Avarice and Charity (Sins of the Virtuous Book 3) by Faye Hall
Would you risk everything to protect the one you love from relentless greed?
After the death of her mother, Charity Bohdan vowed to carry on her work—providing free treatment to those who are sick or injured. What started off as patching up wounds soon took a very different direction when she was being called to treat young women who’d been brutally raped and left pregnant. She knows the risks involved with treating and re-homing these women, but she can’t turn them away.
When Charity is called to treat a drunk’s wounded hand, she expects to find some elderly station hand. Instead she finds a handsome, young man, who isn’t drunk at all. As she tends to his injury, she can’t ignore the feelings he stirs inside her when their skin touches.
Avarice Licciardi has spent his life working for his father—a greedy, loveless man who has destroyed everyone in his way. But when Avarice meets Charity, a woman with the touch of an angel, he discovers there’s something he craves much more than his father’s money. He wants this woman to be a part of his life.
As they spend time together, talking of Irish legends and going on picnics, Avarice begins to win the beautiful woman’s heart. But then his father orders him to retrieve some hidden papers at Charity’s estate. He refuses…until his father threatens to go get the papers himself. Avarice is determined to protect Charity from this brutal man—even if that means deceiving her.
What Avarice finds at her estate is a hidden tunnel with incriminating mysteries far greater than hidden papers. Together Avarice and Charity uncover secrets from the past that sicken their souls as an evil, greedy man threatens to tear them apart in his search for the evidence hidden at the Bohdan estate.
Description
Find more from this author on:
Amazon
Barnes&Noble
Author Site
GoodReads
Facebook
Twitter
PinterestAbout the author:
Come on a journey with me through 19th century North Queensland, Australia and explore the passions and hardships of unique characters.
There is corruption, deceit and murder, as well as cattle rustlers, slave traders and hell fire clubs. Explore townships of Jarvisfield and Inkerman, as well as Ravenswood and Bowen. One book even incorporates my great grandmothers cattle station 'Inkerman Downs Station'.
As well as an author, I am also the most spoilt wife in the world, and a very contented mother.
Come and discover all the passion and drama of North Queensland history with me @ https://www.faye-hall.com
What inspired you to write your book?
Avarice & Charity is book number 3 in the Sins of the Virtuous series. The series itself explores the sins we are all tempted by and the virtues we aspire to portray. Book 3 shows the sin of greed and how the person possessed by it will go to whatever lengths to satisfy it, including destroy the innocence of a charitable heart.
Here is a short sample from the book:
Avarice reached across the table for her hand and squeezed it gently. "I haven't come here for several years to rent a room or any of the women. If you find me here now, then it will only be to collect money for my father."
A small smile spread across Charity's lips. "Yet you agreed to meet me here, and I assure you I don't owe your father money. Nor did I have business on my mind when I made my invitation to you."
Again silence fell between them, their hands still joined. Charity hadn't lied. She hadn't come there to meet Avarice for any form of business. She genuinely wanted to see him again. For a reason that was unclear to her, she found him intriguing, and she craved to know more about him.
"Where did you get your necklace?" he asked her, suddenly breaking their mutual silence.
Pulling her hand away from his, her fingers went to the metal pendant hanging from the chain around her neck.
"My father told me it once belonged to my mother. She died when I was still a young child. I've worn it ever since."
Avarice sipped his brandy. "I feel your loss," he commented quietly. "I was also a child when I lost my mother."
Watching the pain filling his face, Charity wondered what could have taken his mother away that still caused him so much pain to this day.
"Did your father tell you anything about the meaning of the pendant?" he asked, changing the topic of conversation back away from their family members.
She shook her head. "I assumed it was Irish, but I know nothing else about it."
His finger traced the rim of his cup momentarily before he lifted his gaze back up to her. "It was called a triskele by the ancient Celts. It was very important to them and seen in many of their carvings. Of the things it can represent, the most significant is that the three spirals joined symbolizes the joining of life, death, and rebirth."
Sipping her sherry, she placed the glass back on the table. "How does the son of an Italian immigrant know so much about Irish legends?"
He smiled at her. "I guess it does seem a little bizarre." Suddenly, the smile disappeared from his face. "My mother was Irish. My father never speaks about her, and I have few memories of her. All I really know is what the townspeople have told me. When I was still at school, I figured out that if I couldn't know who my mother was, at least I could study her people."
She reached across the table and laid her hand on top of his. She could relate to Avarice's pain, for she too never learned much about her mother, nor would her father speak of her.
