s mind. He could hardly think, but business came first. He had to finish with Smythe. “Tobias wants this Blue fellow, doesn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Does he have support?”
“Quite a bit, including mine.” For the second time, Smythe rose from the chair. This time he looked eager to leave. “That concludes church business, but I’ve also come concerning my account.”
Tension eased from Frank’s muscles. He knew how to handle money. “What can I do for you?”
“I’d like to make a transfer.”
“Buying more land?”
“No,” Smythe answered. “Boston Merchants Bank just opened. Sorry, Frank. But the new bank has better rates.”
Frank leaned back in his chair. In a city as vibrant as Denver, a new bank didn’t surprise him. What made him arch a brow was the mention of Boston. He also wondered why he hadn’t heard talk at the supper club. The new banker had come to town in a cloak of secrecy. “Who’s running it?”
“A fellow named Elliot Morse. He’s a member of the Blue family.”
Without the courtesy of a goodbye, Smythe walked out the door, leaving Frank to ponder the events of the past few weeks. They led him to a single conclusion. Joshua Blue was ruining his life by protecting Adie Clarke, influencing Pearl and starting a rival bank. It couldn’t be tolerated.
He motioned for a clerk. As she came forward, he scowled. “Find Horace.”
“Yes, sir.” She set an envelope on his desk. “This came by courier.”
As she left to summon Horace, Frank opened the envelope and found a letter from Boston Merchants Bank and a check for the amount of the Swan’s Nest mortgage. Furious, he stared out the window, where he saw Horace walking down the boardwalk. Instead of his usual shuffling gait, the driver was striding with a sense of purpose. Frank drummed his fingers on his desk until Horace arrived.
The driver took off his hat. “You wanted me, sir?”
“Sit down.”
He lowered himself onto the chair vacated by Smythe.
“I gave you a job last week,” Frank said.
“Yes, sir. I recall.”
“What have you found out about Reverend Blue?”
“Not much.” Horace shifted in the chair. “People like the reverend. He treats everyone the same, even the girls from Miss Elsa’s.”
Frank’s ears perked up. “He’s been to Miss Elsa’s?”
“Just once,” Horace said quickly. “Not for what you’re thinking, sir. He invited the girls to church. Two of them come regular now. The men at Brick’s like him, too. I haven’t heard a bad word about him, sir.” Horace pursed his lips, a sign he was holding back.
“Spit it out, Horace. What else do you know?”
The driver fidgeted on the seat. “I don’t like telling tales, sir.”
Frank put a silver dollar on his desk. Horace eyed it but didn’t move. Frank didn’t like the man’s reluctance. He added another silver dollar, then a third. Looking torn, Horace slid the coins across the desk and into his hand; then he met Frank’s gaze. “I heard the women talking last Sunday. The reverend had a bad time in Boston.”
“Go on.”
“His sister got in trouble.”
“I want to know about Reverend Blue, not some female.”
“It’s why he came west,” Horace said. “He’s been looking for his sister everywhere, in places a reverend don’t belong.”
“I see.”
“There’s more,” Horace added. “Back in Boston, he used laudanum on the sly, too much of it if you get my drift.”
So the honorable reverend was an opium addict. The more Horace spoke, the more evidence Frank had against him. Instead of dreading Thursday’s meeting, he started to relish the thought of raking the esteemed Reverend Blue over the coals.
“Anything else?” he said to Horace.
“Just one thing,” the driver said. “He had a talk with Brick and me and some of the fellows at the saloon the other night. The Reverend walks like he talks, but he’s still a man like you or me. He’s not all high-and-mighty.”
Frank laughed out loud.
Horace’s mouth tightened. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“I’m glad you did.” Frank slid a half eagle across the desk. “Take the afternoon off, Horace. You’ve earned it.”
“Yes, sir.” The driver turned and headed for the door.
Only after he left did Frank see the silver dollars sitting next to the gold piece. Not that it mattered…Horace had done his job and he’d done it well. On Thursday night, Reverend Blue’s dirty laundry would be aired for the world to see.
“Coffee, Reverend?”
“Thanks.”
As Brick filled the mug, Josh sat on the bar stool with his black coat buttoned tight and his boots freshly shined. It was Wednesday night and he’d been living at the parsonage since Sunday. He’d had all he could take of Tobias’s enthusiasm for the elder meeting, so he’d gone for a walk and ended up at Brick’s.
Josh liked Tobias, but he didn’t share the man’s confidence that he belonged at Colfax Avenue Church. The more Josh thought about it, the more he wondered if he was about to fall into a trap. In the past year, he’d learned to read men and their intentions. Halston Smythe struck him as sincere, but the two men with him had seemed weak. Dean should have been voted off the board a long time ago. The fact he remained showed a serious lack of integrity at the heart of the church’s leadership.
Josh would go wherever the Lord sent him, but he’d learned a hard lesson about walking into a lion’s den. If he went on his own, he’d get eaten alive. If he went with the Lord, he’d have a story to tell for years to come.
He wanted the story.
He suspected he was about to be devoured.
