Worse than broke. Died owing money to some very unpleasant people. But that's not why I'm here. Cutler handed the paper to Silas. This came through legal channels.
Avery had no other heirs. His entire estate. What little there is after his debts are settled goes to his late brother's children. Your children, Mrs. Hawthorne.
Silas read the document quickly. It's not much. Maybe $300 after everything's paid off. That's $300 more than they had yesterday. Cutler said, "Thought you should know." After the sheriff left, Silas and Mara stood in the yard trying to process what they just learned.
"He's really gone," Mara said quietly. "The threat. It's really over." "Yeah, it is. I should feel something, shouldn't I? relief, happiness, something. Silus put his arm around her.
You don't owe him anything, Mara. Not even your feelings. I know. It's just She looked down at Grace, who was grabbing at her mother's hair and cooing. He could have been part of this.
If he just let go of his greed, his need to control everything. He could have known these children. Could have been family. Instead, he died alone and angry, chasing money that didn't even exist. That was his choice.
I know. She leaned against Silas, feeling the solid warmth of him. I just I'm grateful we made different choices, that we chose love over everything else. Me, too, he kissed the top of her head. What do you want to do with the money?
Mara thought for a moment. Save it. For the children's future. Maybe Jonah will want to buy land someday. Or maybe Eliza will want to go to teachers college.
Or maybe we'll use it to expand the cabin when Grace gets older and needs her own room. She smiled up at him. We have time to decide. Yeah, we do. They went back inside together.
And that night at dinner, Mara told the children about their uncle's death and the small inheritance. The reactions were mixed. Sadness that they'd never really known him. Relief that he couldn't hurt them anymore. Confusion about what it all meant.
"Does this mean we're rich?" Clara asked, eyes wide. "No, sweetheart," Mara said, laughing. just a little less poor, but it means you kids will have some money set aside for when you're older for education or land or whatever you need. I want a pony, Catherine announced. We'll see about that. After dinner, while the younger children played with Grace on a blanket near the fire, Jonah approached Silas where he sat mending a harness.