Ivory Innocence (4 page)

Ivory had been surprised by the amount of the legacy she was due to inherit on her twenty-first birthday, but the money had meant little to her. She went back to college to take her final exams and then went to stay with friends in Bournemouth, on the south coast, far away from memories. She had believed she could never bear to come back to Hedley Magna, but as her grief passed she began to form a plan. Her legacy might be enough to buy the Hall if she could find proof of George Kendrake's treachery and persuade his nephew to sell the estate back to her—if necessary under the threat of revealing his uncle as a heartless villain.

She did not like the idea of blackmail, but as a last resort she had promised herself to use it.

But before she had a chance to do anything more, Rob Garth, her childhood friend from Hedley Magna, had written one of his long chatty letters, which included the news that Matthew Kendrake had taken residence in the Hall and was thinking of employing a teacher to help his little daughter. It was the opening Ivory had been needing. She would come back to Hedley Magna and spy out the land before making any further moves.

Her one regret had been that George Kendrake himself was no longer alive to regret his perfidy toward her grandparents. But now that she had met his nephew, she knew him to be exactly the same sort of man as his uncle. There must be something about Kendrake blood that turned their men into monsters. Ivory was prepared to use any weapon she could think of to settle old scores.

As she left the church, a bus drew up by the junction and discharged a few schoolchildren. A young girl with golden hair fastened into pigtails over her ears called good-bye to her friends and set off up the lane, her bag trailing from one hand.

"Becky!" Ivory called, hurrying across the road.

Rebecca Garth turned, her face puckered in a frown, then her smile beamed. "Oh, hello, Ivory! I'd forgotten you were coming today."

"Let me give you a lift," Ivory said, indicating the car that waited beneath swaying branches of sticky lime leaves. "I'm on my way back to the farm now."

"Oh, great!" Rebecca said. "I'm worn out. We've been playing rounders the last two lessons. I was bowler. I'm good at that. I can throw really hard. Is this your car? I didn't know you could drive. Is it true you're coming to work at the Hall? What's the new girl like? I've never seen her. Mrs. Barnes told Mum she's delicate."

"I gather she's been ill," Ivory said. "But I'm sure she would be pleased to make a friend."

As they climbed into the car, Ivory remembered that Rob's little sister had always been a happy little chatterer. She was the darling of the family, having come so late after her brother. She had been little more than a baby when her father had died and Rob had taken over responsibility for running the farm.

"Did you see they're doing your old cottage up?" Rebecca asked as they passed the scaffolded building. "It's been funny, having it stand empty. Martin Ward said it was haunted, but I've never seen anything, though it was creepy going past in the dark last winter."

She kept up the flow of conversation as the car moved up the hill and turned beneath the chestnuts to the farm, where Ivory parked in the yard close to the house. From the barn came the sound of voices, clatterings and bangs, and the swish of a hose as someone rinsed down the floor.

Mrs. Garth appeared at the back door, wiping her hands on a flowered apron. A petite, wiry woman with straight brown hair, she had a ruddy face that lit with a smile as she held out her arms to greet Ivory and accept a kiss on the cheek.

"You look well, dear," she remarked. "It's lovely to see you again. Now, Becky, we're going to have some tea, so don't go rushing out to the pony just yet. Come and sit down, Ivory. Rob'll be in soon. I've made some sandwiches and scones, and we'll have a hot supper later. Does that suit you?"

"I'll fit in with whatever you've planned," Ivory said, taking off her jacket before sitting at one of the chairs by the big table. "It was very kind of you to offer to put me up for the night," Ivory said, feeling at home in the familiar room. "I wouldn't have fancied having to drive all the way back to Bournemouth this evening."

"I should just think not!" said Mrs. Garth. "Why, you look tired out. How did you get on—or shouldn't I ask?"

"Very well, thank you. Mr. Kendrake offered me the job, on a three-months' trial basis. I'll be coming back next Saturday to make a start."

"So soon?"

"There didn't seem to be any point in delaying. Janey seems a bit difficult at the moment, and Mrs. Barnes has enough on her hands, looking after that huge house."

She looked around as she heard Rob come in the door. He grinned at her. "So you'll be coming back to Hedley after all. That'll be nice, won't it, Mum?"

