Then she looked toward the bed.
"There was a young servant working in the house. She was only sixteen, and her mother had sent her there because the family needed money. Mr. Tate accused her of stealing supplies that were missing from the storeroom."
Caleb listened carefully.
Martha continued.
"I'd helped count the supplies that morning. I knew the records were wrong. She hadn't stolen anything."
Her voice trembled.
"I told him."
Caleb felt his hands tighten.
"He accused me of undermining him. He said a woman in my position had no right to question his judgment."
She paused, fighting to remain composed.
"Then he punished me for speaking."
Caleb looked toward the stove.
He didn't ask for details.
The scars had already told him enough.
Martha continued.
"Afterward, he made certain I understood that nobody would believe me. He told me I was too large, too plain, and too dependent on his wages to expect anyone to defend me."
Her eyes filled.
Caleb felt a deep, sickening anger.
But he didn't interrupt.
Martha needed to finish in her own time.
"Eventually, the young servant's mother helped me leave," she whispered. "I stayed with relatives for a short while, then found work elsewhere. I thought I'd escaped."
Caleb looked toward her.
"Then why come west?"
Martha's expression changed.
"Because he found out where I was staying."
The cabin seemed suddenly smaller.
She continued.
"Someone began asking questions about me. A man came to the boardinghouse and told the owner that Mr. Tate had unfinished business with me."
Caleb felt cold.
"What kind of business?"
Martha shook her head.
"He claimed I had stolen records from his office. That I owed him money. That I had slandered his name."
She swallowed.
"None of it was true."
Caleb believed her.
He didn't need to study her face for signs of deception.
He'd seen enough in the past three weeks to understand the kind of person she was.
But he also understood that Harlan might have been willing to manufacture evidence supporting his accusations.
Martha looked toward the photograph again.
"When I saw your advertisement, I thought it was a chance to disappear somewhere he couldn't find me."
Her voice broke.
"I didn't know you were related."
Caleb took a slow breath.
"Neither did I."
Martha looked at him.
He continued.
"I had no idea he employed you. I didn't know you were running from him."
For a moment, she seemed to want to believe him.
Then she looked away.
"I don't know what to think."
Caleb nodded.
"That's fair."
She looked surprised.
He continued.
"If I were in your position, I wouldn't know whether to trust me either."
For several seconds, the cabin was quiet.
Then he said, "You don't have to decide tonight."
Martha looked toward the window.
The storm was still raging.