Can Jack protect Mattie from the powerful magnate who will do whatever it takes to keep his crimes a secret?
Boston suffragist, Mattie Duncan is a willful, independent woman whose heart has always belonged to Jack Taylor, a local firefighter. Challenging nineteenth-century conventions, she finds a way to join Jackâs fire station. Not only can she make a difference saving lives, she can spend time with Jack, who is tasked with training her.
Jack has always been attracted to Mattie, but he doesnât see a future with her. In Jackâs mind, she will always be tied to his late brother, who had loved her desperately. To make matters worse, Jack is also still racked with guilt over not being able to prevent his brotherâs death.
Mattie overhears a conversation suggesting his brother was murdered. As Jack and Mattie work together to uncover the truth, their passions ignite. But even if Jackâs guilt is absolved, can he overcome the sense of betrayal toward his brother thatâs keeping them apart?
Can Jack protect Mattie from the powerful magnate who will do whatever it takes to keep his crimes a secret?
Boston suffragist, Mattie Duncan is a willful, independent woman whose heart has always belonged to Jack Taylor, a local firefighter. Challenging nineteenth-century conventions, she finds a way to join Jackâs fire station. Not only can she make a difference saving lives, she can spend time with Jack, who is tasked with training her.
Jack has always been attracted to Mattie, but he doesnât see a future with her. In Jackâs mind, she will always be tied to his late brother, who had loved her desperately. To make matters worse, Jack is also still racked with guilt over not being able to prevent his brotherâs death.
Mattie overhears a conversation suggesting his brother was murdered. As Jack and Mattie work together to uncover the truth, their passions ignite. But even if Jackâs guilt is absolved, can he overcome the sense of betrayal toward his brother thatâs keeping them apart?
Boston, September 1872
Mattieâs nerves tingled with anticipation as she glanced at the door yet again. Where was he?
âAre you listening to me?â her mother demanded, pulling Mattieâs attention back to the conversation at hand.
Mattie huffed out a breath. âI have no interest in attending a dinner party for the sole purpose of meeting the Cogswellâs nephew.â Mattie dusted the cans on the shelf while her mother swept the wooden floor of their familyâs mercantile.
âAfter all the effort I expended talking Laura into arranging an invitation for you?â her mother grumbled. âYou will attend.â
âLaura shouldnât have gone to the trouble.â Her sister knew how much Mattie despised their motherâs insistence that she marry a man of means, as if wealth were the be-all and end-all in a relationship.
âYou should be more grateful. She had to ask her mother-in-law for the favor of including you.â
Poor Laura. That had to have been a chore. Or, more likely, sheâd had her husband make the request of his mother. Arthur Cogswell had been so mesmerized by Lauraâs beauty heâd overlooked her humble origins and married her despite his familyâs protests. Yet even after a year, his family still hadnât accepted Laura and likely never would. After all, the Duncans had been considered working class until a handful of years ago. Even now Father only owned and ran this one store. While, yes, Laura had married well, was she happy?
Arthurâs cousinâthe Cogswellâs nephewâsupposedly had a pleasing appearance, a gentlemanly manner, and, of course, wealth. But even with all of those attributes, he could never compare to Jack. No one could hold a candle to Jack.
The front door opened, and Jack entered, carrying two stacked crates. A riot of flutters filled her chest as she took in the sight of him. Rainwater dripped from the brim of his hat, and as always, he dominated the room with his presence.
Her mother paused in her sweeping. âHello, Jack.â
Jack nodded. âMrs. Duncan.â His gaze swept over Mattie as he approached the back stockroom, the look in his crystal-blue eyes unreadable.
She gave him a welcoming smile. âGood to see you, Jack.â
âLikewise,â he responded as he passed by.
Occasionally, sheâd swear she caught a glint of interest in his eyes. Most times, he remained aloof. If only they could go back to the way theyâd been when they were children. She and Jackâs brother, Sam, used to play tricks on Jack to make him laugh. What she wouldnât give to see him laugh like that again.
