For a moment Ivy couldn’t speak. What in the world was Lester Stokes doing in Turnabout?
“Well,” he said in that cocky drawl she hated, “aren’t you going to invite me in?”
Ivy made no move to step aside. “What are you doing here?”
She saw a flash of irritation in his eyes, but his smile never faltered. He stepped closer. “I really think it would be best—”
He halted abruptly, and Ivy realized Mitch now stood behind her.
He must be an intimidating sight to a bully like Lester Stokes.
“Care to introduce me to your friend?” Mitch’s tone was mild, but Ivy suddenly felt as if nothing bad could touch her.
“Of course. This is Lester Stokes.” She felt Mitch’s subtle stiffening.
“Lester, this is Mr. Mitch Parker, my employer.”
Mitch stepped forward and offered his hand to Lester. “Are you an acquaintance from Nettles Gap?”
Lester quickly withdrew his hand. “That’s right. Ivy and I grew up together.”
Lester gave Ivy a meaningful glance. “If you have a few minutes, I need to talk to you.” He cut a quick glance Mitch’s way. “On a personal matter.”
Mitch leaned against the doorjamb with folded arms, apparently oblivious to Lester’s hints.
Lester frowned in annoyance, then turned back to Ivy.
“I’m afraid I have bad news about Miss Jacobs.”
Ivy’s heart stuttered painfully, her mind dishing up all sorts of awful possibilities. “Is she all right?”
“She fell and hurt herself. Doc says she shouldn’t be alone until she heals. My ma is with her, but I thought you should know as soon as possible.”
“Yes, of course.” She turned to Mitch, her thoughts racing. “I’m sorry. I need to go to her.”
“Tell me what I can do to help.”
Lester spoke up before Ivy could. “Everything is taken care of. I’ve already booked a return passage on tomorrow’s train. And my sister, Dory, is with me—she’s at the hotel right now—so Ivy shouldn’t feel any discomfort with our traveling together.”
Ivy’s mind was awhirl with disjointed thoughts of things she needed to take care of before she left and images of a hurting Nana Dovie needing her. She should never have stayed away so long. “My meeting with Carter and Adam—”
“I’ll let them know to reschedule.”
“Tomorrow is laundry day—”
“I’m certain Mrs. Pierce will understand.”
“Rufus and Jubal—”
“Ivy.” Mitch took her hands, forcing her to focus on his words. “Don’t worry. I’ll watch over your animals until you return. And I’ll see that those who need to know, do. As for your housekeeping duties—” he gave her a crooked smile “—I’ll manage to cook my own meals and care for my own house just fine.”
She took a deep breath, drawing strength from his supportive presence. “Thank you.”
She turned to Lester and was surprised by the furious look in his eyes. Was he so bothered by the fact that she’d found a friend and champion in Mitch?
“Thank you for bringing me the news. I’ll be ready to leave when the train pulls in tomorrow.”
Mitch eyed Lester critically. “I wonder why you didn’t send a telegram. Miss Feagan could have already made it to Nettles Gap by now.”
Ivy frowned. In her concern over Nana Dovie, she hadn’t thought things through. Mitch was right—why had he come? And why Lester, of all people? He’d be the last person who’d want to do her any favors.
“I thought it best Ivy receive such upsetting news from a friend rather than a telegram,” Lester said. “And I didn’t want her to have to make the trip alone.”
Since when did Lester consider himself her friend? Then Ivy took herself to task. Carter was proof people could change. Perhaps this was Lester’s way of making up for past wrongs.
“I know this has come as a shock,” Lester continued. “Why don’t I escort you to your lodgings so you can rest?”
“Thank you, but if I do that I’ll just go crazy worrying. It’s best I keep busy.” She started to untie her apron. “And I should send Nana Dovie a telegram to assure her I’ll be there tomorrow.”
“I’ll take care of that for you,” Lester said quickly. “And I’ll come by when you’re done here and take you to supper. I’m certain Dory will appreciate your company.”
“You don’t need—”
“I insist.” Lester gave Mitch a terse nod, then turned and left before Ivy could protest further.
* * *
Mitch didn’t like this—something about Lester Stokes’s story seemed off.
Once Ivy closed the door, he crossed his arms. “Is this the same Lester you mentioned once before?”
Ivy nodded.
Mitch’s hands fisted at his sides. Just the thought of what that snake had put Ivy through was enough to make him throw his vows of nonviolence to the winds. “Then I don’t want you traveling with him tomorrow. I’ll escort you to Nettles Gap myself.”
She placed a hand on his arm. “Thank you. But that won’t be necessary. Lester is obviously trying to make amends, and with Dory tagging along, I’m sure he’ll be on his best behavior.”
“I’m not so sure his motives are as benevolent as you appear to believe.”
She waved away his concerns. “I’ll be fine. I’m not a naive sixteen-year-old any longer. If Lester does resort to some of his old tricks—which I highly doubt—I can take care of myself.”
“Be that as it may—”
“Please. There’s enough gossip circulating about us as it is. How do you think it will look if you follow me back to Nettles Gap?”
