Nothing. But you spent your time helping me. Taza stood. You needed help. That doesn't mean you shouldn't be paid.
He looked at her for a moment. Not everything needs payment. Then he mounted his horse. Clara watched him ride away. Something about him stayed in her thoughts.
Not his appearance, not his strength. His kindness. Over the next few weeks, Clara began seeing Taza around town. She noticed things other people ignored. She saw him carry a heavy sack for an elderly shopkeeper.
She saw him stop when a frightened child lost her doll. She saw him repair a broken gate without being asked. One evening, Clara watched Taza quietly leave a bundle of supplies outside Mrs. Whittaker's back door. She opened the door.
Taza was already walking away. Mr. Running Hawk. He stopped. Mrs.
Whittaker smiled. Thank you. Taza nodded once. Then he continued down the road. Clara stood behind the doorway watching.
Later that evening, she asked Mrs. Whittaker about him. The older woman sighed. Taza has always been that way. Why does everyone say he's strange?
Because people don't understand quiet men. Clara smiled. I don't think he's strange. Whittaker looked at her. You might want to be careful.
Why? Because a woman can get attached to a man like Taza before she realizes it. Clara lowered her eyes. I don't think that's possible. But she wasn't entirely certain.
A few days later, Clara met Taza again near the river. She was carrying a basket of clothes when one of the straps broke. The basket fell. Taza appeared behind her. He picked it up.
"You again? " Clara said with a small smile. "Yes. " "Do you always appear whenever something breaks? " "Maybe everything breaks when I'm nearby. " Clara laughed. It was the first time Taza had heard her laugh. He looked at her for a second longer than necessary. Then he handed her the basket.
"Thank you. " Taza nodded. Clara hesitated. "Can I ask you something? " "Yes. " "Why do you help everyone? " He looked toward the river. "Because someone once helped me. " "And that's enough reason? " "Yes. " Clara studied his face. "There must be more. " Taza's expression changed slightly.
"There isn't. " She knew he was hiding something, but she didn't press him. Instead, she walked beside him toward town. For the first time in many years, Taza didn't mind having someone beside him. Weeks passed. Their conversations became longer.
Clara would sometimes visit the edge of Taza's property to bring supplies or ask about plants she wanted to grow. Taza always told himself she was simply being friendly. When she didn't come, he noticed when she laughed. He noticed when she was tired. He noticed everything.
That frightened him. One evening, Clara's relatives arrived in town. They had heard she was living alone and wanted her to return home. Her older brother spoke harshly. "You have embarrassed the family enough. " Clara stood quietly.