“You understand the arrangement?” she asked.
Caleb stopped.
“What arrangement?”
“Marriage.”
His gaze remained unreadable.
“If necessary.”
“If necessary?”
“To keep the children legally attached to you.”
Eleanor frowned.
He continued.
“My homestead is recognized. I have land, livestock, and enough stores for winter. A registered household arrangement prevents Cromwell from touching the children.”
“Household arrangement.”
“Marriage contract if the office insists.”
“And what do you expect?”
Caleb looked past her toward Mrs. Cromwell.
“Not here.”
Eleanor stiffened.
“Then we discuss it before I go anywhere.”
For the first time, something almost like approval appeared in his eyes.
“Good.”
He lowered his voice.
“You should ask questions.”
“People who don't ask them around this town lose more than money.”
Eleanor glanced toward the crowd.
“You are not reassuring.”
“I wasn't trying to.”
Caleb picked up her trunk.
It looked absurdly small in his hand.
“Wagon is around back.”
Eleanor did not move.
He stopped.
“You're afraid of me.”
“Yes.”
Honesty seemed to surprise him.
Caleb nodded.
“Reasonable.”
Then he walked away.
Thomas whispered:
“Mama, we don't have to go.”
Eleanor looked toward Mrs. Cromwell.
The woman had already opened the placement portfolio again.
Eleanor reached for Edward.
“Yes.”
“We do.”
The wagon left Covenant Creek beneath a darkening sky.
Caleb drove.
Eleanor sat behind him among blankets and children.
The wagon had been built wider than most freight wagons, which spared her the humiliation of squeezing onto an ordinary bench. Caleb had also placed a sturdy reinforced seat across the forward section.
Eleanor noticed.
“You knew?”
Caleb kept his eyes on the trail.
“Knew what?”
“That I would need a larger seat.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I saw you yesterday.”
Eleanor stared.
“You were watching me?”
“I was finding you.”
The answer unsettled her.
“Why?”
Caleb did not respond.
Snow began falling harder.
The children stayed quiet for the first hour.
Eventually Edward fell asleep against Eleanor’s stomach.
Catherine rested against Sarah.
Thomas watched Caleb suspiciously.
Finally he asked:
“Did you kill somebody?”
Eleanor nearly choked.
“Thomas.”
Caleb looked back briefly.
“Yes.”
Every child went rigid.
Eleanor stared at him.
“You might have softened that.”
“He asked.”
Thomas swallowed.
“How many?”
“Thomas.”
Caleb answered anyway.
“During the war?”
Thomas nodded.
“I stopped counting.”
William whispered:
“Are you a murderer?”
Caleb faced the trail.
“No.”
James said:
“But you killed people.”
“Yes.”
“What's the difference?”