"Lovely," his mother agreed. "We've missed you, Ivory. We missed you when you were away at college, but at least you came home for holidays. This year it's seemed strange, with the cottage standing there."

"I know," Ivory said softly.

After tea, she went out to look at the pony grazing in the field behind the orchard with two other horses. Cherry, as Rebecca called him, was entirely black except for a few white hairs in his tail. He came trotting to the fence and nuzzled Rebecca's hand while Ivory stroked his head.

"Why Cherry?" Ivory asked.

"Well, you have black cherries, don't you?" Rebecca said with unassailable logic. Tossing her golden hair, she scrambled over the fence and leapt up to the pony's back, grabbing the rope bridle. She urged him into a trot, showing off for Ivory's benefit.

"A little brat, isn't she?" Rob said fondly, coming to lean on the fence beside Ivory. "She reminds me of you, not many years ago."

"Oh, thanks," Ivory said drily.

"I was wondering," Rob added. "Would you like to go out for a drink after supper? I've got some chores to do first, but if we go about nine we'll have time for a couple of beers. Okay?"

"Yes, fine," Ivory said.

Smiling, Rob touched her arm and sauntered away, the sun gilding his tousled fair hair as he ducked under apple tree branches. A shower of fading blossoms fluttered onto the grass, their pink glory almost gone now that the leaves were unfurling.

After supper she drove with Rob down to the pub, with its low black beams hung with hunting prints and a huge fireplace where a brass urn full of flowers stood. Several people recognized her and asked how she was doing. It was some time before she was able to escape to a corner table alone with Rob.

"The village hasn't seemed the same since your grandmother died," he told her. "She was an institution—the last old-fashioned lady of the manor, even if she had fallen on hard times."

"She was a proud woman," Ivory said.

"Brave, too. I've often wondered why they stayed in Hedley."

"They belonged here!" she said passionately. "But their very presence must have been a reminder to George Kendrake of what he'd done. Why do you think he stayed away from the Hall? His conscience must have troubled him. Unfortunately, it didn't trouble him enough, or he'd have tried to make amends. It makes me so angry when I think—"

Rob's hand covered hers, stopping the flow of bitterness. "Hush, love. It's no good getting agitated about it. It's all ancient history. And you're going to have to work at the Hall."

"Yes." Still trembling with rage, she pulled her hand free of his clasp, making Rob give her a puzzled sidelong look.

"I can't really understand why you want to go there, Ivory," he said. "I hope you're not going to regret it. It won't be easy, being an employee and knowing all the time that your ancestors lived there in style."

Ivory sipped her lager and lime, her eyes on the round table in front of her. Not for anything would she have Rob guess her real reason for applying for the post of tutor to Janey Kendrake.

"I just want to work at the job I'm trained for," she said. "I'm wasting my time in Bournemouth, working in the restaurant and staying with Merry and Bill. They've been very kind, but I know they'd prefer their privacy, and there are plenty of people who will be only too happy to do waitressing work for them. Since I can't get a job in a school, I may as well work for Matthew Kendrake. Little Janey needs someone. It's obvious her father is hopeless with her. He seems to regard her as a liability, and she knows it."

A stir among the crowd by the bar drew her attention to the man who had just come in, as if by mentioning his name she had summoned him from the elements. Matthew Kendrake, with a sports jacket over his blue sweater, strode to the bar. The crowd parted for him. The hum of conversation dwindled, and more than one man deliberately turned his back on the newcomer. The hostility grew so thick that Ivory wondered why the air didn't creak with it.

She drew back into the shadows behind the side wing of the bench, hoping that Matthew Kendrake would not see her. She heard him order a bottle of scotch, taking a wallet from his hip pocket. He appeared not to notice the wary looks of the villagers but stood relaxed, his tailored slacks clinging to muscular calves.

Despite herself, Ivory stared at his lean, tall figure, the thick, wavy dark hair bathed in pink light from a lamp above the bar; the broad shoulders, the elegant hang of his jacket. She had never seen a man quite so well made, with such lithe power evident in his every move. Dangerous, she thought again. Dangerously attractive, if she was honest.

