“Your body did.”
She stared.
He continued.
“We can wait until both agree.”
Eliza almost laughed.
“You make it sound like my body is another person.”
“Tonight it might know things before you do.”
She swallowed.
Grant leaned against the dresser again.
Distance.
Safe.
“You don't owe me anything because we're married.”
Eliza looked at him sharply.
“My father would disagree.”
Grant's face hardened.
The words had slipped out.
Eliza wished she could retrieve them.
Grant did not pounce.
“What does that mean?”
She shook her head.
“Not tonight.”
He nodded.
“Not tonight.”
Grant picked up a blanket from the chair.
“What are you doing?”
“Sleeping in Samuel's old room.”
Eliza stared.
“You don't have to.”
“I know.”
“People will think—”
“Who?”
She stopped.
There was nobody.
Only Samuel.
Ranch hands lived in bunkhouses.
Mrs. Bell came by during the day.
Grant smiled slightly.
“Samuel already thinks adults are strange.”
Eliza looked at the bed.
Then at him.
“Could you…”
She hesitated.
Grant waited.
“Could you stay until I fall asleep?”
His expression softened.
“Yes.”
He sat in the chair.
Not the bed.
Eliza climbed beneath the quilt.
Grant turned down the lamp.
They spoke in the half-dark.
About nothing important.
Samuel's hatred of boiled carrots.
A cow named Queen Victoria who once chased a banker.
The time Grant accidentally bought six goats because he misunderstood an auctioneer.
Eliza laughed until her eyes closed.
When Grant was certain she slept, he stood.
Her hand caught his sleeve.
He froze.
She was still asleep.
Or nearly.
“Don't go.”
Grant looked at her.
Then sat again.
He remained until sunrise.
The next morning, Eliza woke alone.
For one frightened second she thought she had dreamed him.
Then she saw the blanket folded on the chair.
Grant had left sometime before dawn.
Breakfast waited downstairs.
Three plates.
Eliza stopped on the final stair.
Samuel sat at the table.
Grant stood at the stove.
His back toward her.
“Morning.”
Samuel looked up.
“Good morning.”
Grant turned.
“Coffee?”
Eliza smiled.
“Samuel advised against it.”
Grant glared at the boy.
“Traitor.”
Samuel grinned.
Eliza walked toward the table.
Three chairs were pulled out.
No one commented.
She sat.
That became the first rule of Red Willow Ranch.
Not formally.
Nobody announced it.
Three people lived in the house.
Therefore three places were set.
The second rule began three days later.
Eliza could enter the pantry whenever she wanted.
Grant did not know that rule existed until he found her standing before the pantry door at nearly midnight.
He had gone downstairs for water.
The house was quiet.
Moonlight crossed the kitchen.
Eliza stood barefoot in her nightdress and shawl.
She held the pantry latch.
Did not open it.
Grant stopped in the doorway.
“Eliza?”
She jumped.
Her hand flew away.
“I wasn't—”