She forced a stiff smile to her lips as she set the broken
cup and saucer onto the tray and stood. "I really do hope
you're right, Mr. Westerly. I certainly don't want this to be
true. You've created a perfectly beautiful farm here, and the
best thing I can imagine is for it to continue for many, many
years to come."
He smiled and patted her reassuringly on the arm. "And
so it will, my dear. So it will."
"But if I find out anything different, say, than what
you've been led to believe~o you mind if I include it in my
article?"
"You lust print the truth, Mrs. Carpenter. That's all
anyone expects."
26Melody Carlson
"But what if the truth doesn't match what you've been
told?"
"Then let the chips fall where they may." He frowned.
"But don't you worry about that, because Rick is an honor-
able man. I trust him like my own flesh and blood, and he
knows that."
She reached out and shook his hand. "It's been a real
pleasure to meet you, Mr. Westerly. Like I said, I'll have Scott
schedule another interview with you for our historical
column."
"Then I'll get busy and dig up some things. You know, I
love to read and I used to be a bit of a writer myself. I wrote
in journals and such-'course they wouldn't be of much
interest to anyone now except to an old fool like me."
"You never know. I'd like to see them."
"I'll find them for you, Mrs. Carpenter. And I'll look for-
ward to seeing this story in the paper next week. Just write
the truth, that's all I ask."
"You have my word, Mr. Westerly."
re you sure you don't need any help in the kitchen?"
called Maggie from the library as she struck a
match to the crumpled newspaper beneath the
neatly arranged pile of kindling in the fireplace. She guessed
it to be Spencer's work, although he was nowhere in sight
just now, but judging by Daniel's orange Volkswagen Bug
parked right next to the barn, she suspected they were out
there practicing music.
"No, everything's under control in here," replied Audrey.
"You just put your feet up and relax a little before Jed gets
here."
Maggie sighed contentedly and looked on with satisfac-
tion as the wood began to ignite and crackle into bright
orange flames. Then she carefully placed several small aspen
logs on top and closed the metal grate. Sitting down on the
old leather couch, she leaned her head back and admired
how much this room had changed in the last couple of
months. No doubt it was her favorite room in the house