“Then what?”
“It frightens me.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to believe you.”
Silas stopped breathing for a moment.
Clara looked away.
“Sleep.”
she said.
“Before I become foolish.”
Silas laid blankets near hearth.
Clara climbed into bed.
The frame creaked under her.
She froze.
Silas looked over.
Clara’s face burned.
He crossed room.
She immediately tensed.
He crouched beside bed frame.
Examined.
Then walked to wall.
Picked up two thick timber blocks.
He slid them beneath center supports.
Clara stared.
“Did you build this bed?”
“Yes.”
“For your size?”
“No.”
Silas checked support.
“For yours.”
Clara’s heart stopped.
“What?”
He realized.
Closed eyes.
Too late.
Clara sat upright.
“You expected me.”
Silas stood slowly.
“You said you didn't know I would come.”
“I didn't know when.”
“Silas.”
He looked at her.
“Your mother asked my father to prepare this cabin for you.”
“Before you were born.”
Clara stared.
“The wide stairs.”
“Yes.”
“The large chair.”
“Yes.”
“The shirt.”
“Yes.”
“The bed.”
“Yes.”
“My mother knew I would be…”
She could not finish.
Silas understood.
“No.”
Clara frowned.
“She could not know your adult size.”
“Then why?”
Silas looked around.
“Because Eleanor was large too.”
Clara blinked.
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
“Not as large as you became.”
“But substantial.”
“She hated narrow furniture.”
“She told Father that a house should fit people, not punish them.”
Clara’s eyes filled instantly.
Her mother in Baltimore had always dressed tightly.
Structured bodices.
Dark colors.
Trying to appear smaller.
Clara remembered none of her as openly large.
“Father made her diet.”
Silas looked bitter.
“Probably.”
“She used to eat almost nothing at dinner.”
“In Colorado she ate whatever she wanted.”
Clara began crying again.
Silas stayed by foot of bed.
Clara whispered:
“I wish I knew her here.”
Silas nodded.
“So did she.”
“What do you mean?”
Silas went to iron box.
He brought journal.
Placed beside Clara.
“She wrote for you.”
Clara stared.
“All of it?”
“Mostly.”
“Why didn’t you give immediately?”
“Because three armed men were chasing you.”
“You are infuriating.”
“I’ve heard.”
She almost smiled.