Good Guy Heroes Boxed Set

by Julie Ortolon

  She gave him lies.

  Damn right, he was angry. With himself. In his efforts to protect Faith and her aunts, he was becoming a man he couldn’t respect.

  His brothers had accused him of being rigid to a fault, but laws were black and white, and meant to be rigidly adhered to, and enforced with diligence. He should have pursued the parasol theft until he found the thief. He should have charged Dahlia with killing Levens and let a jury decide her guilt. And he should have listened to Radford when his brother warned him to slow down. Because if he’d suspected Faith’s past, he’d have done things differently. He’d have done them right. He’d have shut down the bathhouse, married off those crazy aunts of hers, and sold the brothel.

  Then he would have married Faith—because he loved her.

  And that’s why her lack of trust wounded him so deeply. From the minute he met her, he’d wanted her. He’d opened his heart and his life and left himself open to her betrayal. To realize she knowingly misled him was like expecting a kiss only to get slammed in the gut with a hand maul.

  It was his own fault for being too sure of himself. He’d known Faith was hiding something behind her smile, but he ignored the feeling because he wanted her, and because he knew she was the one, the woman he would love for the rest of his life.

  His anger burned away, and his pace slowed, but he continued to walk. He headed out of town on Water Street then cut over to Liberty Street where the whining sound of the saw at the mill echoed along the gorge and beckoned him closer.

  There was commotion in the yard when he got there. His brothers were talking with Patrick and Cyrus, but they looked pissed off, especially Radford, who swore and slammed his hand axe into a pile of maple logs.

  “What’s going on?” Duke asked, closing in on their gathering.

  They all looked at him, but Radford got right in his face. “I was just going to come find you,” he said, all tensed up like he was ready to throttle somebody.

  “Why?” Everyone was looking at him, but he spoke to Radford. “What’s going on here?”

  “You have a brothel operating under your nose, that’s what’s wrong! My daughter walked into that greenhouse you own and saw Patrick fondling Iris’s bare breast.”

  “What?” Duke’s gaze shot to Patrick. “Is that true?”

  Patrick gave a shamefaced nod.

  Duke’s gut twisted and he felt nauseated. To think an innocent like Rebecca had witnessed something so base and intimate made him want to slug Patrick—and kick himself for being so blind.

  “The greenhouse was closed for the day. We thought we’d be alone,” Patrick said. “We didn’t know Adam and Rebecca would be tromping upstairs.” Pat’s shoulders sagged. “I feel awful, Radford. I thought you should know so you could talk to her. She’s got to be shocked and confused by what she saw.”

  “At the least. She should have never witnessed something like that.” Radford’s nostrils flared. “Whatever is going on at that greenhouse had better stop right now, Duke. If anyone hears about this, it could shred our reputation. You may not mind, but I do.”

  “So do I,” Boyd said. “We’ve each got a wife and children to think about.”

  “And Mother,” Kyle added. “If she gets dragged into this, Duke, I’ll tear that greenhouse apart board by board and get rid of the problem.”

  They had every right to be angry, but he was unable to believe what he was hearing. Archer wasn’t just trying to undermine Duke’s bid for election; the man had genuine cause for concern.

  “Were you there too, Cyrus?” he asked, figuring he may as well hear the whole disgusting truth.

  “Not that day.”

  “Not that day. What does that mean?” he asked. “Archer’s wife said she saw you and Tansy kissing at the top of the stairs in the greenhouse. Was Tansy servicing you upstairs, too?”

  Shock flashed across the man’s face then his expression hardened with anger. “Tansy was accepting my marriage proposal.”

  The announcement surprised Duke and left him momentarily speechless. He’d figured Cyrus would remain a bachelor for life. And knowing Tansy’s past profession, Duke assumed none of those bawdy women would ever marry. Did Cyrus know about Tansy’s past? Or was he an unsuspecting fool like Duke had been?

  “We’re going to marry tomorrow afternoon.”

