His vest sat straight.
His boots had been polished despite the muddy street.
His eyes went first to Lucy, then Emily.
"Mrs. Reed."
Emily removed her gloves.
"Mr. Reed."
Charles smiled.
It didn't reach his eyes.
Nathan said nothing.
Judge Walter Briggs entered shortly afterward, carrying a leather portfolio beneath one arm.
With him came Edward Walsh, Charles's attorney.
Walsh was a neat man with silver spectacles and a habit of smoothing his cuffs before he spoke.
The hearing began quietly.
Judge Briggs reviewed Nathan's ranch accounts, schooling arrangements for Lucy, church attendance, statements from Helen Foster and Reverend Hail.
Then Walsh stood.
"Mr. Reed's household may look considerably improved," he said, "but the court should remember how this marriage began."
Nathan's gaze remained forward.
Walsh turned toward Emily.
"You married Mr. Reed only hours after meeting him."
"Yes."
"After he offered financial security."
"He offered terms, and you accepted."
"I accepted after meeting Lucy."
Walsh smiled faintly.
"But money was part of the arrangement."
"So was my right to leave."
The smile disappeared.
Walsh walked slowly toward the window.
"Mrs. Reed, you were 32 years old and unmarried when Nathan Reed walked into the Copper Star."
Nathan's fingers curled against his knee.
Emily saw it.
"That's correct."
"You supported yourself by sewing and keeping books at this boarding house, among other work, and you had no property of consequence."
"No."
Walsh faced the judge.
"Then a prosperous rancher offered marriage, a home, and security."
He looked back at Emily.
"Would it be unfair to say the opportunity was unusually favorable to a woman in your position?"
The room changed, not loudly.
Helen's coffee cup stopped halfway to her mouth.
Nathan's enormous hand closed.
Emily placed hers over it beneath the table.
His fist slowly opened.
She looked at Walsh.
"You can ask what you mean."
Walsh adjusted his spectacles.
"I believe I did."
"No, you dressed it up."
Emily's voice remained level.
"Ask me plain."
Charles shifted in his chair.
Walsh's mouth tightened.
"Very well."
"Did you marry Nathan Reed because you believed another offer of marriage was unlikely?"
Nathan turned toward her.
Emily didn't look at him.
"I married Nathan Reed because a frightened little girl had packed her life into a flower sack."
Silence.
"And if you're asking whether I knew people considered me an unlikely bride, I knew it long before you walked into this room."
Walsh started to speak.
A knock interrupted him.
The door opened.
Jack Turner entered.
For one second, Emily thought she had mistaken him.
Then Jack removed his hat.
Nathan rose halfway.
"Jack."
Jack wouldn't meet his eyes.
Charles did.
Emily understood first.
"Sit down, Nathan."
His head turned toward her.
"Sit."
Slowly, he did.
Walsh called Jack forward.
Jack admitted he'd carried a letter from Charles to Lucy during the winter.
"You knew what was inside?" Judge Briggs asked.
"No, sir."
"You took money?"
Jack stared at his hat.
"$2."
Nathan's face went blank.
Jack swallowed.
"Charles said it was family business. Said Nathan wouldn't want him coming around Double Pine."
"Why not give the letter to Nathan?"
Briggs asked.
Jack's ears reddened.
"Because he told me not to."
"And that didn't concern you?"
Jack's answer came slowly.
"I was angry."
His eyes flicked toward Emily.
"Things changed after she came."
Nathan started to speak, but Jack continued.
"Nathan started asking her about supplies, accounts, started listening to her."
There it was.
Not some grand conspiracy, something smaller, meaner because of it.
A man's wounded pride had opened a gate.
Jack finally looked at Emily.
"I didn't know Lucy would run."
Emily said nothing.
Nathan did.
"You don't get to make that the important part."
Jack flinched.
Nathan's voice remained quiet.
"You carried something to a child behind my back because you were angry."
Jack looked down.
"I'm sorry."
Nathan stared at him for several seconds.
"So am I."
Judge Briggs called for a short recess.
People had gathered outside by then.
Word traveled fast in Red Willow.
By the time Emily stepped into the hallway, men were standing on the stairs. More waited below near the Copper Star, drawn by the mention of forged papers, disputed land, and a ranch hand admitting he'd secretly carried letters.
Helen came beside Emily.
"You're pale."
"I'm thinking about what?"
"Martin Bell."
Emily looked toward the desk downstairs.
"I need the old register."
Helen blinked.
"The boarding house book."
"And I need to know whether George still has those land notices the broker left in the saloon."
"I expect he does."
Emily started downstairs.
Nathan followed.
At the bottom, George Miller emerged from the Copper Star carrying a wooden box.
"Whole town's turned my saloon into a courthouse waiting room," he complained.
Then he saw Emily.
His expression changed.
"What do you need?"
"The October land notices."
George studied her.
"Still got them."
"Bring them."
Within minutes, Emily had the Willow House register open across the saloon bar.