Part 13 (1/2)

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 rea.s.suringly 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 l.u.s.t 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