As he disappeared through the doorway to the backroom, she racked her brain for what she could say or do to coax out a glimmer of the carefree boy she remembered. She hurried to a shelf and snatched up an umbrella then tugged on her coat. When he returned empty-handed and strode toward the front of the mercantile, she rushed to catch up to him at the door. Stepping outside with him, she opened the umbrella and held it over his head. Cool rain droplets splashed onto the nape of her neck, but she paid them no heed.
He must not have initially realized sheâd followed him, for he stopped and turned toward her, one brow crooked. In an instant, he moved the umbrella over her instead. âGo back inside before you catch a chill.â
She adjusted the umbrella to give him better coverage once more. âIâll stay reasonably dry if you hurry,â she assured him, nodding toward the tarp-covered sacks and crates in the back of his wagon.
âMattie,â he warned, then sighed.
Silly man. He knew her better than thatâwhen she made up her mind, she was immovable.
A ghost of a smile twitching his lips, he rolled his eyes and unloaded two more crates from the wagon before heading into the store at a brisk pace. Jack deposited the goods in the storeroom and returned. A typical weekly delivery required one or two more trips, so she readied herself to go back out into the rain, but Jack stopped at the door.
âMattie, Iâm fine without the umbrella. Stay here.â
âNo, Iââ
âLeave him be,â her mother admonished. âHeâs busy making deliveries.â
Jack turned away as if the discussion had ended. His mistake. She poked him in the side with the tip of the umbrella, making him flinch. âJack isnât just a deliveryman. Heâs a friend.â She poked him again, and his smile returned.
âAs such, he deserves to be treated to my ire when he rebuffs my attempts to be a friendly friend. How dare you, Jack.â She attempted to jab him one more time, but he grabbed the umbrella before it reached him.
Chuckling, he yanked it out of her hand only to give her a light swat on the arm with the umbrella. âA âfriendly friend,â you say? More like a pesky friend who wonât listen when I tell her I donât need her help,â he insisted, swatting her again.
She jumped back, a grin on her face. âEnough of that now. If Sam were here, he wouldnât let you bully me like this.â
Jackâs expression sobered, and he lowered the umbrella to his side.
Drat. Why had she mentioned Sam? In truth, the words had just popped out of her mouth unintentionally. After all, Sam had been her best friend for years, before ⌠A lump formed in her throat, the playful mood gone.
âEnough of the horseplay,â her mother announced. âMattie, you have work to do.â
Jack handed Mattie the umbrella. âThank you for your help, but Iâm fine. Listen to your mother.â
As Jack left the store, Mattie frowned at her mother and received a disapproving glare in return. Mattie set the umbrella out to dry, removed her coat, and picked up her cleaning rag. No doubt her mother had more to say, and would do so as soon as Jack finished with their delivery. Good thing she had a meeting to attend soon.
Jack came into the store one last time and left with barely a look in Mattieâs direction. He drove his wagon away from their storefront, and Mattie waited. One. Two. Three âŚ
âI wish youâd stop mooning over Jack,â her mother finally said. âThere are more advantageous suitors to be had. Take the Cogswellâs nephew for instance. Heâs from a fine family, and Iâve heard heâs a kindly sort, not to mention that in the future he will inherit a sizable estate. If you settled down with him, youâd have a comfortable life.â
âJack isnât impoverished, Mother.â
âPerhaps not, but even with his two jobs, how much can he earn?â
True. Teamsters werenât paid much, but firefighters were well compensated. Regardless, Jack was hardworking, responsible, and ⌠well, Jack. âYouâve never so much as met the Cogswellâs nephew, this Mr. Whitman. Besides, some things are more important than money.â
At her motherâs skeptical stare, she added, âSuch as shared history and mutual affection.â
âMutual affection?â her mother scoffed, the sound of the broom an irritating scrape along the wooden planks. âJack Taylor isnât interested in you as anything more than a family friend.â
Her chest tightened, and she clenched her hands around the rag she held. âThatâs not true.â They were closer than that, werenât they? Even if they werenât, that was merely because he hadnât yet considered the possibility of something more.
