Page 55 of The Formation of Us

“Thank you, Miss Wilde,” Cyrus said. “That sweet southern touch makes it a handy name indeed. Guess I need a southern gal who can appreciate it.”

“Then you must meet Tansy.” Iris headed for the door, but turned back, her dark eyes lit with mischief. “Mr. Darling, do you sing by chance?”

Patrick’s laughter boomed through the building, and he clapped a hand on Cyrus’s shoulder. “I’d be careful how you answer that, Cyrus. That’s one of those tricky female questions that can trip a man right into marriage.”

“I’ve avoided marriage this many years, I don’t see how my worst vice could hook me into it.”

Iris clasped her hands together in front of her chest. “Mista Dahlin’, if singing is your worst vice, Tansy is going to adore you.” With a laugh, she ducked outside leaving Faith with two strangers and a fury she could barely control.

o0o

“Faith isn’t going to like this,” Adam said, holding a stud in place while Duke nailed it into the wall.

“I don’t suppose she will.” Duke had meant to stop and tell Faith his plan after the lumber was delivered and it was too late for her to argue with him. But he’d gotten tied up with Henry Oakley, a local farmer who’d been swindled by a wily salesman who’d asked him to sign a receipt for his employer. The receipt was rigged so that Henry’s signature appeared on the bottom page, which happened to be a note for a hundred dollars—enough to buy a team of horses, a house, and feed a family for years.

Adam moved his hands lower on the stud so Duke could continue nailing it into the wall. “She won’t like all these people in here seeing how we live. You saw how upset she was when Aunt Iris asked you to stay for supper last night.”

He’d noticed all right. She’d been near tears until Adam teased Cora about the bear climbing in her window. Faith would be furious to find him in her house putting up walls. He couldn’t imagine what she would do when she found him here with his brothers and some of their mill hands.

“Any idea how I can keep myself out of hot water?”

“She’ll just singe your ears some. If she’s really upset, she’ll act disappointed and start crying. That’s the worst.”

“I think I’d rather get my ears singed,” Duke said.

“Me too.”

“Looks like we’re both in hot water then.” And he’d best take care of his business with Adam before Faith came in from the greenhouse. “She knows about your scuffle at school last week.”

Shock flashed in Adam’s eyes, but he didn’t try to defend himself.

“I talked to Rebecca, and she told me what happened. Sometimes trouble finds us even when we’re minding our own business.”

“Melissa ARCHER is a troublemaker,” Adam said, his voice squawking.

So was her father Wayne, but Duke kept the information to himself. “Rebecca says you walk her to school and back, but you don’t attend. Where have you been going each day while your sister thinks you’re in school?”

Adam cast a nervous glance at Radford who was working close by. “To the gorge.”

Duke drove the last nail home and reached for another stud. “So you’ve been lying each day about going to school, dawdling in the gorge while your sister does your work in the greenhouse.”

“I can’t go back or I’ll end up in a real fight,” he said, defending his actions. “Nicholas doesn’t like it that I’m friends with Rebecca.”

Duke set his hammer down. “I don’t like it that my niece is friends with a boy who would lie to his own sister.”

Adam’s face drained of color, and Duke knew he’d gotten the boy’s attention. He disliked being harsh, but Faith’s brother needed to develop his character to a higher standard.

“You’re a smart boy, Adam. You could teach Rebecca all kinds of useful things from those books you read. Rebecca is a good, honest girl, and she’s been raised to speak only the truth and to accept the consequences. I wouldn’t want you to influence her to start lying.”

“I’d never do that.”

“Rebecca admires you, and she may think it’s all right for her to stretch the truth like you’ve been doing.”

Adam’s cheeks flamed and, near tears, he faced the wall.

Duke put his hand on Adam’s shoulder, sorry to embarrass the boy, but knowing he’d done the right thing. “Everyone deserves a chance to prove himself, Adam. Since this is the last week of school, I want you to stay home and help your sister when you’re not working at the store.”

“Yes, sir,” the boy said, his youthful jaw clenched.