  So soon? Was there a reason for haste? It wasn’t Duke’s place to share the information with Cyrus. All he could do was try to keep everything from collapsing and burying his family in a mess they had nothing to do with. His mind spun, groping for a way to undo the damage Faith’s aunts and Cyrus and Patrick had caused with their fooling around. Then it struck him. “I want you to marry Tansy in the Common,” he said, an idea forming in his mind.

  Cyrus scowled. “We were going to do it quick and quiet.”

  “You could have if you hadn’t been so careless in kissing Tansy in the greenhouse. You two are the cause of this rumor, Cyrus. If you and Tansy marry in the park, people will think you were just an eager fiancé who was stealing a kiss from your intended. That should silence any rumors the Archers may have started, and it will keep suspicion from being cast on my family.”

  “All right.” Cyrus gave him a nod. “I accept the responsibility for that, and I’m sorry for it. I’ll let Tansy know.”

  Duke faced his brothers and had never felt so cut off from them in his life. In all their spats, there was never a time when they all stood against him as they were doing now. Duke was the peacekeeper in the family. He was the one who calmed them down and made them see reason. But not today. Because they all had everything to lose. And it was Duke’s poor judgment that had put them in this position. “I’ll shut down the bathhouse and stop the massages,” he said. “But it’ll break Faith’s heart if I make her close the greenhouse.”

  “The greenhouse isn’t my only concern here.” Radford’s scowl darkened, his temper escalating. “It’s that boy Rebecca’s been sneaking around with. She wouldn’t have been there if not for Adam. You keep him away from her, or I’m going to have a talk with him.”

  Under the circumstances, Duke didn’t blame his brother for being angry and protective, but it galled him that Radford was dumping the blame on Adam’s shoulders. Rebecca had a mind of her own and was with Adam because she wanted to be.

  This wasn’t the time or the place to argue about it, though.

  He gave Radford a nod then turned and jabbed his finger against Patrick’s chest. “I suspect the only reason Radford hasn’t throttled you for being such an idiot is because you’re a good friend. But if you and Iris want to get naked, do it on your own property or I’ll beat you myself.”

  He walked away before he slugged Patrick for being so careless and stupid, and before he started an argument with Radford over the children.

  No one ever told him that being a husband and father would be a continuous exercise in control. Only an hour ago he’d wanted to shake Adam until the boy confessed the truth about the fishing rod. But now he knew Adam was with Rebecca last Sunday afternoon when the rod was supposedly taken, and he didn’t know what to think about the theft. Adam couldn’t have been in two places at the same time.

  But if Adam didn’t take the rod, how did it get on Duke’s boat? The dinghy was too well hidden for someone to stumble upon it. So Adam, or someone who knew where Duke kept his boat, put the rod there. Rebecca knew where he kept it, but she wouldn’t steal a piece of bread if she were starving.

  His mind spun, gathering facts and sorting details as he walked to the greenhouse. Somehow he would figure out this mess, but his first order of business was to nail some female asses to the wall and put a stop to the rumors threatening his family.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  *

  THE SLAM OF the greenhouse door startled Faith, and she nearly dropped a jar of balm she’d been scenting with herbs. She looked up to see Duke standing inside the door, his face a mask of fury.

  “Do you know what people are saying ab
out you, Faith?” The indignant look on his face assured her it wasn’t good.

  Her stomach plummeted and she clutched her fist to her belly, crushing the dried herbs in her hand. “What’s wrong?”

  “Are your aunts here?” he asked.

  “Everyone except Dahlia. She took Cora to the store with her.”

  “Do you have any customers?”

  “Not at the moment.”

  “Good.” He lifted his chin and his voice cracked through the greenhouse. “Iris Wilde, get your ass out here! Aster and Tansy! Wherever you are, get out here.”

  Faith gasped, fearing what was coming.

