Grayson Brothers Series Boxed Set (4 books in 1) (44 page)

Kyle glanced up when Amelia pulled into the lumberyard after lunch. She drew the carriage to a stop beside him and he could tell by her expression that she was upset.

“Are you too busy to take a walk?” she asked.

“Why?”

“I need to talk to you.” Her nostrils flared and emotion filled her eyes. “Please. Can we go now?”

“Of course.” After flagging Jake to take care of Amelia’s carriage, Kyle helped her out and gestured for her to lead the way.

She took him back to the gorge where they’d dug her boat out of the sand and enjoyed one of the happiest days of their marriage. They sat on a fallen tree, its trunk stretched across the rocky bank with its limbs sprawled in the water. For several minutes they sat in silence, listening to the birds and the gurgle of the creek.

“What’s bothering you?” Kyle asked, his gut in knots wondering what had caused Amelia distress.

She glanced up. “I don’t want to spoil the day by talking about Richard and my father, but you’re right about keeping secrets. They’ll only cause problems for us later on.”

The warm feeling Kyle had been carrying around with him since he and Amelia had made love started to turn cold. “What happened?”

She raised her knees and hooked her arms around her shins. “I know where Papa’s money went.”

Kyle met her eyes, but didn’t say anything.

Amelia stared at the burbling water flowing down the creek as she told him about the letter and her trip to the bank. “I asked Richard why Papa was giving him money, and he said it was for Catherine.”

“Why?”

“I asked the same question. Richard said Papa was having an affair with Catherine and had been supporting her since Richard’s father died.”

“Richard told you that?”

Amelia nodded, her expression beginning to reflect her struggle to control her emotions. “For the first time in my life, I’m ashamed of my father.”

“Amelia, this doesn’t make any sense.”

“Yes it does. It fits the timing of Papa’s money loss. He stopped making bank deposits in his business account five years ago. Alfred Cameron died five years ago. Fifteen months after that Papa’s business account was empty and there weren’t any more deposits made. Mortgage papers started appearing about two years ago.”

Pure amazement filled Kyle as he gawked at his wife. “How did you discover all of this?”

“I’ve been looking through his files like you told me to do.”

Kyle shook his head, amazed. “I’ve been having discreet conversations with the local mill owners and anyone else your father did business with, including James Hale, hoping to uncover what he’d been involved in, and all this time you’ve been gathering clues. Why didn’t you tell me any of this?

Amelia shrugged. “None of it made sense until I found that letter today. I honestly thought Papa had gambled away his money.” She sighed and her shoulders sagged. “I wish that had been the case. I don’t want to believe Papa cheated on my mother, but there’s no other explanation.”

“Yes there is. I’d wager everything I own on your father’s integrity.”

“Why else would he have given Richard or Catherine money?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he’d had a business arrangement with Alfred and felt obligated to continue it after the man died. He was friends with Alfred. Maybe he felt a need to take care of Alfred’s widow. It could be any of a thousand reasons.” He hooked an arm around Amelia’s waist. “I’ll go see Richard tonight and find out what’s going on.”

Amelia straightened up and gripped his arm. “I know he’s your friend, Kyle, but I... I think there’s something Richard isn’t telling me.”

“That’s why I’m going to see him.”

She held Kyle’s gaze. “I’d rather tell Duke about this and let him see what he can find out about Richard’s connection to Samuel Klein.”

Kyle’s heart kicked, but he couldn’t disagree with Amelia. Too many things didn’t make sense.

She drew a shaky breath. “I’m sorry if this hurts you, but I have to know what was really going on with Papa.”

Kyle combed his hair back with his fingers, feeling as though he were betraying his friendship with Richard, but like Amelia, he had to know the truth. “I’m sure there’s a sensible explanation for this,” he said, but he couldn’t guess what it might be.