“How it will look is not my primary concern.”
She gave him a teasing smile. “I never thought I’d hear those words from Mr. Propriety himself.” Then she moved past him toward the kitchen. “Now, lunch should be just about ready. Would you ask Calvin and James to get washed up and join us?”
Mitch watched her head down the hall, frustration almost smothering him. No matter how much he reasoned or cajoled, she still refused to marry him. And now she was leaving in the morning. She’d return, of course, once Miss Jacobs was better. But only to complete the negotiation with Carter. After today, he wouldn’t have her to himself, or even in his life again. Order and peace would be restored.
And he couldn’t garner even a speck of enthusiasm for that prospect.
* * *
The next morning, Ivy settled into her seat on the train and stared out the window. Mitch stood on the platform, Rufus at his side, watching as the train pulled away. Perhaps it was best this way, for them to have this clean break now, before the gossip could do any more damage.
But there was no denying how much she was going to miss Turnabout.
And Mitch.
When the train turned a curve and the town finally disappeared from sight, Ivy sat back and smiled at Dory beside her. “Thank you again for coming here with your brother.”
The girl glanced nervously toward Lester, then gave Ivy a shy smile. “You’re welcome. It was a chance for me to see someplace other than Nettles Gap.”
Lester, who sat across the aisle from them, stood. “Dory, change seats with me. Ivy and I need to talk.”
Something about Lester’s tone raised Ivy’s hackles. “What about?”
Lester didn’t answer her until he was comfortably settled beside her. “First, I wanted to put your mind at ease. Miss Jacobs is not injured—in fact, as far as I know, she’s as healthy as the day you left her.”
Ivy stiffened, her relief quickly followed by anger. Lester Stokes had fooled her again. But before she could say anything, he pressed on.
“I just needed a good excuse to get you back to Nettles Gap with minimum resistance and fuss.”
Icy spider legs scuttled up her spine. “Why?”
“Because of your inheritance, of course.”
How did he even know about that? Surely Reverend Tomlin hadn’t said anything.
“Someone came to town last week looking for information on you and your pa. I convinced him to tell me what was going on. Imagine my surprise when I found out that you’re going to be a prominent landowner soon.”
“So?”
“So, you’re going to marry me, and as your husband, I’m going to gain control of that land.”
Marry him? Ivy was so astonished she hardly knew what to say next. “What makes you think for even a minute that I’d consent to such a thing?”
“Because I’m not going to give you much choice. I can call in your precious Nana Dovie’s loan if you don’t.”
Ivy blanched, then recovered. It was Lester’s father who held the note on their place. And he was a much fairer man than Lester had ever been. Besides, that would soon be a moot point. “If my claim holds, it won’t matter. I’ll be able to pay the loan without any trouble.”
“But not before we’ve already repossessed the farm. There are ways to delay the judge’s arrival. And there are also ways to throw doubt on your claim to be who you say you are. Oh, you’ll win your case eventually, but think of the damage that can be done by the time you do.”
She stared at him defiantly. “I don’t need to wait for the judge. Carter Mosley and I have discussed settling this between us.”
Some of his confidence seemed to slip. “You haven’t signed any papers yet, have you?”
“No, but I gave my word—”
“Then it’s not too late to back out. From what I can tell, you have a claim to half of the whole estate.”
“But that’s not what I agreed to. And with this offer from Carter, I should be able to get matters settled quickly, so there’s nothing for you to hold over me.” Surely he couldn’t force her hand.
His expression turned ugly. “You think not? Do you really believe you can get matters settled and have money in hand before I evict Miss Jacobs?”
She hesitated and he grinned triumphantly. “I’ve heard how she can’t leave her place. I hear she gets agitated and downright hysterical if she tries. I wonder how it will affect her if the sheriff comes by to toss her out?”
“You might be that cruel, Lester Stokes, but I don’t think your father is. Especially if I tell him about the money I’ll have shortly.”
“My parents are on a business trip. He left me in charge until he returns, which may be as much as a month from now.”
Ivy felt trapped, but struggled not to show it. “How can you do this? You already have so much.”
His face twisted. “I have nothing—it’s all my father’s. Gaining control of that land means I won’t have to live under his thumb anymore.”
The dark determination in his expression scared her. “What if I just sign over a part of my inheritance to you?”
He seemed to think about that for a minute, then shook his head. “I know you’ve gotten cozy with that boss of yours. No doubt he’d help you find some way to wiggle out of the deal. No, the only way to be certain is for us to get hitched.”
Ivy frantically tried to come up with a way out. How could she marry Lester after she’d spurned Mitch, saying she’d hold out for a love match?
But if she didn’t, Nana Dovie would lose her home, and worse. She couldn’t bear to think what it would do to that dear lady if she were forced to leave.
Nana Dovie had made many, many sacrifices to raise her, and now it was time for Ivy to return the favor, no matter how distasteful the task before her might be.
“Nana Dovie must never, under any circumstances, learn why I’m doing this.”
His face contorted into a triumphant smirk. “Agreed.”