“People will talk.”
Lena glanced around.
“They already do.”
Silence.
Caroline’s cheeks colored.
Lena picked up the gold coin.
Then the Dutch oven.
Martha appeared beside her.
“You're going.”
Lena looked at her.
“I haven't decided.”
“Yes, you have.”
“No.”
“You’re holding that paper like someone might steal it.”
Lena looked down.
She was.
Martha smiled.
“Go home.”
“Pack.”
“Read every line twice.”
“Then go make eighty men fat enough to survive winter.”
Lena laughed.
“What if he's dangerous?”
Martha’s expression changed.
“Then come back.”
“Simple?”
“No.”
“Nothing is simple.”
She touched Lena’s shoulder.
“But you have spent four years living a safe life everyone else chose for you.”
Lena looked toward the doorway.
Snow continued falling.
Martha lowered her voice.
“Maybe choose one dangerous thing yourself.”
At one forty-eight, Lena arrived at the stable wearing her dusty-rose dress beneath a heavy brown coat.
One trunk.
Dutch oven.
Bread knife.
Recipe book.
Rolling pin.
Nothing else she considered irreplaceable.
Nathaniel stood beside a large freight sleigh.
He looked at the trunk.
Then at Lena.
“You came.”
She frowned.
“Don't sound surprised.”
“I’m not.”
“You looked surprised.”
“I’m pleased.”
That was worse.
Lena looked toward the horses so he would not see her face.
Nathaniel lifted the trunk.
“You read it?”
“Four times.”
“Questions?”
“Yes.”
He waited.
Lena pulled out the contract.
“Six hundred dollars, paid half immediately and half March first.”
“Yes.”
“If you terminate without cause, I keep the first half.”
“Yes.”
“If I leave without cause, I return seventy-five dollars.”
“Yes.”
“You wrote this?”
“My lawyer.”
“You have a lawyer?”
Nathaniel stared.
“I own eighteen thousand acres.”
“That does seem lawyer-worthy.”
He smiled faintly.
Lena continued.
“Who decides whether cause exists?”
“You and me first.”
“If we disagree?”
“Reverend Cole in Black Ridge.”
“Why him?”
“He hates me.”
Lena blinked.
Nathaniel shrugged.
“Good neutral man.”
She laughed.
Then became serious.
“Private room.”
“Yes.”
“With a lock.”
“Yes.”
“I keep the key.”
“Yes.”
“No man enters without permission.”
“Yes.”
“No exceptions?”
“Fire.”
“Medical emergency.”
“Bear.”
Lena stared.
“Bear?”
“Rare.”
“That was not reassuring.”
Nathaniel put the trunk on the sleigh.
“You still coming?”
She looked at the town behind her.
Two rented rooms.