Abigail looked at her curiously. “Aren’t you busy with work here, though?”
“I am,” Izzy admitted. “I like to stay occupied.” She didn’t dare say she needed to earn money.
“Well, if I get more laundry than I planned on, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
“Thank you.” Izzy left Abigail to her washing. It was early afternoon, and the kitchen was empty. Izzy leaned against the wall, trying not to give in to the desperation rising in her heart.
If only Hale had agreed to help her! She’d feared he would be angry with her for keeping her family a secret, and he hadn’t been. He’d been patient and understanding, which was more than she could have asked for.
But he didn’t believe her, not when it came to Papa.
Izzy smoothed back the hair that the wind outside had loosened from its pins. She wished there was a way to make him understand. But when her mind stilled, and she was able to push aside her feelings, she had to admit his opinions made sense.
The evidence was not in her favor.
Izzy didn’t know what the bank account was, or where the money had come from. She didn’t know who would have told the judge about it. It was entirely possible that someone had created it to use as evidence against them.
Or was that too far-fetched?
The thought that Papa had been keeping the truth from them all—that he’d shown such greed and disregard for how hard other people worked—was frightening. It didn’t fit at all with Izzy’s experience.
She had to believe Papa. If she didn’t, she wasn’t sure about anything anymore. About who she was, who her family was, or why she’d willingly agreed to help when Papa asked her to.
And then there was the not-so-small fact that she hadn’t told Hale that she was the person on that poster in the sheriff’s office. She’d told herself it wouldn’t matter after the lawyer she hired exonerated her family . . . But what if she couldn’t raise the money? How could she continue concealing that from him?
She couldn’t. Not if she wanted him to trust her.
Izzy pushed herself away from the wall. She needed to move, to walk, to do something that would help her muddle her way through this.
She went back out the kitchen door, not wanting to run into Hale. She hadn’t spoken to him since yesterday. She’d been angry with him—and she still was to a degree, even if she did understand his reasoning. It was easier not to say a word to him. Not until she’d figured out how to get the money on her own.
Izzy walked the length of town, passing the church, a few men already in their cups outside the saloon, the depot, and the beautiful hotel on the hill. And then back up the other side, past the livery stable and smithy’s shop, the hardware store, the little schoolhouse, a number of houses and other shops—
She came to a sudden stop outside Edie’s home as someone stepped down from a wagon right in front of her.
“Sorry, miss,” the man said, tipping his hat at her from around the large crate he had balanced on one arm.
“Isabella!” Edie said from behind her. “What a nice surprise. Thank you, Mr. Reynolds. If you wouldn’t mind setting the crate inside the parlor, I’d be so grateful.”
Izzy stepped back next to her new friend. Distracted from her own problems for a moment, she watched the man maneuver the crate into the house.
“Dishes,” Edie said, answering Izzy’s unspoken question. “I’ve had a mismatched set, pieced together from the kind folks in town. James surprised me by ordering a new set from the general store.”
“What a nice gift,” Izzy said. If she wasn’t so worried about her own situation, she’d admit the sheriff was a good man.
“I’ll give my old ones to some other lady who is new to town. Let me know if you think of anyone who could use them.” Edie motioned at Izzy to come inside.
Glad for something else to occupy her mind, Izzy followed.
Edie gave the man with the crate a few coins and thanked him. “Would you like some tea?” she asked Izzy as she peered inside the crate. “We can drink it out of my new teacups.”
“That would be wonderful,” Izzy replied.
As Edie set the water on the stove, Izzy realized her friend might have a solution to her money problem.
“I’m looking for something to occupy my free time. Do you know of anyone in need of someone hardworking and friendly?” she asked as she took a seat at Edie’s table.
“Mrs. Canton is needing someone to help her clean the church once a week,” Edie said.
