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prefaced what was coming next. There was something in his posture and tone that warned her that what she’d learned already was small-fry compared to what was coming next.
    â€œTell me,” she demanded. She may as well get it straight on the chin now.
    â€œYour trust fund. With your withdrawals and the depreciation of the investments’ value over time, it became overdrawn. Mr. Collins had taken charge of your father’s affairs by that point, and personally advanced money to the fund to cover the shortfall when he was made aware of the situation.”
    â€œJust how much money did he advance?”
    The lawyer named a sum that caused black spots to swim before her eyes.
    â€œSo you’re saying he advanced several hundred thousand dollars to my trust fund?”
    Wade had been the one responsible for the money she’d used to finance schools and health clinics, food and clothing and farm supplies in the counties she’d visited in the past four years? She was struck with an urgent need to understand the conditions of the loan and expressed as much to Mr. Chadwick.
    â€œThe loans were rather open-ended. As your trustee, your father entered into deeds acknowledging the debt between the fund and Mr. Collins. Obviously Mr. Collins has the right to recall those loans, with interest, at any time.”
    â€œSo no repayments have been made to date?”
    â€œNone, Mr. Collins hadn’t requested such repayment.”
    â€œNot at all?”
    She was confused. How could anyone afford to make such huge sums of money available like that and not expect something back in return?
    â€œNo, not at all.” Chadwick hesitated a moment, his mouth twisting into a moue of regret. “Until now.”
    â€œNow?” she gasped. “He wants me to repay the debt now?”
    â€œYes, Miss Mitchell, I’m afraid so. And he has specified it must be repaid in full.”

Three
    I n full? Piper vibrated with ill-concealed anger, earning a look of concern from the elderly man across the table from her. No wonder Wade had arranged to not be at the appointment with her, the rat.
    â€œThank you,” she finally managed to say through gritted teeth. “Could you tell me exactly when Wade Collins made that specification?”
    â€œWe received his instruction this morning.”
    This morning? It was unbelievable. While she’d been sleeping in, or even while she’d been lazing about in her bath, he’d been demanding she clear a debt he knew full well she had no ability to repay.
    Forcing a smile on her face, she stood and offered her hand to the man who’d been her father’s longtime legal counsel.
    â€œIs there anything I can do for you, Miss Mitchell?”
    â€œShort of conducting a miracle, I doubt it.”
    She kept her composure until she got outside the office and saw the car Wade had ordered for her waiting in the loadingzone outside. Every instinct within her urged her to turn in the opposite direction and to keep walking. To put as much distance as possible between herself and the awful truth about her financial position. But where would she go?
    The driver of the car got out and came around to the passenger side, opening the door for Piper and waiting until she’d settled herself in the soft leather. The drive back to the house passed in a blur. She couldn’t have said whether they’d taken one route or another but when they drove into the long driveway that led to the imposing stairs and entrance to the house, Piper found her eyes locked on the building she’d grown up in.
    The immaculate white painted woodwork, the wraparound verandas on the ground and next story, the green-capped pinnacles that marked the four corners of what had begun as a two-story farmhouse. She’d taken every part of it for granted. Its history, its shelter, its place in her life.
    She had thought she’d changed, but she hadn’t changed at all. Even without