For several minutes, the Harcourts did not exist.
Then hoofbeats arrived.
Silas.
Again.
Jonah’s good mood ended immediately.
Ruth dressed and went downstairs.
Silas looked exhausted.
Unshaven.
His coat dirty.
“I’ll testify.”
Ruth stopped.
Jonah stood behind her.
Silas continued.
“My father had the boardinghouse burned.”
“Can you prove it?”
“No.”
“Then don’t say it like fact.”
Silas looked at her.
That was something Daniel would have appreciated.
“I heard him order two men to frighten you.”
“Which men?”
He gave names.
Jonah recognized one.
A hired enforcer from Harcourt timber operations.
Silas continued.
“I can testify about the courtship.”
Ruth’s face became hard.
“All of it?”
“Yes.”
“That your father sent you?”
“Yes.”
“That you agreed to search my things?”
“Yes.”
“That you lied to me?”
Silas swallowed.
“Yes.”
Jonah’s fists tightened.
Ruth looked back.
“Don’t.”
“I’m doing nothing.”
“Very loudly.”
Silas continued.
“I also know about the forged loan documents.”
Ruth stared.
“How?”
“I kept books for the bank.”
“You signed some?”
“Yes.”
“Knowing?”
“Not at first.”
“And later?”
His eyes lowered.
“Yes.”
Ruth felt sick.
“How many families?”
“I don’t know.”
“Estimate.”
“More than eleven.”
Silence.
“Twenty?”
Silas nodded.
Ruth sat.
Jonah remained standing.
Silas removed a ledger from inside his coat.
“Original internal account book.”
Ruth stared.
“Where did you get it?”
“My father’s office.”
“You stole it.”
“Yes.”
Jonah almost smiled.
Silas placed it on the table.
“Payments to Pike.”
“Survey fees that don’t correspond to work.”
“Private purchases after foreclosure.”
“Names.”
“Dates.”
“Everything.”
Ruth opened it.
There.
Numbers.
Initials.
Transactions.
The case became larger in seconds.
Silas looked at her.
“I should have done this before.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yes.”
He waited for forgiveness.
Ruth gave him none.
Not because she planned never to.
Because apology did not create a deadline for the injured person.
Silas seemed to understand.
He left.
Jonah watched him disappear.
“He still loves you.”
Ruth looked at him.
“You’re jealous again.”
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised her.
Jonah continued.
“I would like him to fall from his horse.”
Ruth laughed.