Chapter 9
“He decided he would marry me. His father thought it amusing. His mother thought it charitable. Everyone around me spoke as though my agreement were unnecessary.”
“What happened when you refused?”
“He smiled.”
The way she said it made my skin crawl.
“He told me I was frightened and confused. Then he told the household I had accepted.”
My fingers tightened around the rifle.
“I tried to leave once.”
“What happened?”
“He found me before I reached the river.”
A long silence.
“What did he do?”
Cora looked toward the black window.
“He brought me back.”
That was not an answer, but something in her expression warned me not to demand more.
So I changed the question.
“How did you finally escape?”
“One of the kitchen maids helped me leave through the service entrance before dawn. I took what money I had saved. I changed trains twice. I cut my hair.”
She touched the dark strands now pinned behind her head.
“I thought about going east. Then I saw the agency notice.”
My laugh held no humor.
“And found me.”
“I found your letter.”
“So you chose the most isolated fool available.”
Her face tightened.
“That is not fair.”
“Isn’t it?”
“No.”
“Did you want a husband?”
“I wanted distance.”
The words struck exactly where they were meant to.
I looked away.
She went on quickly.
“But I also wanted a life he could not simply take back.”
“So I was camouflage.”
“At first.”
At first.
I hated that those two words mattered too.
I stood, using my cane.
Pain ran through my leg.
Cora moved instinctively to help.
I stepped away.
“I can manage.”
“I know.”
“No, you seem to believe I need protecting from everything except the truth.”
Her face changed.
I regretted the words almost immediately.
But I meant them.
“I did not know you,” she said.
“You married me.”
“You bought my journey after exchanging two letters with me.”
“That’s different?”
“No.”
Her honesty stopped me.
She looked down at her hands.
“I was afraid.”
I wanted to stay angry.
Anger was easier than understanding.
“I intended to tell you once I knew what kind of man you were.”
“And what kind am I?”
“I had not decided.”
“Comforting.”
“You frightened me at first.”
I almost laughed.
“You?”
“Yes.”
I gestured at her revolver.
“You arrived armed.”
“You had dead animals on the table.”
“That was different.”