Once everyone had filled their plates, Rose gave Ivy an expectant look. “Will you tell us what happened?”
Once again, Ivy related her story, only omitting being in love with Torin. But she doubted her perceptive listeners missed the true state of her heart.
When she finished, Cora let out a sigh. “I love how well Jewel and the Swensen girls played together. Torin must beblindnot to see his daughter will only benefit from their company.”
“He’s deeply afraid,” Brian commented with a quelling glance at his betrothed. “Such emotion isn’t logical.”
Knowing more than Cora about Torin’s background, Ivy felt obligated to defend him. “His reasons aren’t mine to reveal. But the wound he suffered from his family was quite…painful.”
“Torin’s been comfortable with the life Hank and I made with him and Jewel. I know they’ve struggled with us not being around,” he glanced at Cora, “although he’d never say so.”
Rose picked up her cup and saucer. “Sounds like you’ve been wonderful for Jewel. I admire your creative efforts to help her learn. I’m sure the child is missing you very much.” She took a sip of her tea.
Ivy’s tears came again, rendering her too choked up to speak. She pulled out the damp handkerchief and dabbed her eyes.
Uncle Andre made a circling motion with his hand to indicate the house. “Let’s have you keep to the house for a few days while we ponder what else to do. Relax. Become acquainted with Cora’s family and friends. Hold the baby.”
“If she can wrest her away from the rest of us,” Cora said,sotto voce.
Ivy’s sense of independence stirred. She balled up the handkerchief again. “I don’t want to impose. I’ll stay at the boarding house.”
“Youwon’tgo to the boarding house.” Cora gave a dramatic shudder. “Believe me, you don’t want to live under the gimlet eye of Mrs. Murphy.”
“You must reside here as our guest,” Aunt Rose chided.
“Not just our guest. Ivy, you’re a welcome addition to our family.” Uncle Andre waved his teacup without spilling a drop. “However, if you’d feel better contributing in some way and want to make yourself useful, Joshua said recently that he feels guilty because he’s been too busy to work with Micah on his Latin. And my Latin is far too rusty to attempt any tutoring. I’d probably lead the boy astray, and no one would be able to understand him.”
“Except for a few quotes from Marcus Aurelius,” Rose said with gentle good humor.
“You notice, my dear—” his twinkling eyes belied his lofty tone “—I usually say them inEnglish.” He turned to Ivy. “As I was saying, Micah could definitely use tutoring. And if that’s not enough to keep you busy, you can help Rose, who’s so taken with our granddaughter—” he shot his wife a loving smirk “—that she’s fallen behind categorizing books for our library.”
“The library won’t be ready for a year,” Rose said serenely. “Moreif you keep making additions. Andrea is herenow.” She took another sip of tea before setting down her cup and saucer.
Ivy couldn’t help but think they were making work for her. Her pride reared up and wanted to refuse. Yanking down her reaction, she put on a grateful expression, accepting with as much graciousness as she could manage.
But from the sharp, knowing glance Uncle Andre gave her, Brian’s cocked eyebrow, and the looks of understanding from Rose and Cora, she wasn’t fooling anyone.
Torin stoodoutside on the porch, hands on the rail, looking out at the lake as if he stood on the newly fortified walls of his castle surveying his domain.As beautiful a view as a man couldwant.A year ago, he would have rejoiced in feeling surrounded by solitude and safety and nature.A year ago, I had only two friends and my daughter.
Ever since Ivy had left, Torin moved in an icy fog. Once again he’d trusted the wrong woman. He was so hurt and blindly angry. Slowly, the anger drained away, leaving him feeling like a wraith drifting through his house, only becoming solid when he interacted with Jewel.
It had taken him longer to work through the betrayal and pain, to see that his feelings belonged to his past—a wound that had never completely healed. And Ivy had ripped it open, and then, like Mary Beth, abandoned him and Jewel.
Or had she?
Does it matter?
Only behind his walls did he feel Jewel was safe. He imagined Sweetwater Springs as he’d heard the town described and from the brief glimpse he’d gotten near the train station when he’d arrived.A town filled with potential enemies.
Ivy was out there among them, living in luxury. Cora had described the Bellaire-Norton house. Bathrooms, indoor plumbing, servants.Ivy is better off without me.But the truth was he and Jewel were not better off without her.
All he had to do was open the gates, let down the drawbridge over the moat, and ride over—well, walk because he didn’t have a horse.
But if he ventured to town and people were cruel to Jewel, he knew how rejection would harm his sunny girl. He could never take back the consequences of that decision.
But she’s not my sunny girl now.The upset she’d displayed after their friends left seemed multiplied. Before, at least, she could be distracted. But now she moved from peevish to tears to despondency and back.
He moved inside, closing the door behind him.Maybe, I’ll go work on Jewel’s dollhouse. If I can finish it soon, that should make a difference.He made a mental note to peruse the Montgomery Ward catalogue for some wallpaper with tiny flowers on it and some tiny dolls and furniture to fit inside.