Catching sight of her driver trying to get her attention through the crowd, she quickly retracted her hand and pushed her chair out to stand. "I do apologize, but it appears I must return home now."
Avarice stood too, reaching out and taking her hand in his. "Do you no longer want to be seen with me?" he asked, clearly confused by her actions. "Have you perhaps again caught sight of your intended?"
She giggled. "I've caught sight of my driver, and nothing more. He's telling me it's time I return home before my father notices I'm gone."
Seeing his embarrassment, she laced her fingers with his.
"You're the only man I've wanted to see," she tried to reassure him. "And if I had a choice, I would much rather spend the rest of this night with you."
He walked with her toward her waiting driver and carriage, no sign of wanting to break their joined hands.
"I've never spent an entire night with a woman," he confessed as they walked. "Nor have I ached to as I do now."
She squeezed his hand, not knowing what to say to his confession. Having heard the slight uncertainty in his voice, she doubted he gave this same admission to many others. That he'd given it to her, filled her with elation.
Stopping by the carriage, she turned to face him. He looked so handsome in the moonlight. She didn't want to leave him, but she knew she had to. Pulling her hand away from his, she stepped back.
"Thank you for the drink, Avarice," she said politely.
She lingered for a moment, her gaze joined to his, her emotions yearning for something more than a simple goodbye from him. Closing the distance between them again, her hands went to his shoulders as she leaned into him, her lips touching his. Feeling his hands on her back, pushing her against him, she knew she had to leave now before she accepted any advances he made.
Breaking their embrace, she stepped back and walked over to the open door of the carriage. "Goodnight," she said softly as she stepped inside her transport.
Related products
-
Let’s Misbehave by Rae Summers
Passion simmers from the moment wild child and dedicated Flapper Gabrielle meets staid aristocrat Sebastian. When she discovers the adventurous spirit beneath his serious demeanour, she seduces him into a last fling before he settles for a loveless marriage.
His is a life of duty and tradition, hers is a pursuit of freedom and pleasure, so this can never be more than a brief affair.
But as the Twenties roar to their conclusion, will Gabrielle survive falling in love with the one man she cannot have? And will Sebastian be able to settle for less than the woman he loves?
RT Book Reviews: “Let’s Misbehave is a romp through 1920s England that is sure to delight.”
At Least I’m Pretty by Brittany Jo James
Prince Dimitrie seems to have tough luck waiting for him around every corner. His most recent problems, a dangerous clan of gypsies threatening his life and his father presenting an ultimatum that he must marry within thirty days or lose his crown to his vehement sister, completely exasperate the young man. However, things appear to turn around when he unexpectedly meets a beautiful and seemingly eligible bride in a neighboring village. The fascinating and mysterious young woman steals his heart but with his history of bad breaks he cannot help but wonder if the captivating beauty is too good to be true.
Emerald Baillie is growing weary in her ploy to intimidate the supercilious Prince of Moldavia into releasing her imprisoned brothers. The stunning Duchess of Little Egypt confidently leads her life as gypsy royalty but trying to guide a large group of wayward menaces and keep them out of trouble proves tiresome, even for the poised young woman. With all the pressure resting on her shoulders she panics more and more each day. Fortunately for Emerald, Prince Dimitrie unintentionally makes her search for revenge against him much easier. However, sticking to her mischievous plan by abandoning all emotion and guilt is not as simple when her heart becomes involved.
Wind in the Grasses Dancing by Terrie McClay @PrairieDog1876
When the United States Government issues an ultimatum to all non-treaty Indians to surrender to the reservations no later than January 31, 1876, Wind in the Grasses Dancing defies the mandate and joins Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in one of the largest defensive stands in the history of the Lakota. As the threat of war becomes imminent, Wind in the Grasses Dancing is faced with the most difficult decision of his life when he is torn between his love for Amber, the daughter of a local rancher, and his beloved people.
When two worlds collide, can forbidden love between a warrior and a rancher’s daughter survive the challenges?
Desire in the Demimonde (The Demimonde Trilogy, Book 2) by Carrigan Fox
Justine Dixon was a socialite in the upper crust of Butte’s society. But when she foolishly fell for the seduction of a confidence man, she found herself broken and alone. The Demimonde took her in and made her one of their own. Now, nine years later, she is one of the most successful prostitutes of the Mercury Street parlor houses. And she’s made the mistake of falling in love with Jack Murphy, playboy and copper man.
Jack once valued his simple life. He worked in the mine and spent his money on cards and women. But now he is the assistant superintendent of the mine, torn between the concerns of his men and the demands of the corporate owners. When violence breaks out between the two sides, Jack realizes that playing the middle man has put him in a precarious position.
