Heard you had someone staying out at your place. Mrs. Patterson's gaze slid to Nora, calculating and cold. A woman with a child. Mrs.
Gray is my housekeeper, Elias said, his voice taking on an edge. She's working for wages, same as my hands. If that's a problem for you, I can take my business to Miller's place in the next town. Mrs. Patterson's expression soured, but she nodded.
No problem at all, just making conversation. But as Nora browsed the store with Tommy, she felt eyes on her back, heard the whispers starting even before they left. That's her, the widow woman. Showed up out of nowhere, I heard, half dead. Convenient, isn't it?
Man like Elias Ward, all alone, and a pretty woman just happens to need help. You think he's What else would she be doing there? And that boy, whose is he really? Nora's face burned, but she kept her head high. She had endured worse.
She could endure this. Elias appeared at her elbow, his expression thunderous. "Got what we need. Let's go. " Outside, a small crowd had gathered, women mostly, clustered near the church steps, watching with barely concealed judgement. One of them, an older woman with gray hair and a face like a dried apple, called out, "Elias Ward, you bringing women of ill repute into our town now? " Elias stopped cold.
Nora grabbed his arm, feeling the tension coiled in his muscles. "Don't," she whispered. "It'll only make it worse. " But Elias shook her off gently and turned to face the women. When he spoke, his voice carried across the street, cold and hard as iron. "Mrs.
Crowley, Mrs. Patterson, ladies, Mrs. Gray is a widow who needed work. I hired her. She lives in my house, yes, but under my roof, she and her son are under my protection.
If anyone has a problem with that, they can take it up with me directly. But I'd advise against spreading gossip about a woman who's done nothing wrong except survive circumstances beyond her control. We clear? " The women shifted uncomfortably, but Mrs. Crowley wasn't finished. "It's not proper, Elias.
A single woman living with a single man. People will talk. " "People always talk," Elias said flatly. "Let them. " "Mrs. Gray is staying. End of discussion. " He turned his back on them, a deliberate dismissal, and helped Nora and Tommy into the wagon.
As they pulled away, Nora looked back to see the women still clustered together, their mouths moving with furious speculation. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to cause you trouble. " "You didn't cause anything," Elias replied, his hands tight on the reins. "Small-minded people cause their own trouble. Don't worry about them. " But Nora did worry.
She worried that the gossip would damage Elias's reputation, make it harder for him to do business. She worried that Tommy would hear the cruel words and understand what they meant. She worried that eventually, Elias would decide they weren't worth the trouble. Tommy, oblivious to the tension, chattered happily about the things he'd seen in town. Elias let the boy's voice fill the silence, not contributing, but not stopping him either.