He matched that thought and slipped inside.
'Ivy.'
She rose quickly and walked to the window, wrapping her arms around herself. 'I thought I'd never hear your voice again,' she said silently.
'I thought you were gone forever. After that moment on the bridge, I didn't see your light anymore. I can't see it now,' she told him, frowning and gazing down at her hand.
'I know. I don't understand what's happening, Ivy. I just know that I'm changing. And that I won't be back.'
She nodded, accepting what he said with a calm that surprised him. Then he saw her mouth quiver. She trembled and looked as if she would cry out loud, but she said nothing.
'I love you, Ivy. I'll never stop loving you.'
She leaned against the window, looking out on a pale and glittering night. She looked through tears.
'I prayed for one more chance to reach you,' he said, 'to tell you how much I love you and to tell you to keep on loving. Someone else was meant for you, Ivy, and you were meant for someone else.'
She stood up straight. 'No.'
'Yes, love,' he said, softly but firmly.
'No!'
'Promise me, Ivy-' 'I'll promise you nothing but that I love you,' she cried.
'Listen to me,' Tristan pleaded. 'You know I can't stay any longer.'
The pale, glittering night was raining now, and fresh tears gleamed on her cheeks, but he had to leave.
'I love you,' he said. 'I love you. Love him.'
Then Tristan slipped out and saw her standing at the window in the early-morning light. He stepped back and watched her as she knelt down and rested her arms and face on the sill. He stepped back again and saw her tears dry and her eyes close. When he stepped back a third time, Tristan thought the sun had risen behind him, shattering the pale night into a thousand silver fragments.
He turned suddenly to the east, but the brilliant circle of light was not the sun. There was no knowing what it was, except that it was a light meant for him, and Tristan walked swiftly toward it.
Ivy awoke with the sun in her eyes. Before she remembered Tristan's visit, and before Beth said drowsily, 'I had a dream last night that Tristan came,' Ivy knew that he was gone. It wasn't a feeling she could explain, just a clear sense that he was no longer with her and wouldn't be back. The struggle to hold on to what they had, the longing to reach back in time for Tristan, and the dream of living in another world with him had ceased within her. She felt a new kind of peace.
Maggie, Andrew, and Philip were up and out of the house early that Sunday. The girls had a leisurely brunch, then Suzanne and Beth gathered their belongings and carried them out to Beth's car. Suzanne waited till then to ask the question Ivy had expected several times the previous night.
'I've been good,' Suzanne began. 'All last night and this morning I haven't said one thing I shouldn't have.'
'You ate two brownies you shouldn't have,' Ivy reminded her. She watched with amusement as Beth caught Suzanne's eye and made quick cutting signs across her throat. But Suzanne would not be silenced.
'Beth told me that if I brought this up, she'd stuff a purseful of paper in my mouth.' Beth threw her hands up in the air.
'But I've got to ask. What's going on with you and Will? I mean, he saved your life. Am I right?'
'Will saved my life,' Ivy agreed.
'Then what-' 'I told Suzanne that you just needed some time to sort things out,' Beth intervened.
Ivy nodded.
'But he's totally hooked on you!' Suzanne said, exasperated. 'He's head over heels in love-he has been for months.'
Ivy didn't say anything.
'I hate it when she gets that stubborn look on her face,' Suzanne complained to Beth. 'She looks just like her brother.'
Ivy laughed then-she guessed she and Philip did share a mulish streak-but she refused to say anything more about Will.
After her friends left, Ivy walked toward Philip's tree house, pausing on the way at the patch of golden chrysanthemums where Ella was buried. She brushed the flowers with her fingers, then moved on. Beth was right, there was a lot to sort out.
Tuesday night she had told the police everything she knew about the case against Gregory-everything but Will's attempt at blackmail. Against her better judgment, Ivy had kept quiet about the note she had found in Gregory's room.
Tuesday night she had succeeded in convincing herself that the police already knew about Will. She had reasoned that they traced the blackmail money when Will deposited it. That's why Donnelly went to Will's house, she told herself now as she climbed the rope ladder of the tree house.
But Ivy knew that in the end she had to tell the police about the note.
The danger of keeping big secrets had been made all too clear by Caroline's life and death.
She reached the top of the ladder and walked the narrow bridge to the other tree. Brushing aside some leaves, she sat down on the wooden floor.
Far to the north, she could see a small strip of the river, a peaceful snippet of blue ribbon. Lying back, she stared up at the tiny patches of sky-not much more than blue stars now-but soon, with the falling leaves, it would be the only roof the tree house would have. That's all right, she thought. The sky was the angels' roof, too.
Angels, take care of Will, she prayed. It was the best she could do for him now. She couldn't trust him.
And she could never love someone who had betrayed her as he had. Still, her heart went out to him.
Angels, help him, please.
'Hey, is there a doorbell to this house?'
Ivy jumped at the sound of Will's voice, then quickly rolled over on her stomach to look down at him through the slits between the boards. 'No.'
He was silent for a moment. 'Is there a knocker?'
'No.' Her mind raced-or was it her heart? She wished she could think of a clever line to turn him away.
She wished he didn't make her ache inside.
'Maybe there are some magic words?' he said.
Ivy didn't reply. Will backed up in the grass, trying to see into the tree house. She lifted her head and looked down over the edge at him.
'If there are magic words, Ivy, I sure wish you'd tell me what they are, because I've been wondering for a long time, and I'm just about ready to give up.'
Ivy bit her lip.
'You know,' Will continued, 'when two people narrowly escape falling to their deaths, they usually have something to talk about Even if they hadn't met before that moment, they usually have something to say to each other afterward. But you haven't said anything to me. I've been trying to give you some time. I've been trying to give you some space. All I want is-' 'Thank you,' Ivy said. 'Thank you for risking your life. Thank you for saving me.'
'That's not what I wanted!' Will replied angrily. 'Gratitude is the last thing I-' 'Well, let me tell you what I want,' Ivy shouted down at him. 'Honesty.'
Will looked up with a bewildered expression. 'When haven't I been honest?' he asked. It was as if he had totally forgotten about the blackmail. 'When?'
'I found your note, Will. I know you blackmailed Gregory. I didn't tell the police yet, but I will.' He frowned. 'So tell them,' he said, his voice rising with frustration. 'Go ahead! It's old news to them, but if you've got the note, it's one more piece for the police files. I just don't get-' He started walking away from the tree house, then