  Tansy flitted out from behind a large cluster of Saint-John’s-wort, her eyes wide. Aster stepped in from the bathhouse, wiping her hands on her apron and scowling like a mother.

  “What are you yelling about?” she asked, pushing her way through the plants.

  “Where’s Iris?” he asked.

  “Right here,” Iris said, descending the stairs with pinched lips and an arched eyebrow. “What are you riled about?”

  “I’ll give you a list.” Duke lifted his fist and raised his thumb. “First, Wayne Archer says Doc Milton is bragging about the private treatments Aster is giving him on the second floor.”

  “He is?” Aster’s lips tilted in a pleased smile.

  Duke’s scowl darkened.

  “Second…” He glared at Tansy. “Archer says his wife saw you and Cyrus out here kissing like two overheated lovers.”

  “We are lovers,” she said meekly.

  “I don’t care!” Duke swatted the bush of lemongrass in front of him. “Do you women realize that you’ve jeopardized my family’s reputation?” He strode five paces then slammed his fist on the counter. Faith dropped the jar she held, and it shattered on the floor.

  “My mother and my sisters-in-law put their reputations on the line when they promoted this business to their friends. My brothers spent two weeks pounding nails in that building next door so you women could have a decent place to live. And what do they get for their kindness?” he asked, his voice cracking with righteous anger. “They get put in the middle of a nasty rumor that could shred their reputations. My brother’s daughter saw something no child should see. And I get the pleasure of being responsible for all of this.”

  Iris braced her hand on the railing. “You’re overwrought, Sheriff—”

  “You bet I am!” He jabbed his finger toward her. “You’re the worst offender, Iris! My niece, an innocent little girl, saw you and Patrick… fondling each other upstairs last Sunday. No child should see that!” He slammed his fist on the counter again. “I’m fighting the urge to send you packing.”

  The smell of the resinous balm that was splattered on the floor and across Faith’s feet rose to her nose and made her nauseated. She looked at her aunts, and not one of them would meet her eyes. They were guilty of every sin Duke accused them of. Duke knew, and they were ruined. It was over with him, and over for them, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

  “I’ll leave.” Iris descended the last few steps and crossed to the counter. “You’re right to despise me for what happened with your niece. My carelessness and inconsideration are unforgivable. I should never have come here.”

  “You can’t leave.” Faith reached across the counter and grasped her aunt’s hand. “You’re my family. Adam and Cora love you. You can’t leave us.”

  “She’s not going anywhere.” Anger etched deep grooves in Duke’s face. “But all this bathing and massaging and philandering upstairs stops, and it stops right now. Not one more person outside this family uses that bathtub. Not one man climbs those stairs or enters the bathhouse.” He looked at Aster. “That includes the doctor.”

  Aster nodded. “I presume that will change when the doctor becomes my husband?”

  Faith was as surprised by Aster’s announcement as Duke seemed to be, but his eyes narrowed as if Aster said something extremely important. “Are you marrying the doctor?”

  The woman nodded. “Paul asked. I said yes.” She whacked dirt off her apron as if they were discussing plants and not her future, but Faith saw a happy spark in her aunt’s eyes.

  “Would you marry him tomorrow?”

  They all gaped at his odd request.

  Duke looked at Tansy. “I asked Cyrus to marry you in the Common tomorrow. A public wedding should silence the rumors about why you two were kissing in the greenhouse.” He pinned Aster with his stony stare. “I’d like you and Doc Milton to do the same.”

  “Makes no difference to me when or where I marry the man,” Aster said. “I didn’t realize his visits were causing trouble or I’d have stopped them myself. I’m sorry. I’ll go talk to Paul now.”

  “I’m sorry, too,” Tansy said, plucking at her apron. “I was so overcome when Cyrus said he hadn’t been in the war and asked me to marry him, I kissed him like a darn fool.” She lowered her lashes. “I didn’t mean to start any nasty rumors.”

