Your family, Silus. All of you. Silas's throat worked. He opened his mouth, closed it, couldn't seem to find words, so he just nodded. The neighbors left one by one as full dark fell, but not before extracting promises that Mara would bring the children to the church social next month, that Silas would help with the autumn harvest, that they'd all look out for each other.
When the last wagon disappeared, Silas finally turned to Mara. I shouldn't have left you. You had to. I should have been here. You were.
Mara took his hand. You asked for help. You built something here, Silas. A community. People who care about you, about us.
You gave me that. Silus pulled her against him, buried his face in her hair. She felt him shaking. I thought I'd lost you, he whispered. When I came over that ridge and saw the crowd, I thought, I know, but you didn't.
We're here. We're safe. Because of them. because of you. They stood like that for a long time, holding each other in the darkness, while inside the cabin, the children settled in for the night, their voices rising in laughter because for once, just once, the monsters had been driven back. Later, after the children were asleep and a cold supper had been eaten, and Silas had checked every window latch twice, Mara sat beside him at the table and asked what he'd found in Rock Springs.
Silas pulled out a sheath of papers. Judge Thompson filed the guardianship papers. They're official as of today. If anything happens to you, the kids stay with me. Avery can't touch them.
And the other thing, the skeletons. Silus's smile was grim. Daniel had a deed. Mining rights to a silver claim in Montana. Filed it 3 months before he died.
It's worthless. The mine played out years ago, but Thomas doesn't know that. He thinks it's still producing. He's been trying to get his hands on it since Daniel passed. So Miller was right.
This was never about the children. Not for a second. Silas handed her another paper. This is the deed. It's legally yours now.
I had Thompson transfer it to your name. Mara stared at the document. You're giving me this? It was always yours, Mara. Daniel left it to you, not Thomas.
You. But if it's worthless, Thomas doesn't know that. And as long as he thinks you have something he wants, he's predictable. He'll try to negotiate, make deals. He won't risk a fight he might lose.
What if he finds out it's worthless? Then we deal with it then. Silus covered her hand with his. But I don't think he will. Men like Thomas see what they want to see, and right now he sees a fortune he can't reach.