âYouâre always the one to coax him to talk. If he truly wanted to court you, he would visit you more often, find excuses to be in your company.â With those hurtful words, her mother finished her sweeping and carried the broom into the back.
With two jobs, did he have the time? Her shoulders slumped. She set her cleaning rag aside and thrust her arms into her coat sleeves. Her hat in place, she pulled on her gloves and retrieved the umbrella sheâd used earlier. âIâll be on my way, Mother,â she called out, leaving before her mother could protest. She always protested whenever Mattie attended a suffrage meeting.
She headed out into the light drizzle, her mind still whirling. Jack could make time if he really wished to see her. Was her mother right? Should she give up on him?
No, she wasnât ready to settle for anyone other than Jack. Sheâd cared for him for far too long to give up without a fight. Perhaps sheâd been too subtle in her attempts to gain his notice. Should she confess her feelings to him?
Her stomach roiled at the thought. Would he reject her? Sometimes she swore she caught something akin to desire in his eyes, and yet she doubted he would admit to having any romantic sentiments for her. Something held him back. She released a long exhale. Or she was seeing what she wished to see. How would she know for sure?
If only they could spend more time together, enough time for her to discern his thoughts. Maybe she could ride along with him on his deliveries. Her father would allow her time away from the store. Then again, Jack would never accept her help, and what other excuse could she use to join him?
Then what? He was also a firefighter. He lived at the fire station with his father. In fact, from what she understood, only the two of them resided there, while the rest of their crew lived with their families and rushed to the station whenever the local church bells rang in the intervals indicating a fire. What if she offered to help in some way at the station? She could clean. Hmm. No. Jack acted as the fire station steward. He was paid to clean the equipment and the station. Again, he wouldnât accept her help. If only she were a firefighter too. Surely then sheâd have an excuse to see Jack on a regular basis. But there were no female firefighters, at least not in Boston.
Sheâd read of women firefighters in a couple of other cities though, so why not here? As an advocate for social reform, shouldnât she strive to break through barriers such as this? She was a suffragist for heavenâs sake. Would Susan B. Anthony or Lucy Stone be deterred from doing something few women had been allowed to do before? No, they wouldnât, and neither would she.
Firefighters did good in the world, just like she attempted to do through social work whenever she had the chance. Becoming a firefighter was actually a perfect fit with her interests. Why not give it a try? This could be her final attempt to secure a future with Jack, and if it came to naught? She heaved a sigh. Well, she wouldnât let it come to naught.Â
***
Jack raked a brush over the mareâs coat. âYouâve worked hard, girl,â he crooned.
Last night, the horses had pulled the engine to the scene of a fire and back. They both deserved extra attention today.
Too bad grooming horses was such a mindless activity. It did nothing to keep his thoughts off tomorrow. Duncan Mercantile received their weekly delivery every Friday. As usual, a combination of dread and anticipation warred within him. Mattie never failed to be in her familyâs store on delivery day. Seeing her was always a blessing and a curse. Every time he saw her, he drank in the sight and then regretted it for days after.
They would never share anything but friendship no matter how much he longed for more. A familiar pang of guilt gnawed away at his insides. After what heâd done, or rather what heâd failed to do, heâd never forgive himself. Sam had died because of him, his gentle and kind younger brother who had loved Mattie until his dying breath.
Gah! He should ask another driver to switch routes with him. He swore beneath his breath. Why did the idea of another driver making deliveries at the Duncansâ chafe so much? He was such a fool.
âWhatâs the horseâs name?â a familiar female voice asked.