  “I don’t fault your intentions, but I am holding each of you responsible for your actions.” He turned to Iris. “As long as you and Patrick conduct your romance in private and away from this business, you can stay”

  And with that, he blew out the door like strong wind, leaving everything in his path trembling.

  And that was that. Faith’s fist was still pressed against her stomach, where nausea returned full force. Her husband had just walked out, without a word, without a tender glance, without a single assurance that he would ever forgive her. She’d ruined everything for him and for their marriage. She’d married a tender, considerate, passionate man, and she’d single-handedly killed those parts of him, the best parts of him.

  She’d shattered their marriage as swiftly and completely as she’d crushed the dried herbs in her hand.

  *

  DUKE UNLOCKED THE door to his holding cell, regretting his harshness with Adam and with Faith and her aunts. Faith would never forgive him if Iris left. Adam probably wouldn’t forgive him either.

  “Come on out,” he said, swinging the door wide.

  Adam stalked out, chin high, eyes blazing with anger.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were with Rebecca last Sunday afternoon?”

  “It wasn’t your business.”

  “Maybe not, but there’s more at stake than solving the mystery of the stolen fishing rod, Adam. Rebecca is a beautiful young lady, and I can see why you would like her,” he said, “but there are consequences for giving your heart away when you’re too young. Ask my brother Kyle. What if Rebecca changes her mind about you someday?”

  “We haven’t made any promises,” Adam said.

  “Good.” Duke closed the door and leaned against it. “I’m not condemning you for caring about Rebecca, but you’re causing trouble between her and her father. Radford has forbidden her to see you, Adam. You either respect his wishes and stay clear of Rebecca, or I’ll put a stop to it myself.”

  Adam’s scowl deepened. “Is this lecture over, Sheriff Grayson?”

  Duke’s breath shuddered out and he nodded. The lecture was over because he was out of energy. He was out of answers.

  Adam stormed out, and Duke went to his office. He sat at his desk, head in hand, missing the time in his life when he didn’t question his character or actions. He’d strayed so far from his ideals, he no longer knew what was right or wrong, or what he stood for.

  Exhausted, he rubbed his aching shoulder and read through the list of names and comments in Faith’s mother’s guest book that spanned three decades. It was only a list of names, dates, and amounts, but Duke knew each name represented a man that his wife’s mother had sold her body to, and it disgusted him.

  Two names stood out because they appeared frequently. Lawyer Steven Cuvier’s name was noted many times in the early years then so infrequently Duke would have missed its next occurrence if he hadn’t been looking for the name. It disappeared altogether six years ago.

  At that time, Judge Franklin Stone’
s name started appearing regularly then became the only name noted in Rose’s guest book for the last five years of her life. No amounts were noted with Stone’s entries, which was odd. Was Stone Rose’s lover? Is that why she didn’t charge him? If so then who was Steven Cuvier, and why had Rose’s lipstick kiss decorated two of the early entries for Cuvier?

  Had she loved both men?

  If so, why had Cuvier paid for Rose’s services when Stone got the goods for free?

  Duke rubbed the heels of his hands against his gritty eyes. God only knew what Rose’s life was all about. All he could gather from her book was that Stone and Cuvier knew her well. They were both in a position to help Rose with any legal work she may have needed. Maybe that’s why Stone was getting free visits to Rose’s bed. Maybe she owed him for legal work.

  Maybe not, but Stone and Cuvier were the only leads worth tracking down. Even if neither man had done any legal work for Rose, one of them might know something about her that could head Duke in the right direction. Anything that could help him dump that miserable brothel would be welcome. He’d already sent a letter to three banks in Syracuse, asking if they had any information about the deed to Rose’s property, but no one had yet responded.

  He would try Stone and Cuvier too.

  After forming his query in his head, Duke penned a letter to Stone then wrote a similar letter to Cuvier. When he finished writing, he folded the pages into envelopes and used his official wax seal to keep his correspondence confidential. He would post the letters before he headed to Mayville.

  Chapter Thirty-three