She stood silently.
Elias glanced toward the empty place beside the fire.
"Would you like to sit?"
She hesitated.
Then lowered herself onto a flat stone.
He sat opposite her.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Finally, she asked, "Are you disappointed?"
Elias frowned.
"About what?"
"That my father offered you me instead of land."
He looked at her.
The question carried no bitterness on the surface.
Only weary resignation.
That made it worse.
"I reckon I'm confused," he admitted.
She gave a faint laugh.
"That makes two of us."
Elias smiled.
Then grew serious.
"I didn't agree to marry you."
She lowered her head.
"I know."
"I told your father we ought to have a say in it."
Her fingers tightened around the edge of her veil.
For a moment, he feared he had embarrassed her.
Then she whispered, "Thank you."
Elias looked surprised.
"For what?"
"For asking whether I wanted it."
He studied her.
"Nobody asked?"
She shook her head.
The fire crackled.
Elias felt an unfamiliar anger rise.
Not toward her.
Toward the circumstances that made a grown woman grateful for such a simple question.
He looked toward the dark mountains.
"Do you want to marry me?"
She was silent for a long time.
Then answered honestly.
"I don't know you."
Elias smiled faintly.
"That's what I told your father."
She laughed softly.
This time, the sound was warmer.
He looked back at her.
"Seems like a sensible place to start."
She nodded.
Then asked, "Do you believe I am cursed?"
"No."
"You haven't seen my face."
"Doesn't make curses real."
She studied him through the veil.
"Men who came near me suffered misfortune."
Elias shrugged.
"Men suffer misfortune all over the territory."
"One broke his leg."
"Horses do that to men."
"Another lost his wagon in a flood."
"Rivers do that too."
She was silent.
Then asked, "And if you marry me and something terrible happens?"
Elias looked toward the stars.
"Then I reckon something terrible happened."
He turned back.
"Wouldn't make it your fault."
The woman sat motionless.
Then she lowered her head.
For a moment, Elias thought she might be crying.
He resisted the urge to approach.
Instead, he reached into his pocket and removed a small strip of blue ribbon.
He had purchased it in Lark Spur Flat intending to use it to mark a repaired bridle.
Now he held it out.
"I brought this from town."
The woman looked up.
"For me?"
"Wasn't originally, but I reckon it might suit you better than my horse."
She laughed unexpectedly.
"Your horse?"
"He's handsome enough, but he doesn't appreciate ribbons."
She slowly reached out.
A gloved hand emerged beneath the veil.
She accepted the gift.
For several seconds, she examined the bright blue cloth.
Then whispered, "Why?"
Elias shrugged.
"Because everybody ought to receive something simply because somebody thought of them."
The woman said nothing.
Then she tied the ribbon carefully around her wrist.
"My name is Ren."