He spoke pleasantly to the landlord, thanking him and remarking on the fine weather, then he said good night and walked out as if oblivious to the tension he had created. As the door swung shut, a babble of voices broke out, all of them discussing him. Ken-drake, yes. The new lord of the manor. Old George's nephew.

"Ivory!" Rob said sharply, making her nerves jump as she looked round at him. She had forgotten he was there. "Is that Matthew Kendrake? I've not seen him clearly before." He looked worried. "That's the man you're going to work for?"

Ivory tossed her head. "It is. So what?"

"So I don't think it's a very good idea, that's what!" Rob replied. "He's a widower, isn't he? You're going to be all alone with him at the Hall."

"Hardly alone. There'll be Janey, and Mrs. Barnes and her husband."

"The Barneses have a separate flat at the back," he said.

"And just what are you implying?" Ivory asked coldly. "That he'll only have to beckon and I'll jump into bed with him?"

Even in the dim lighting Rob's flush was evident as he avoided her eyes. "No, of course not. But I don't think your grandmother would have been happy about it—especially if she could have seen the way you were looking at him."

"Really?" Her tone had iced over. "And how exactly was I looking at him?"

"As if you fancied him."

A snort of laughter escaped her. "Oh, rubbish, Rob! I don't even like the man. From what I've seen of him, I shall be only too pleased if he spends most of his time away on business. Janey's my concern, and only Janey."

"Then why were you watching him that way? And why did you try to hide?"

"I was just assessing the enemy," Ivory said grimly.

"Enemy?"

"Yes." Regretting the annoyance that had made her indiscreet, she smoothed her hair back. "I have a feeling I'm going to find myself at odds with him over Janey. She's insecure and he's much too harsh with her. And I hid because… Well, because I don't want him to know what close ties I have with the village. You saw the way everyone reacted. People obviously dislike him as much as they disliked his uncle. I don't want him to think I'm part of that, or it might set us off on the wrong foot. You might ask your mother not to discuss my past with Mrs. Barnes, if she sees her."

"Well, I'm sorry. I was just anxious because you're a girl on her own now. You've got no family to stand up for you. I suppose I feel a bit responsible."

"Then don't," she said. "I'm old enough to take care of myself."

"Yes, but if it hadn't been for me, you'd never have heard that he needed a teacher for his daughter. I hope I shan't regret repeating that bit of gossip."

Ivory laughed softly, laying a hand on his arm. "If I hate it, I can always give in my notice."

Rob would never know, but she was grateful to him for passing on that particular piece of gossip. Without it, she might never have had the chance to come back to Hedley Magna. But Rob must not suspect her real motives.

Looking at his friendly, open face, she regretted having to lie to him. But if she told him the truth, he might ruin her plans. Certainly he would not approve.

She realized that he was smiling at her, his hazel eyes soft with affection. Her hand still lay on his arm, and his large paw came warmly to cover it. Rushing, Ivory pulled away. She did not want him to think she was encouraging him toward anything more than friendship.

"Will you have another drink?" he asked.

"Oh, no, I don't think so, Rob. Do you mind if we go back? I'm really tired, and there's another long drive to make tomorrow. I ought to have an early night."

"Okay, just as you like."

Outside a breeze stirred softly in the trees and dark clouds drifted across the still pale sky. Rob drove straight back to the farm. Ivory waited until he had parked his car.

"Cold?" he inquired as a shiver ran through her.

"A bit. The wind's cool."

"We'll have rain before morning," he said sagely.

Looking at him in the vague gray light, Ivory laughed. "You sound exactly like my grandfather."

"But I don't feel like your grandfather," he said, and grasped her arm, swinging her in close to him, his lips landing awkwardly on hers for a brief moment.

Swaying off balance, Ivory stared at him in surprise. "Rob!"

"Well, what do you expect?" he said with a sheepish grin. "You come here looking like an angel when all I'm used to is grotty old cows—the four-legged variety, I mean. I'm human, Ivory. You must know how I feel about you. How I've always felt."

"We've—" She licked her dry lips, swallowing thickly to clear the sudden croak from her throat. "We've always been friends, Rob."

"Up to now. Boy-and-girl innocence. Only we're not children anymore. I thought I'd better stake my claim before Matthew Kendrake gets a chance to turn your head."