“I hope so.” The wistfulness in her voice shredded Kyle’s conscience. Her eyes misted and she looked away. “You know, I finally understand what you went through the night Papa died. This is the first time I’ve ever doubted my father and it’s an awful feeling. I can understand how you might have felt betrayed, Kyle, because I do, too. I’m so sorry I made you feel worse about what happened that night with Papa. The only thing you were guilty of is being human.”

If only that were the truth. Kyle felt nauseous knowing Amelia would never forgive him for what he was about to tell her, but he couldn’t allow her to doubt her father’s integrity when he knew the truth. Tom Drake was an honest, loyal man who loved his wife and daughter, a man who had earned Kyle’s respect and friendship. Kyle couldn’t let Tom’s memory be tarnished because of a cruel accusation that he could correct. Nor could he allow Amelia to be crushed by her own heartache over a man she loved. She deserved to remember her father with respect and love. And Kyle needed to honor his friend.

He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Don’t you ever believe that your father cheated on your mother. I made the mistake of doubting him once, and I’ll always regret it.”

She raised her lashes, her eyes filled with heartache. “I want to believe Papa’s innocent. I truly do,” she whispered, her voice thick with pain, “but there’s so much evidence.”

“He wasn’t having an affair with Catherine. I’m certain of it.” Kyle knew he was the only man Catherine had been intimate with because she hadn’t been looking for love. She had needed a friend. She had shared her body and her heartache only with Kyle.

“How do you know this?”

Kyle’s gut churned and he felt nauseous, but he forced the words from his dry mouth. “Because I was having an affair with her.”

The life seemed to drain from Amelia’s eyes as she stared at him.

“I didn’t want to tell you like this, Amelia, but it is the only way I can assure you of your father’s innocence.”

Amelia slid off the tree trunk, unable to believe her ears.

Kyle reached for her arm, but she stepped away from him. “I can explain this, Amelia. It was a casual thing between Catherine and I.”

“Casual?” The flat of her palm struck him across the face.

He stood up, his eyes bright with insult.

Amelia didn’t care if he throttled her. Her entire body quaked with outrage. “There is nothing casual about an intimate relationship, Kyle! Anything intimate outside of marriage is a life-destroying event for a woman.”

Kyle stood in stony silence, increasing her anger.

“How could you ask Catherine to our wedding, or let me invite her into my home? You took your lover into our bedroom!” A tear-filled sob burst from her throat. “How could you be so callous?”

“She’s not my lover, Amelia. Our affair ended when you and I decided to marry.”

Unable to bear hearing the details, Amelia turned her back. Pain cut through her chest, but she couldn’t condemn Kyle for something she herself was guilty of. She’d been intimate with Richard, too, and though it was in the distant past, it was no different than Kyle’s more recent affair with Catherine. It just felt different. Much different.

“I’m sorry.” He sighed. “I won’t ask you to forgive me. I know I’ve hurt you too many times for that.”

She turned to face him, knowing Kyle really didn’t understand what it was going to take for them to make their marriage work.

“I have to find a way to forgive you, Kyle. We both have to learn to trust and to forgive each other because someday we’ll have children who will learn how to live by our example. They’ll need us to understand and forgive their mistakes instead of punishing them.” She met his eyes, begging him to help her save their marriage. “How are we going to teach them to trust and forgive if we aren’t capable of it ourselves?”

It took ten days before Duke came to the house wearing his sheriff’s badge and a frown that looked similar to Kyle’s own expression when he was deeply upset.

Amelia sat on the parlor floor playing with the kittens in her wounded quiet way as she’d been doing every evening since Kyle had told her about Catherine. They still worked together and Amelia performed all but one function of a dutiful wife, but there was a wall of hurt-filled silence surrounding her that he knew he couldn’t breach.

Kyle turned back to his brother. “I can tell by your expression it isn’t good news, Duke, so don’t sugarcoat what you’ve got to say.”

“All right. Richard wasn’t a lawyer. He didn’t even graduate from college.”

