"My wife."
Clara felt sick.
"I was never your wife."
His smile disappeared.
"I mourned you."
"You left me to die."
"I thought you were already dead."
"You didn't check."
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed.
"You're making accusations."
"I am making promises."
He stepped forward.
"What promises?"
"That you will answer for what you did."
Nathaniel laughed.
"To whom?"
Elias stepped out.
"To me."
Nathaniel looked at him.
"Boone."
"Voss."
"You should stay out of this."
"I tried."
Nathaniel's hand moved toward his gun.
Elias's rifle was already aimed.
"Don't."
The men behind Nathaniel stopped.
Sheriff Mercer rode through the gate.
Nathaniel smiled.
"Excellent."
The sheriff dismounted.
"Clara Whitmore."
"Yes?"
"I need you to come with me."
Elias looked at him.
"On what charge?"
"Forgery."
Clara frowned.
Nathaniel smiled.
"You see?"
He turned toward her.
"You should have stayed dead."
Clara stepped forward.
"You forged land deeds."
Nathaniel laughed.
"Can you prove it?"
Elias held up the notebook.
Nathaniel's face changed.
Then Samuel stepped forward.
"And I have the originals."
Nathaniel went silent.
Sheriff Mercer looked between them.
"Where did you get those?"
Samuel answered.
"From my office."
The sheriff stared at Nathaniel.
"You lied to me."
Nathaniel's face hardened.
"You don't understand."
"I understand enough."
Nathaniel drew his pistol.
Everything happened at once.
The sheriff fired.
Nathaniel's gun fell.
His men surrendered.
One tried to run.
Ruth shot into the dirt beside him.
He stopped.
Elias stared at her.
Ruth lowered the rifle.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Good."
Nathaniel was arrested.
But before he was taken away, he looked at Clara.
"This isn't over."
She walked closer.
For the first time, she wasn't afraid.
"It is for me."
— The Trial
The trial lasted two weeks.
Nathaniel's crimes were larger than anyone expected.
The forged deeds led to stolen land.
The stolen land led to unpaid debts.
The debts led to violence.
Three families testified.
Then five.
Then twelve.
People who had been afraid to speak finally stepped forward.
Clara testified last.
She entered the courtroom wearing a plain blue dress.
Nathaniel watched her.
The judge asked:
"Mrs. Voss, tell the court what happened."
Clara took a breath.
"He tried to kill me."
The courtroom became silent.
"He left me in the snow."
Nathaniel shook his head.
"That's a lie."
The judge struck the desk.
"Silence."
Clara continued.
"I thought I was going to die."
Her voice trembled.
"But someone found me."
She looked toward Elias.
He sat in the back.
"He didn't ask me what I was worth."
Elias lowered his eyes.
"He didn't ask who my father was."
Clara continued.
"He didn't ask whether I could give him children."