“I worked here one winter.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“When?”
“Eleven years ago.”
She stared.
“I was here.”
“You were eighteen.”
“You remember me?”
“Yes.”
She searched his face.
Eleven years had changed him.
His beard then? Maybe younger with less beard. A broad silent freight hand who slept in loft one winter?
Memory stirred.
There had been a young man with bruised knuckles who worked for meals after coming down from pass.
He repaired harness.
Never joined dances.
Left before spring.
She remembered almost nothing else.
“You.”
The mountain man smiled faintly.
“I had less beard.”
“You stole biscuits.”
“You left them near stove.”
“They were cooling.”
“I misunderstood.”
She almost smiled.
Then stopped.
“My father trusted you enough with deed.”
“He caught me returning money.”
“What?”
“Customer overpaid.”
“I was hungry.”
“Needed every cent.”
“I brought it back.”
“He said a man who returns money when nobody knows it’s missing can carry paper.”
“That sounds like him.”
The woman looked at lantern.
“Why didn’t you remember me when you arrived?”
“I remembered.”
“You acted like you didn’t.”
“I wasn’t sure you remembered me.”
“That isn’t answer.”
He considered.
“I did not want familiarity to make you think I expected anything.”
She looked.
“Because of contract?”
“I knew your brother was trying to make arrangement.”
“You knew before?”
“He wrote.”
Her jaw tightened.
“What did letter say?”
The mountain man hesitated.
She waited.
“He said stable available.”
“Also said his sister was ‘practical woman, no romantic nonsense, strong enough for mountain life.’”
The woman’s face went dead.
He continued quickly.
“I came because stable and horses interested me.”
“Not proposal.”
“Did you know he meant marriage?”
“I suspected after second letter.”
“Then why come?”
“To tell him no in person and look at horses.”
“And deed?”
“I brought because I learned record missing.”
She studied.
“Were you ever going to show me?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Before any sale.”
“Why not immediately?”
He looked down.
“I wanted to confirm with you first that your father had not changed intent.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Everyone wants to confirm whether dead men changed minds.”
“Fair.”
He met eyes.
“I should have shown you at once.”
She appreciated no defense.
“What does your winter work involve?”
“Guiding mining supply through north pass.”
“Twelve pack animals?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll destroy soft horses.”
“I know.”
“I choose which.”
“Agreed.”
“You pay half upfront.”
He raised eyebrows.
“That’s not standard.”
“My stable.”
He smiled slightly.
“Half.”
“If title dispute?”
“Still paying for service.”