They went.
At the kitchen table, Ruth placed three things in front of her.
Her wage envelope.
The Willow Ford deed.
Samuel’s ledger.
“I came here because I had nowhere else.”
Jonah listened.
“I stayed because I had work.”
“Then because my children were safe.”
“Then because I became useful in ways I had forgotten.”
Her voice shook.
“And somewhere in that, this stopped feeling temporary.”
Nell smiled.
Tom looked toward Jonah hopefully.
Ruth continued.
“I am not willing to remain as your employee indefinitely.”
Jonah nodded slowly.
“That is fair.”
“I want bookkeeping wages if I keep your accounts.”
“Of course.”
“I want my own money.”
“Yes.”
“I want Willow Ford to stay legally mine and pass to the children.”
“Yes.”
“And if we…”
She hesitated.
Jonah waited.
“If we marry…”
Tom gasped loudly.
Nell hit his arm.
Ruth almost lost her nerve.
Jonah did not smile.
Not yet.
He understood how serious this was.
Ruth continued.
“If we marry, I will not become dependent on your goodwill.”
Jonah pulled out a chair.
Sat across from her.
“What do you want?”
“A legal agreement.”
“Willow Ford stays yours.”
“Your wages stay yours.”
“If anything happens to me, this ranch provides for Nell and Tom.”
Ruth stared.
“You already thought about this?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“About three weeks after Tom put a frog in my boot.”
Tom looked proud.
Ruth covered her mouth.
Jonah’s eyes finally softened.
“I am not asking you to disappear into my life.”
“I am asking if you want to build one with me.”
Ruth looked at her children.
Nell was crying.
Tom looked confused but excited.
Ruth looked back at Jonah.
“Are you proposing to me over cattle ledgers?”
“I can stand up if that improves things.”
Ruth laughed.
Jonah stood.
Then, surprisingly, dropped to one knee.
Ruth stared.
The children went completely silent.
Jonah took her hand.
“Ruth Alden.”
“I am not asking you because I need a cook.”
“Ben already knows where the biscuits are.”
From outside, Ben shouted:
“I heard that.”
Everyone laughed.
Jonah continued.
“I am not asking because the house is lonely.”
“I can survive loneliness.”
“I am asking because I do not want a life where you and these children are visitors.”
Ruth’s eyes filled.
“I want arguments over accounts.”
“I want muddy boots.”
“I want Tom breaking things.”
Tom protested.
“I want Nell correcting my newspaper reading.”
Nell smiled.