He sipped the coffee, then looked at Brick, who was wiping glasses with his apron. Josh felt good about the changes in the man’s life. He’d taken down the tawdry picture above the bar and replaced it with a mirror. He’d written his sister, too. She might never receive the letter, but Brick had asked for forgiveness. Josh saw a new calm in his eyes.
Brick turned and wiped the counter. “I hear talk you’re taking over that big church on Colfax Avenue.”
“Maybe.”
“Never been there myself,” he said. “I’d miss Sunday mornings here.”
“So go there,” Josh replied.
“No, thanks.” Brick kept dragging the rag in wide circles. “Tell me something, Reverend. How do you know what’s best? Seems to me you can preach here or you can preach there. You’ve got a choice.”
“That’s right.”
“So how do you decide?”
“I’ll pray about it, maybe ask a friend for advice.” Josh drummed his fingers on the warm mug. The barkeep had been in business for a while and had heard a lot of stories. “You’re a smart man. Any thoughts for me?”
Brick looked pleased by the respect. “My granny had a saying. ‘When you don’t know what’s right, do what’s hard.’”
A customer called for the barkeep’s attention. As Brick turned away, Josh thought about his advice. Accepting the position at Colfax Avenue Church would test him to the limits. He’d have to fight his pride every day and he’d hurt Adie’s feelings more than he already had. The thought made his chest ache. He’d go wherever God led him,
but he had to be sure he belonged in this particular lion’s den.
As Josh sipped coffee, the perfect test came to mind. He’d take the position under one condition. The elder board had to vote unanimously to approve him. The more he considered the plan, the more he liked it. Dean would have to vote yes or resign. Either way, the banker would lose his influence over the church. Would Adie see the logic? Josh hoped so, but he couldn’t let his feelings dictate his choice.
If the board didn’t vote unanimously, he’d face another tough decision. He could stay in Denver and preach at Brick’s, head home to Boston or go back to drifting. Josh stared at the murky dregs in his cup. Boston didn’t appeal to him and neither did drifting. He wanted to stay in Denver where he could see Adie and Stephen and be a small part of their lives.
Small…
The word rankled him in the worst way. He didn’t believe in a small God and he didn’t want a small piece of Adie’s life. He wanted to love her with everything he had to give. He’d already paid off the mortgage on Swan’s Nest. Starting next month, she’d receive an allowance, one that would pay for roast beef every night.
The only loose end was Dean. Would he leave Adie alone once Pearl left? Soon Pearl and Tobias would leave for Cheyenne. Then what? Josh didn’t know, but he was certain of one thing. He couldn’t leave Denver until Dean no longer posed a threat to Adie. Short of death or a prison term, the banker wasn’t likely to leave town.
As he swallowed the dregs of his coffee, Josh thought of the advice from Brick’s grandmother.
Do what’s hardest.
At tomorrow’s meeting he’d stand his ground. If the elders voted unanimously to hire him, he’d accept the offer. If they didn’t, he’d stay as long as Adie needed protection, loving her from afar. Both answers struck Josh as hard, but even more painful was the thought of leaving Denver for good. He didn’t want to do it, but staying posed a different threat to Adie. Even if Josh kept his distance, their feelings for each other would grow. Until she made peace with God, Josh would be a distraction at best, an impediment at worst.
He set the mug on the counter, left money for Brick and left the saloon. With his thoughts in a jumble, he went back to the parsonage to pray.
Chapter Nineteen
“Tell us, Reverend Blue. What was your greatest achievement in Boston?”
The question came from Franklin Dean, but the other six elders, seated in a row at the front of the crowded meeting hall, were just as eager for Josh’s answer. He’d been asked to stand at a podium placed to the side of the elders. When he looked straight ahead, he saw Dean. If he turned his head to the side, he saw a roomful of people. Mary, Bessie and Caroline had come to show their support, but he didn’t know anyone else. He hadn’t expected Pearl or Adie.
He’d also had a talk with Tobias. At Josh’s request, the older man had refrained from repeating his achievements. He’d given a simple introduction, allowing Josh to set the tone himself. He intended to keep the focus on what he believed and why, not on who he’d been. He also wanted his personality to show. He had a dry sense of humor. If the elders didn’t care for it, they deserved to know now.
Josh looked directly at Dean. “My greatest achievement?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s see.” He looked at the ceiling as if he were thinking, then back at the board. “I learned to ride a pony at the age of four. I was very proud of myself.”
Three of the elders chuckled. Three others scowled and Dean looked smug.
Josh flashed a smile. “I mean no disrespect, gentlemen. But I do feel strongly about the point I hope to make. There was a time when I’d have stood here and rattled off my schooling, the revivals I’ve preached and the size of the crowds. That day is long gone. Like the Apostle Paul, I count my achievements as dust compared to what Christ did for us on the cross.”
He looked each man, even Dean, in the eye. “My greatest achievement, if there is such a thing, is remembering who I’d be without God’s grace.”
Smythe and another man acknowledged him with easy nods. The other five listened with a mix of boredom and disdain. Smythe started to ask a question, but Tobias, seated in the front row, stood up. “Reverend Blue is too modest to speak for himself, but his church in Boston grew in size from twenty to five hundred in just a few years.”
