“She likes structure.”
He laughed harder.
Elena joined.
For a moment town did not matter.
Then her father entered.
Laughter stopped.
Edwin Whitaker looked thinner than Elena remembered, though only two weeks had passed.
He wore expensive coat.
New.
Probably borrowed against money not his.
His eyes went first to Elena.
Then Caleb.
“You.”
Elena stood.
Her father approached.
“Come home.”
“No.”
He seemed shocked by speed.
“Elena.”
“No.”
“This man has deceived you.”
Elena almost admired audacity.
“About what?”
“Your marriage.”
“Land?”
His face shifted.
Tiny.
Enough.
Elena smiled without warmth.
“Ah.”
Her father looked at Caleb.
“You showed her.”
Caleb answered:
“She read.”
Edwin’s voice lowered.
“You have no idea what you’ve done.”
Elena stepped between.
“No.”
“You have no idea what you did.”
Her father stared.
She held deed copy from satchel.
“White Pine Basin.”
Edwin looked around.
Public.
Dangerous.
“Not here.”
“Why not?”
“Because business is private.”
“My business.”
His face reddened.
“You don’t understand those papers.”
Elena laughed.
“I kept your accounts for six years.”
“You kept household books.”
“I corrected your timber ledger three times.”
Caleb watched.
Edwin tried different tactic.
“You’re upset.”
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The thing you do.”
Elena stepped closer.
“When I disagree, I’m emotional.”
“When I want something, I’m ungrateful.”
“When I refuse, I’m difficult.”
“When I breathe too loudly, I’m too large.”
“And when I own land, suddenly I’m incapable.”
Her father’s face lost color.
People were listening openly now.
He whispered:
“You’re embarrassing yourself.”
“No.”
“I’m embarrassing you.”
He looked toward Caleb.
“You think he wants you?”
Caleb moved.
Elena’s hand blocked him.
She kept gaze father.
Edwin continued cruelly:
“A man like that doesn’t marry a woman your size for affection.”
The room went still.
This was familiar weapon.
Most effective one.
Elena felt old wound open automatically.
But something had changed.
Her mother’s letter existed now.
Caleb’s coat had not changed her worth.
The deed had not changed her worth.
Breathing had.
Choice had.
She asked:
“Then why did you think Vane would?”
Her father stopped.
Elena saw it.
Caleb saw.
Shopkeeper saw though did not know name.
Edwin’s mouth opened.
Closed.
Elena leaned closer.
“You were going to marry me to Silas Vane.”
“No.”
“Caleb heard.”
“Caleb lies.”