Jerked from his thoughts, Jack turned toward the sound. The woman he couldnât seem to keep from his mind stood outside the stall, a sweet smile on her face. That beautiful smile blinded him for almost a full minute before he came to his senses. âMattie, what are you doing here?â
Her brows rose. âDidnât your father tell you? Iâm to become a volunteer firefighter.â
Impossible. âAre you joking?â If so, he failed to see the humor.
âOf course not.â She raised her chin. âAre you saying you donât think Iâm capable of fighting fires?â
He took in her slender form, her ruffled dress with its narrow skirt and bustle, the prim hat perched on her intricately styled, dark-brown hair, and the kid gloves adorning her hands as was proper for a middle-class miss. He couldnât imagine this woman battling a fire. Sheâd likely be useless to the team. Worse, sheâd be putting herself and others at risk by her very presence. He set down the brush and walked away from her. âThatâs exactly what Iâm saying.â
She trailed behind him. âBecause Iâm a woman?â
He climbed the stairs. One flight, then two. He knew better than to answer. She was an equal rights advocate. She was also the most stubborn person heâd ever met. Only the engine company foreman could rectify this situation. âMattie, you must realize how unusual this is.â
âUnusual, yes. Yet here I am.â
At the top of the stairs, he knocked on his fatherâs door.
âEnter,â his father responded from the other side.
Jack turned the knob and stepped inside the large room designated as both his fatherâs office and living quarters. Jack gestured toward Mattie, who stood right behind him. âWhat is the meaning of this?â
Mattie smiled brightly. âHello, Mr. Taylor.â
The foreman rose from his desk. âMattie, youâre here. I hadnât expected you so soon.â
Jack nearly groaned. The foremanâs words didnât bode well.
âIt slipped my mind to tell you, Jack.â The foreman nodded in Mattieâs direction. âMattie is a new recruit. Iâd like you to show her the station and help train her in.â
His jaw dropped. âYou canât be serious.â
âI am perfectly serious.â
âButââ
The foreman cleared his throat. âMattie, would you mind giving us a few minutes?â
âOf course.â
Jack waited until Mattie left the room and closed the door before he burst out, âWhatâs going on here?â
âHer father approached me last week, asking for a favor. Mattie is convinced she can become a capable firefighter.â
âHer father approves?â Was the man out of his head?
âHe believes once she realizes how unsuited she is to the job, sheâll give up on the idea.â
Jack took a deep breath. Finally this situation was making some sense. âThen my role is to show her how difficult the job can be.â
âIn essence, yes.â
Like he had all the time in the world to waste on training someone who would eventually quit. âI still donât like this.â
âI knew you wouldnât, but youâre the best man for the job,â the foreman admitted as he sat back down at his desk.
âWhy?â
âYouâre her friend. You understand how her mind works.â The foreman rubbed a hand over his brow. âI know sheâll be safe with you.â
âWhat do you mean? You donât trust the rest of the team?â
The foreman frowned. âI trust them to follow orders and fight fires, but I havenât witnessed firsthand how they treat women, especially headstrong women who believe they can do a job such as this equally well as a man.â
Of the eleven firemen who served this station, were there any who couldnât be trusted to behave as gentlemen around Mattie? Jack couldnât be sure.
âLetâs just say, I trust you to show her respect while keeping her out of trouble,â the foreman added.
âAll right,â he conceded. âIâll watch over her.â Heâd also attempt to send her on her way as quickly as possible.
When he opened the door again, Mattie stood on the other side. He narrowed his eyes. She hadnât been listening in, had she?
The innocent expression on her face revealed the truth. Of course sheâd been listening. He suppressed a growl. âLetâs go.â
He led the way down the stairs.
âYouâre not going to insist I give up the notion of becoming a firefighter?â she asked.