Amelia’s face blanched and she glanced at Kyle as if asking whether he knew about it, which of course he didn’t.

“He worked in a shipyard for two years.”

Kyle stared at his brother as if he were speaking in a foreign language.

“The man I sent to investigate Richard visited Samuel Klein at a place called The Law Office. Richard and Sam were partners in that business.”

“That was Richard’s law firm,” Kyle said.

Duke shook his head. “It was a gaming house. Sam claimed he met Richard at a shipping yard where they had worked loading cargo on ships. They started a gambling business in a small room in the back of a friend’s shop. Over a period of a year they managed to save enough money to open their own business.”

“This can’t be right,” Kyle said. “Richard wrote to Catherine announcing the opening of his own law office. There has to be a mistake.”

“There’s no mistake, Kyle. According to Sam, Richard handled the financial end of their business and he supposedly embezzled a good portion of their money before Sam got suspicious and started digging through their books. Sam knew the law wouldn’t help him get his money back, so he confronted Richard and made him sign over his share of the business.” Duke’s expression softened and he looked at Amelia, his eyes filled with compassion. “Sam also learned that Richard was blackmailing your father and that’s why Sam sent the letter to your dad. He wanted to help Tom.”

Amelia sat frozen on the floor, her expression filled with disbelief and heartache.

“He said your father had delivered a payment to Richard every few weeks,” Duke continued, “but during his last visit, Sam eavesdropped and heard Richard threatening to tell the authorities about Albert Cameron if your father didn’t keep paying the counters.”

Amelia glanced at Kyle, but he shrugged, unable to fathom the connection. “Your father banked with Albert Cameron, didn’t he?”

“Yes. Papa and Albert were friends. What could they have been involved in that would get them in trouble with the authorities?”

“I don’t know.” Kyle pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, trying to sift through the confusing information, but none of it made sense. To even consider that a smart man like Richard was involved in blackmail was sickening.

“I didn’t want to believe it either, Kyle, but I trust the man who gathered this information,” Duke said. “He wouldn’t give me facts unless he’d verified them.”

Kyle lowered his hand and sighed. “I’m going to talk to Richard.”

“So am I,” Amelia said, getting to her feet.

* * *

Amelia, Kyle, and Duke followed Catherine into the parlor where Richard was reclining in a chair with a wine glass in his hand.

A smile lit his face when he saw Kyle, but when the shine of Duke’s badge caught his eye, he lunged to his feet in one smooth motion. “Is the Pemberton closed this evening?” he asked, but his cocky grin faltered when Duke and Kyle exchanged an uncomfortable glance.

“May I offer anyone a glass of wine?” Catherine asked.

Amelia noticed Catherine’s hand shaking as she reached for the wine bottle. Amelia dug her fingernails into her own trembling palm, hoping the pain would distract her from the searing pain in her heart.

Kyle waived off the wine and spoke to Richard. “You might prefer that we meet in private.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Richard asked.

“I have a friend who went to visit Samuel Klein,” Duke said.

Richard’s face paled.

Duke shifted his stance, but kept his gaze locked on Richard. “Would you like to finish this conversation after the ladies leave the room?”

“Of course not,” Richard said, as if he had no cause for concern and no idea why they were standing in his parlor worrying Catherine. “I’ve already told Amelia that Sam was a friend of mine.”

“You also told her that Catherine had been having an affair with her father,” Kyle said in his straightforward manner.

The wine bottle shattered on the floor and Catherine gaped at Richard. “That’s not true!”

“Of course it isn’t true,” Richard said smoothly, clasping Catherine’s arm and moving her away from the broken glass. He faced Kyle, his eyes brimming with anger. “I never told Amelia that lie.”

Amelia gasped. “You told me that Papa was supporting Catherine, and when I asked why, you insinuated very clearly that they were having an intimate affair.”

Catherine’s shocked expression turned to outrage. “To my knowledge your father never contributed any financial assistance to my household. I barely knew the man.”

