Gideon stood beside Lydia until the rider disappeared.
Then he turned.
She was pale.
Her hands were trembling.
He reached toward her but stopped.
"Lydia?"
She looked up.
Her voice was barely audible.
"He's alive."
Gideon nodded slowly.
"It seems so."
Tears filled her eyes.
"He knows where I am."
"Yes."
She looked toward the forest.
For a moment, she seemed to shrink inside herself.
Then Gideon spoke softly.
"Come inside."
Lydia turned toward him.
He held out his hand.
She stared at it.
Then placed hers inside.
Together, they entered the cabin.
And for the first time, Lydia understood that the man she had believed dead might try to reclaim not only his old business records but the life she was beginning to build without him.
After Harris Crowe left, Gideon did not ask Lydia to explain herself.
He fed the stove.
Checked the door latch.
Brought fresh water inside.
Then set the kettle near the fire.
His movements were deliberate, almost ordinary, but Lydia could see the strain beneath them.
She sat in her wide wooden chair with her hands folded tightly in her lap.
For years, she had imagined Everett Bowman returning.
At first, the dreams had been so vivid that she woke convinced he was standing beside the bed.
Later, the fear became less frequent.
Then she moved to a different boardinghouse.
Found work.
Answered Gideon's advertisement.
And slowly began believing that the worst part of her life had ended.
Now a stranger had ridden out of the snow to tell her that the man who caused those nightmares was alive.
She stared at the stove.
Gideon placed a cup of tea on the small table beside her.
"Careful. It's hot."
She nodded.
But did not lift it.
He sat across from her.
For several moments, neither spoke.
Then Lydia whispered, "I don't understand."
Gideon waited.
"I saw the death notice."
He nodded.
"There was a funeral."
Her voice trembled.
"I stood beside the grave."
Gideon's expression softened.
"Did you see his body?"
She shook her head.
"They said it was too badly burned."
"Who identified him?"
"His business partner."
"Do you remember the man's name?"
Lydia closed her eyes.
"Charles Vane."
Gideon went still.
She opened her eyes.
"What?"
He leaned forward.
"Elias wrote that Everett was using the name Edward Vane."
Lydia stared.
"Edward?"
Gideon nodded.
She looked down.
"Charles Vane was Everett's partner. He handled the funeral arrangements."
Gideon studied her.
"Could Charles and Edward be connected?"
Lydia considered it.
"Charles had a younger brother."
Gideon's eyes narrowed.
"What was his name?"
She stared at him.
Then her voice became very small.
"Edward."