Children in that house apparently possessed the surveillance capacity of federal investigators not yet invented.
After breakfast, Nathan sent Lucy, Rose, and Ben outside with Samuel.
Ethan remained.
Nathan looked toward him.
“Go too.”
The boy crossed his arms.
“No.”
Nathan’s expression hardened.
“Ethan.”
“He knows,” Clara said.
Nathan looked at her.
“About what?”
“The box.”
Nathan slowly turned toward his son.
Ethan’s face paled.
“You knew?”
The boy nodded.
“How long?”
“Mama told me.”
Nathan became frighteningly still.
“When?”
“Before she died.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“Because she told me not to.”
“I am your father.”
“She knew.”
Nathan stepped back as if struck.
Clara watched grief turn instantly toward himself.
Exactly what Mara had feared.
He whispered:
“She didn’t trust me.”
Ethan’s expression broke.
“No.”
Nathan looked toward him.
“She trusted you.”
“She said you’d go after Vale before she knew enough.”
Nathan laughed bitterly.
“So she was right.”
Ethan said nothing.
Nathan looked at Clara.
Clara did not rescue him from the truth.
“Yes.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You could pretend otherwise.”
“I could.”
“I prefer you don't.”
“Good.”
Nathan sat.
For a long moment, he stared at his hands.
Then:
“Show me.”
Clara retrieved the tin box.
They spread the papers across the kitchen table.
Mara’s handwriting appeared in margins.
Dates.
Amounts.
Names.
Loan transfers.
Feed-credit changes.
Survey measurements.
The letters from Vale.
Nathan read slowly.
Ethan stood beside him.
Clara watched the rancher’s face change with each page.
The first produced confusion.
The second anger.
The third something worse.
Recognition.
Nathan touched the line.
If the woman fails before spring, he’ll sell.
His fingers trembled.
“He meant Mara.”
Clara said nothing.
Nathan looked toward Ethan.
“Did your mother see this?”
“Yes.”
“She showed you?”
“Not all.”
“Why you?”
Ethan swallowed.
“Because I caught her hiding the box.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
Of course.
Not a deliberate burden.
A child had simply walked into a secret.
Nathan looked back at the document.
“Who is Harlan Pike?”
Clara frowned.
“Harlan?”
“One letter.”
He pointed.
A short note.
H.P. confirmed the physician will continue visits. Keep Nathan occupied with the north fencing dispute.
Ethan said:
“Doctor Reese?”
Clara turned.
“What?”
“The doctor that came from Vale.”
“You remember his name?”
“Yes.”
“Ben said Harrow.”
“Ben was five.”
“He is still five.”
Ethan rolled his eyes.
Nathan said:
“Harlan Pike is Vale’s foreman.”
Clara’s stomach tightened.