Amelia ignored Catherine’s denial, sensing Richard was using those precious seconds to formulate excuses and possible ways to manipulate the situation to his advantage. “You were blackmailing my father for your own gain, weren’t you, Richard? I want the truth or I’m walking down the street to your uncle’s house and telling him everything Duke has uncovered about you. I suspect that will make him rethink making you a partner at the bank.”

“Go ahead,” Richard said. “I’m sure your confession will make him rethink his opinion of your reputation as well.”

“Speaking of reputations, Richard, why did you claim to be a lawyer when you were nothing more than a dockhand in a shipyard?” she asked, shifting the focus back to Richard.

Catherine swung an incredulous look at her stepson. “Is that true?”

Instead of exhibiting the shock or shame Amelia had expected Richard became livid, scorching them all with his fiery gaze. “I worked as a dock hand because Tom Drake killed my father!”

Amelia’s breath whooshed out and she grabbed the back of the sofa. Silence filled the room and they stared at Richard as if he’d just drawn a gun on them.

“What are you talking about?” Kyle demanded.

“Five years ago your wife cried on her father’s shoulder about my bad behavior, and when I refused to marry her, Tom attacked me. My father tried to pull him off, but Tom shoved him and caused his fall from the second-story floor that we’d been laying.” Richard glared at Amelia. “That fall killed my father.”

Kyle glanced at Amelia then back to Richard. “Why was Tom trying to force you to marry Amelia?”

Richard snorted. “Why do you think?”

Kyle staggered back a step as if Richard had slugged him in the gut. He looked at Amelia, his eyes begging her to deny the accusation.

“How could I tell you?” she asked quietly, her heart breaking over the devastation in his eyes.

“The same way I told you about Catherine,” he said, his voice filled with pain.

Catherine gasped and shook her head as if telling Kyle his confession was a dreadful mistake.

Richard simply laughed. “How honorable of you to tell Amelia about the two of you.”

Kyle turned on Richard. “What would you know about honor? You came to our wedding. You ate at my own table! How could you do that after ruining so many lives?”

“The same way you could sit beside me night after night pretending to be my friend, while sleeping with Catherine.”

“That was a different situation, and you know it!”

“How?” Richard asked, throwing his hands up.

Amelia wanted Kyle to explain the difference as well, but he just glared at Richard. “You’re the man Tom begged me to keep away from his daughter. You were at Tom’s mill the night of the storm, weren’t you? You’d gone there to force Tom to make another payment.” Kyle shook his head as if everything was suddenly becoming clear to him. “No wonder Tom was so upset when I asked for my money.”

“You bet I made him pay. And I would have foreclosed on his mill if you hadn’t bought it.”

“Why?” Kyle asked. “You were destroying that man.”

“What did he do to us?” Richard gestured to Catherine. “My father is dead. His money is tied up in the banking business he shared with his brothers and they still control his money. If I would have left Catherine’s welfare up to my closefisted uncles, she would have starved. I needed money to finish school.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Kyle asked. “Why didn’t you graduate and become a lawyer?”

“Because I hated it. I hated school and I hated law.”

“So the money you extorted from Tom was wasted.”

“I built a great business with that money,” Richard said, defending himself.

“You call swindling money from people a great business?”

“I never cheated our clients. My business was as successful as yours is, Kyle.”

Kyle shook his head. “What happened to you? All this time you’ve let me believe you were my friend, that you were a big-shot lawyer from Philadelphia when you were nothing but a scheming, blackmailing gambler.”

Richard’s eyes flashed. “How dare you judge me!”

Amelia backed toward the door, unable to listen any longer to the pain and suffering she’d caused in so many lives. “This is my fault,” she blurted. “I made a bad decision that caused this whole mess. I’m so sorry.”

“This isn’t your fault.” Catherine’s voice was quiet but filled with conviction. “Richard’s bad behavior started when I married Alfred.”