And when his cousin comes to town to threaten everything that matters, Jack is stunned to realize that Justine is more important than he could have imagined. But will he be able to accept the love of a prostitute before everything is destroyed?
Family Of Strangers by Barbara Willis
What would you do if someone you loved disappeared? What would you do if you were told they’d never existed? This most awful of nightmares comes true for Eva when her closest friend, Annie, vanishes. Even Annie’s parents deny her existence.
The uncertainty of the early months of 1939 has been eclipsed. Eva’s comfortable, normal small town life becomes despairing and desperate, until a friendly hand reaches out to her. The elderly and eccentric Lola shows no surprise at Eva’s tale. Neither does Gabe; young, handsome and distant. They have answers that lead to more questions, and information that leads to confusion. The pair guide Eva through a new and frightening world towards her beloved Annie. Eva is sure that her search has absorbed every part of her, until she realises how close she’s becoming to the mysterious but tender Gabe.
As Eva learns more about the hidden world now exposed to her, the depth of which seems infinite, she finds that people can be lost and all memory of them forsaken. Gabe and Lola are lost, just like Annie; but unlike Annie, no-one is looking for them to guide them home. Eva, now attached to Lola and deeply tied to Gabe, struggles to believe that nothing can be done to help them.
Eva’s search is littered with many things – doubt, discovery, love, belonging and a myriad of scary jigsaw pieces; lost friends, the giving of gifts, a library of books, a troubled conscience and a brilliant pianist. Can Eva piece it all together to see the picture or has she missed something? Does Eva find Annie? Will Gabe reveal his story and are his and Lola’s other lost friends a help or a hindrance?
And is there something crucially important that not one of them is telling Eva?
The Laird Returns (Highland Loyalties, Volume 3) by Veronica Bale
Volume three, The Laird Returns, concludes Veronica Bale’s gripping debut Highland Loyalties trilogy.
Tensions rise in the Highlands as the Scots fight for their independence from English tyranny. But amidst the chaos, Robbie MacGillivray and Jane Sewell are able to carve out a sliver of happiness for themselves, however brief and intermittent their time together may be. The odds are against them: he is the dispossessed chief of Clan Gillivray; she is the young, English wife of his enemy, Lord Reginald D’Aubrey, Baron of Dunloch.
Those odds will eventually topple their precariously balanced happiness. Infuriated by the MacGillivray chief’s royal pardon, Lord Reginald will stop at nothing to bring the chief of Clan Gillivray to his death. Caught in the middle of the conflict, Jane must decide, once and for all, where her loyalties lie – with her English King, Edward the Longshanks, or with her love, her Highlander?
And what will she do when the true laird of Dunloch returns?
Noble Cause by Jessica James
Honor and conviction clash with loyalty and love in this epic Civil War novel that pits brother against brother. Winner of the coveted John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction, Noble Cause chronicles the clash of a Confederate cavalry officer with a Union spy as they defend their beliefs, their country, and their honor.
Called “a riveting piece of historical fiction” by the Midwest Book Review and often compared to Gone with the Wind, Noble Cause takes readers across the rolling hills of Virginia in a page-turning tale of courage and love.
Gallantry and chivalry are put to the test when Colonel Alexander Hunter discovers the woman he promised his dying brother he would protect is the Union spy he has vowed to his men he would destroy.
With its unique blend of romantic and historical fiction, Noble Cause tells a deeply personal and poignant tale that, according to one reviewer “transcends the pages to settle in the very marrow of the reader’s bones.”
Praised by both men and women, and suitable for teens, this novel captivates and enthralls by telling a classic tale of courage, sacrifice and enduring love.
Originally published as Shades of Gray, Noble Cause is the winner of multiple national literary awards.
Seduced at Sunset by Julianne MacLean
Lady Charlotte Sinclair has long given up her dreams of happily ever after. Years ago, a tragic accident claimed the life of her beloved fiancé, but somehow she found the strength to go on—as an independent woman with a secret double life that has earned her millions. Lately, however, she has begun to yearn for something more…
While setting out to play matchmaker for her mother, Lady Charlotte meets a rugged, handsome stranger who saves her from a thief in the street, but her heroic rescuer soon turns out to be more mysterious—and dangerously captivating—than any man she has ever known. Swept away by passion into a sizzling summer affair with a man who leads a double life of his own, she vows to live only for pleasure with no promises of tomorrow. But soon she must accept that one final night of ecstasy with an irresistible lover is never going to be enough…
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.