âNope.â Mattie was strong-willed. When she said she was going to do something, she always followed through. Sheâd also supported various causes as long as heâd known her. No doubt she believed this was another place where she could be of service. Heâd never talk her out of the notion. Besides ⌠âYou have the station foreman on your side. The matter has already been decided.â
They reached the second floor of the stationâhis living quarters and where many stored their equipment.
Mattie slowed her pace and scanned the area. âThree beds?â
âOnly my father and I live here at the moment, but others can sleep here as needed,â he answered as he surveyed the simple beds and storage lockers. He cracked a smile. âYou werenât expecting to bunk here, were you?â he teased.
âCertainly not,â she gasped out, her cheeks turning a becoming pink.
Bunking at the station. Just the mention prompted images of Mattie sleeping in the next bed, in little more than a nightgown. He swallowed and tore his gaze from the beds, his heart pumping hard. âIâll escort you out,â he muttered as he headed down the staircase to the lower level.
Mattie hurried after him. âButââ
âIâm not prepared to train you today.â Or any day for that matter. Seeing Mattie once a week was difficult enough. How would he survive spending hours âtrainingâ her? Not that he had a choice. He wasnât about to allow another man to do the job.
Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, he wasted no time in escorting her to the door. âLetâs meet here Saturday, midday.â
Her lips thinned, and disappointment glinted in her brown eyes. âAll right. Saturday then.â After a breathy huff, she turned and left the station.
Damn it. A part of him wanted to call her back and soothe her temper. Was he insane? Did he enjoy torturing himself? Jack dropped his head into his hand. For the most part, he managed to avoid her. He couldnât let this latest obstacle become his downfall.
Indeed. He had two days to come up with a plan to convince Mattie to give up on her foolish notion of becoming a firefighter, and heâd use them well. He would stand firm for Samâs sake, and for his own.
Tamara Hughes starts her Great Boston Fire Romance series off strong with the slow-burn romance between Mattie Duncan and Jack Taylor. Set against the backdrop of Boston during 1872, we step foot into the suffragist movement, developing firefighter science, and divisive politics that split families and friends.
Mattie Duncan is a strong-willed suffragist eager to express her rights and do as she pleases. Growing up in Boston, she became a dear friend to the Taylor brothers, Jack and Sam. As they grew into young adults, Sam died in a tragic accident while he and his brother were fighting a fire. Wracked with guilt for believing he could have prevented Sam's death, Jack withdraws from everything that reminds him of his brother and dives deep into his work as a firefighter. It seems that the death of Sam also brought the death of any continuing relationship between Mattie and Jack.
Two years pass, the suffragist movement gains momentum, and Mattie is ready to have Jack fall in love with her. Between shifts at her family's storefront and meetings with fellow suffragists, Mattie decides to train as a firefighter. She initially joins to gain Jack's attention but after she is met with disdain and sexism from the other men on the squad, she fully commits to proving that women can be as brave and strong as men.
Jack is torn by Mattie's recruitment. He has always had feelings for Mattie and wants to protect her if she becomes a firefighter, but his remnant guilt from Sam's death leaves him closed off. He keeps her at arm's length with gritted teeth, being especially harsh during her training in an effort to get her to quit. This quickly backfires as he recalls that the beautiful and stubborn Mattie is never one to quit a challenge, especially when it is out of spite and for fellow women.
One day, Mattie overhears two powerful men in the city alluding to blackmailing other figureheads and abusing their influence, which may have caused Sam's death. Mattie refuses to let it go and launches her own investigation, putting herself in harm's way. Jack realizes his feelings for Mattie when it is possible she may be taken away from him, and he promises himself that he will protect and save her.
Through the dangers of firefighting, private investigations, and dirty politics, Mattie and Jack find the courage to not only defeat a corrupt politician but to also trust one another, open their hearts, and fall in love.
This book was a lovely ode to the women who fought for the right to vote and to the firefighters protecting their communities. I especially enjoyed reading the Author's Note at the end to learn about the research and inspiration behind this series. I am looking forward to the next book!