“Catherine, don’t.” Richard caught her arm, but she yanked away and turned back to Amelia and Kyle.

“I was in love with a man named Simon,” Catherine said. “We were going to marry after the war ended, but Simon never came home. I was becoming a financial burden to my father, so I married Alfred believing he would take care of me. When Richard came home from his first year at college to find his father and I married, he was furious. I didn’t realize until later it was because he cared for me.”

Amelia had thought she couldn’t feel worse, but Catherine’s words cut straight through her. The entire time Richard had been seducing her, he’d wanted Catherine. Everything he’d ever told her had been a lie. He’d used her. And he’d tried to do it again.

She looked at Catherine, wanting to hate the woman, but she felt only heartache and sadness. They had both been used.

“I had no idea Richard was blackmailing your father,” Catherine said. “I thought he was a successful lawyer who could afford to support me.” She cast a scathing glance at Richard. “Until now I didn’t know he was a liar and a cheat.”

Richard cupped Catherine’s shoulders and turned her to face him. “For five years, everything I’ve worked for has been with your comfort and happiness in mind. All I’ve ever wanted is to be with you.”

“How naive do you think I am?” she said. “Five years ago you were courting Amelia.”

“What else could I do?” Richard gripped Catherine’s hands with his own. “I came home to tell you that I loved you, but I found you sharing my father’s bed! I spent the summer with Amelia so I would stay away from you. Amelia meant nothing to me.”

Kyle grabbed Richard by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. “You insensitive bastard! You have no idea the pain you’ve caused Amelia. She gave you her heart and you used her.”

“Well, what did you do to Catherine? Where’s the difference?” Richard asked.

“I cared about her. I asked her to marry me. That’s the difference.”

Catherine nodded, confirming Kyle’s statement. “I told him, no,” she said in his defense.

Everything inside Amelia collapsed, all her hopes, her dreams, her belief in Kyle. He’d told her their affair had been casual. Now he’d admitted that he’d cared for Catherine enough to marry her. He’d wanted to marry Evelyn because he’d loved her. He’d
had
to marry Amelia.

Richard yanked Kyle around to face a gilt-edged mirror that ran from floor to ceiling. “Different faces, Kyle. Same man.”

“Not even close, Richard. I haven’t lied and blackmailed my way through life.”

“No, you’ve just plowed over anyone who got in your way. You took advantage of Catherine and pretended she didn’t mind being your whore.”

Kyle slammed his fist into Richard’s jaw.

As Duke leapt forward to pull them apart, Amelia fled outside, unwilling to listen any longer, unable to be in the same room with her husband and his lover, or witness the destruction she’d caused in so many lives.

* * *

Kyle and Richard stood with chests heaving, glaring at each other.

“Don’t you have any remorse, Richard? Didn’t it bother you even a little that you were blackmailing a good man into an early death?” Kyle asked, his fists clenched at his sides.

“Don’t judge me.” Richard shoved his hair out his eyes. “Everything has always come easy for you, Kyle. Ever since we were boys you’ve led the way. Just once, I wanted to be better at something than you, so I went to law school to try to do that.” Richard backhanded his bloody lip. “I hated it. I couldn’t make grade my first year, and after my father died, there seemed little point in trying. I couldn’t come back here and admit I’d failed, so I worked the dock while I tried to figure out what to do.” He sighed and looked at Duke. “That’s where I met Sam. We became friends and gambled at night with each other and some of the other dock hands. After a while, there were so many men sitting in that Sam and I had full pockets on a regular basis. That’s when I realized how much money we could make in a gaming business.”

“Then why did you keep blackmailing Tom?” Kyle asked, his anger being replaced by pity and disgust.

“I wanted to own my own ship,” Richard said, his expression defensive. “I wanted to start my own trading company.”

“I understand the allure of owning a trading vessel,” Kyle said. “What I will never understand is your lying and scheming to get it. Tom Drake was a good man. He didn’t deserve this.”