The children were sent upstairs.
Nobody wanted them to go.
Emily clung to Abigail's skirt until Ruth finally carried her away.
"Don't let them take you," Emily whispered.
Abigail kissed her forehead.
"They won't."
She hoped she was telling the truth.
Sheriff Reed stood awkwardly inside the parlor.
He had known the Brooks family for years.
He had also known Walter Carter for years, which perhaps explained why he looked as though he regretted accepting the position of sheriff at all.
Walter remained near the doorway with Margaret.
Nathaniel faced them.
"What's the accusation?"
Walter answered before the sheriff could.
"You paid money for Abigail."
"Yes."
"You took her home."
"Yes."
"Then you admit it."
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed.
"I admit giving money to a greedy man who refused to stop exploiting his adult daughter."
Walter lunged.
Sheriff Reed stepped between them.
"Enough."
Abigail spoke.
"What exactly does my father want?"
Everyone looked at her.
Walter's expression softened falsely.
"We want you home."
"No, you don't."
Margaret crossed her arms.
"Don't be ungrateful."
Abigail almost laughed.
"Ungrateful?"
"We raised you."
"You counted money while I begged you not to send me away."
Margaret's face hardened.
"We did what we had to."
"No."
Abigail's voice trembled.
"You did what was profitable."
Sheriff Reed cleared his throat.
"Miss Carter, are you here voluntarily?"
"Yes."
"Are you free to leave?"
"Yes."
"Does Mr. Brooks pay you?"
"Every Saturday."
Walter interrupted.
"She's been brainwashed."
Nathaniel moved.
Abigail raised a hand.
"I can speak for myself."
Nathaniel stopped.
Walter stared at her.
Abigail walked toward him.
For most of her life, her father had seemed enormous.
Now she realized he was simply a man who had built his size from other people's fear.
"You told me nobody would want me because I can't have children."
Walter sneered.
"It's true."
"No."
Abigail shook her head.
"You told yourself that because it made it easier to treat me like something broken."
Margaret scoffed.
"Listen to her now. Living in a rich man's house has made her proud."
Abigail looked at her mother.
"I wish it had."
Margaret blinked.
"I wish somebody had taught me pride years ago."
Abigail's voice grew steadier.
"Maybe then I wouldn't have spent twenty-two years believing love was something I had to earn."
The sheriff looked toward Walter.
"Do you have anything besides the claim that Brooks paid you?"
Walter produced a paper.
"Yes."
Nathaniel recognized it immediately.
A copy of their agreement.
Walter pointed to the amount.
"That's payment."
Fletcher's voice came from the porch.
"Interesting interpretation."
Everyone turned.
Charles Fletcher entered, stamping snow from his shoes.
Nathaniel had sent Samuel through the back path to the neighbor's house before the children went upstairs. The neighbor had telephoned Fletcher.
The lawyer removed his gloves.
"Evening."
Walter cursed under his breath.
Fletcher took the document.
"This states that Mr. and Mrs. Carter acknowledge receiving money in full settlement of any claimed debt for Abigail's upbringing and agree never to seize, garnish, demand, or otherwise interfere with her earnings."
He looked at the sheriff.
"It doesn't transfer Abigail to anyone."
Sheriff Reed nodded slowly.
Fletcher continued.
"In fact, it repeatedly identifies her as an independent adult."
Walter's face reddened.
"I didn't understand it."
"You signed it."
"Brooks threatened to leave with the money."
Fletcher smiled without humor.
"That's called declining a transaction."
Margaret suddenly shouted, "We deserve something!"
The room went silent.
Walter stared at her.
Margaret realized too late what she had revealed.
Fletcher asked, "For what?"
Margaret's mouth tightened.
"For raising her."
Abigail closed her eyes.
Even after everything, hearing her mother say it hurt.
Nathaniel stepped beside Abigail.
Not in front of her.
Beside her.
Fletcher turned to the sheriff.
"Unless Miss Carter wants to file a complaint concerning her father's previous attempt to physically remove her from Willow Creek, I believe we're finished."
Sheriff Reed looked at Abigail.
Walter went pale.
Nathaniel said nothing.
The decision belonged to her.
