“She ate meals here.”
Clara laughed bitterly.
“That is part of my wages.”
“Not according to—”
Nathaniel lifted one finger.
Martha stopped.
He pointed toward an earlier page.
“Employment terms.”
“Room and board included.”
Martha’s face changed.
Clara stared.
“I've never seen that.”
“Your husband wrote it.”
Martha looked furious.
Nathaniel continued.
“Then interest.”
“Seven percent.”
“On what?”
“Running debt.”
“The original amount was eleven dollars.”
Clara looked at Martha.
“My medicine.”
Martha nodded.
Nathaniel said:
“Which Clara repaid three years ago if wages are credited correctly.”
Silence.
Clara stared.
“What?”
“You don't owe twenty-three dollars.”
He turned the ledger around.
“Best I can tell, Martha owes you nineteen.”
Martha exploded.
“That is absurd!”
People inside the store turned.
Nathaniel remained calm.
“You paid her one dollar and fifty cents per week.”
“When work was available.”
“Docked for meals despite written terms.”
“Docked for supplies.”
“Charged interest after principal was repaid.”
Martha grabbed the ledger.
Nathaniel let her.
She flipped pages angrily.
“You have no right to interpret my accounts.”
Nathaniel looked toward Clara.
“No.”
“She does.”
Clara held out her hand.
Martha stared.
“The book.”