Josh hated to contradict Tobias, but he couldn’t let the remark stand. “That’s true,” he said to the elder board. “I took pride in filling those pews. Then a friend of mine, a shootist named Wes Daniels, said he could have gotten twice that number.”
“How?” asked an elder.
“By giving away free drinks.”
Half the crowd chuckled. Smythe looked pleased. Josh turned to the audience. “The measure of a minister’s success isn’t in crowded pews. It’s in changed lives.”
Tobias shot Josh a look, then stood again. “I agree, but it’s only fair to say that you’ve changed more lives than most. At one revival alone, the newspaper said you spoke to—”
Josh held up his hand. “I appreciate Reverend Oliver’s support, but—”
“Go on, Tobias.”
The interruption came from Dean. Behind Josh, people murmured with a mix of approval and curiosity. Tobias had remained standing and was describing Josh as if he could walk on water. When he sat, Dean looked directly at Josh.
“Tell us, Reverend. With all your accomplishments, why did you leave Boston?”
At last they were on Josh’s turf. “I’m glad you asked. The story starts with—”
Dean broke in. “Your sister was a woman of low moral character. Isn’t that why you left?”
“What?”
The banker looked smug. “There’s evidence she committed the sin of fornication—”
“Hold it right there.” Josh had been ready for Dean to throw stones at him, but Emily? No way would he let his sister be dragged through the mud. He felt every eye on his face, studying the angle of his chin, the color in his cheeks, watching and waiting for his reaction. He looked at the elders one by one, reading each man’s expression; then he faced the crowd. What he had to say would singe a few ears. “My sister was a fine woman. It’s true she made a mistake, but the questionable character was mine. She—”
Dean interrupted. “We don’t need the disgusting details.”
“I think you do,” Josh answered.
Three of the elders scowled. Smythe held Josh’s gaze, urging him silently to continue. As Josh opened his mouth, Dean broke in. “Is it true you’ve suffered from a stomach ailment?”
“Yes.”
“And that you used laudanum?”
“Yes.”
“To excess?”
No matter how Josh answered, Dean would twist his words. The banker didn’t want truth; he wanted ammunition. Josh scrutinized the crowd. Some looked troubled, others sympathetic. No one stood to defend him. Mary, Bessie and Caroline were trading angry whispers, but this church’s traditions prohibited women from speaking, a rule Josh thought was mistaken. He glanced at Tobias and saw a frown. In spite of the older man’s upset, Josh could breathe easy. He’d told Tobias everything about his past.
He’d have told his story to the elder board, but he could see in their flat expressions that his fate had been decided, probably before he’d set foot in the meeting hall. Dean had poisoned the well against him and he’d done a good job. Josh wouldn’t go after him personally, but a few things needed to be said.
He spoke directly to Dean. “You know my story better than I do. By all means, tell it.”
Wearing a smirk masked with concern, the banker shared everything Josh had revealed to the congregation at Brick’s Saloon, including failings he’d admitted to a small group of men. Horace had been in that gathering and was clearly Dean’s source. Josh figured Dean would save the biggest rock for last, and he did.
The banker laced his fingers on the tabletop. “Is it true, Reverend, that you’ve visited Miss Elsa’s Social Club?”
The
congregation gasped.
“I sure have,” Josh said boldly. “It paid off, too. Two young ladies come to services now.” Gretchen hadn’t missed a single Sunday at Brick’s and had brought a friend. Josh hoped she’d leave Miss Elsa’s and felt bad that he hadn’t spoken to Adie about offering her a room.
“Men have their weaknesses,” Dean said. “But we expect a higher standard from our minister.”
Josh also knew from Brick that Dean was a frequent guest at the brothel. He crossed his arms. “Is that so?”
“Absolutely.” The banker stared hard. “You live at Swan’s Nest, an establishment for single women. Is that true?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Some of us find that inappropriate.”
Tobias shoved to his feet. He looked ready to choke the daylights out of the banker. “You of all people have no right to—”
“I’m pointing out facts.”
“Let me help you,” Josh said in a full voice. “I left Boston to search for my sister. She was with child, out of wedlock, a woman who made the mistake of falling in love and giving in to temptation. To protect my pride, I drove her out of Boston. Some of you gentlemen—” he looked from elder to elder “—would have applauded that decision. I see it as my biggest mistake. Instead of showing my sister the same grace Christ has shown to me, I threw stones at her.”
He faced the crowd. “I was a Pharisee, a hypocrite.” He told the audience about his laudanum addiction, how he’d sought praise and hidden his mistakes; then he looked back at the elders. “Mr. Dean asked what I considered my greatest accomplishment. Here it is. I learned the hard way—at the expense of my sister’s life—that Christ died for all of us. That includes you fine gentlemen.”
Josh glanced at Tobias. The man looked both stunned and pleased, as if he’d realized he should have given this speech before now.
Josh faced the elder board. “Let me ask each of you, are your lives so perfect that you can sit there and judge me?” He let a full minute pass. “Who’s been to Miss Elsa’s besides Frank here?”
Two of the men turned red.
The Maverick Preacher Page 21