Abigail thought of Walter gripping her wrist.
She thought of the doctor's paper being torn.
She thought of being pushed toward Nathaniel.
Finally she said, "I don't want him arrested."
Walter's shoulders relaxed.
Abigail continued.
"But I want it recorded that he's not welcome here."
The sheriff nodded.
"That can be done."
"And if he comes back?"
"Then we'll handle it."
Walter stared at his daughter.
"You'd choose strangers over your own family?"
Abigail looked toward the staircase.
Five children were probably listening from above.
Then she looked at Nathaniel.
"They stopped being strangers a long time ago."
Walter left.
Margaret followed.
Neither said goodbye.
Abigail watched through the window as their truck disappeared into the snow.
She expected to feel devastated.
Instead she felt exhausted.
And free.
The children came downstairs before anyone called them.
Emily launched herself into Abigail's arms.
"They didn't take you!"
"No."
Daniel hugged her waist.
Samuel pretended to be interested in the Christmas tree until Abigail pulled him into the embrace.
Ruth came last.
"You stayed."
Abigail looked at her.
"I stayed."
Nathaniel watched from across the room.
That night, after the children went to bed for the second time, Abigail found him outside.
Snow covered the fields.
The moon shone brightly.
Nathaniel wore the scarf she had knitted.
She stood beside him.
"You called Mr. Fletcher."
"I figured Walter wouldn't quit."
"Thank you."
Nathaniel nodded.
They watched the pasture.
After a while Abigail said, "You told me once that I could leave anytime."
"You can."
"What if I don't want to?"
He looked at her.
"Then stay."
Her heart pounded.
"Forever?"
Nathaniel's expression changed.
Abigail immediately looked away.
"I shouldn't have said that."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know what I mean."
"I think you do."
She faced him.
Nathaniel looked frightened.
That surprised her more than anything.
This man who could silence Walter Carter with a glance looked terrified.
"Abigail."
She waited.
He removed his hat.
"I've spent two years trying not to need anybody."
Her breath caught.
"I thought if I kept the children fed and clothed, that was enough. I thought loving Grace meant there wasn't room to love anything after her."
Abigail said softly, "You don't have to stop loving her."
"I know that now."
He looked toward the house.
"You taught me."
Her eyes filled.
Nathaniel stepped closer.
"I don't know what this is yet."
"Neither do I."
"But I know I don't want you here because you cook."
She laughed softly.
"That's fortunate. Samuel can make the cinnamon cake now."
"I don't want you here because the children need someone."
Her smile disappeared.
Nathaniel continued.
"I want you here because when you're gone to town, I listen for the truck."
Abigail's eyes filled.
"Because when something makes me laugh, you're the first person I look for."
He took a breath.
"Because the night Daniel disappeared, I realized the idea of losing you scared me more than I knew how to say."
Abigail whispered, "Nathaniel."
"I am not asking you for anything tonight."
She looked at him.
"Why not?"
His eyes widened slightly.
Abigail stepped closer.
"Maybe I'm tired of men deciding what happens before asking me."
Nathaniel almost smiled.
"Fair point."
"So ask."
He swallowed.
"May I kiss you?"
Abigail smiled.
"Yes."
His first kiss was gentle.
Almost cautious.
Abigail had imagined kisses before.
None had felt like this.
Not because it was perfect.
Because she had chosen it.
When they separated, Nathaniel rested his forehead against hers.
Neither spoke.
From an upstairs window came a muffled squeal.
Nathaniel closed his eyes.
"Ruth."
Abigail laughed.
The curtain moved quickly.
They both looked toward the window.
Nathaniel called, "Go to bed!"
Five sets of feet thundered away.
Abigail laughed harder.
Nathaniel joined her.
For the first time in years, Christmas at Willow Creek sounded like happiness.
But the coming months would test whether happiness was strong enough to survive fear.
Because Abigail's greatest battle was no longer against Walter.
It was against the voice he had left inside her.
The voice that still whispered:
A man will want his own children.
A man will eventually regret choosing you.
A man may love you today and resent you tomorrow.
And when Nathaniel finally asked Abigail the question she secretly longed to hear, that voice nearly made her lose everything.
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