He considered.
“You are.”
Gideon nearly fell from the chair laughing.
Martha threw flour at Thomas.
It hit his beard.
Eli entered at that moment.
He stared.
“Should I leave?”
“Yes,” Thomas said.
“No,” Martha said.
Eli smiled.
For the first time since arriving half-frozen at their door, he looked sixteen instead of thirty.
Spring came slowly.
Snow withdrew.
Streams filled.
The mountains turned green.
Gideon decided to rebuild a small cabin several miles downriver with Eli.
Thomas offered land.
Gideon refused.
“I've taken enough from you.”
Thomas’s expression hardened.
“You saved my life.”
“And lost twenty years.”
“You still think everything needs balancing.”
“So do you.”
The brothers stared.
Martha stepped between them.
“You are both exhausting.”
They stopped.
Gideon smiled.
“Now I understand.”
“Understand what?”
“Why Thomas obeys you.”
Thomas objected.
“I don't.”
Martha looked at him.
He sighed.
“Usually.”
Gideon left before Thomas could reconsider.
On the first warm evening after the snow finally disappeared from the north side of the cabin, Martha sat on the porch shelling peas.
Thomas came from the barn.
He was clean.
Suspiciously clean.
Hair tied back.
Fresh shirt.
No fur vest.
Martha narrowed her eyes.
“What did you break?”
“Nothing.”
“Are you ill?”
“No.”
“Did you lose a bet?”
Thomas sat beside her.
“Martha.”
She looked at him.
He seemed nervous.
Thomas Vale, who had walked alone toward armed men, looked nervous.
That delighted her.
“What?”
“I said I'd ask before spring.”
Martha’s hands stopped.
“It is technically spring.”
“Barely.”
“I got delayed.”
“Armed conspiracy?”
“Yes.”
“Reasonable.”
Thomas reached into his pocket.
He did not produce a ring.
He produced a spoon.
Martha stared.
A carved wooden spoon.
Beautifully made.
Along the handle he had carved small mountain flowers.
Martha’s eyes filled.
“You carved this?”
“It took five tries.”
“Why a spoon?”
Thomas looked embarrassed.
“The night Eli came.”
“When everything changed.”
“You were making soup.”
“You told me to ask properly.”
Martha held the spoon.
Thomas continued.
“I thought about a ring.”
“But you don't wear them while cooking.”
“They catch.”
“You said that once.”
Martha stared at him.
He had remembered.
Thomas took her free hand.
“Martha Bell.”
His voice trembled.
“I don't want you because you cook.”
“I don't want you because this cabin needs somebody.”