She winced, and he knew she had heard the accusation beneath his answer.

“I never wanted this,” she said.

“You wanted me afraid.”

“Yes.” Her mouth worked around the admission. “I wanted you to pretend the night in the shop had never happened.”

“I was prepared to do that, until you made silence impossible.”

Catherine stared at the wood frame. “Pike told me a theft charge would be enough to send you away quietly. He said my husband would believe you stole something rather than believe you had refused me. The other accusation was Pike’s idea after I agreed.”

Daniel stood very still. Her confession did not lessen what she had done. It told him how the lie had traveled from an unwanted advance to a weapon in someone else’s hand.

“Then stop him,” Daniel said.

“He has something on my husband.”

“Everybody here thinks he has something on everybody.”

“He does.” She lowered her voice. “Alden has borrowed against next year’s crop. Pike arranged the loans. If Fiske dies before signing the new agreement, Pike’s cousin takes control of the property at the current price.”

“Who else knows?”

“No one I trust.”

“Then find somebody who does not need your trust.”

Catherine looked at him, surprised by the answer. Daniel could not give her absolution, and did not want to. He needed her to act while she still had the power to interfere.

“Bring Mr. Fiske here tonight,” he said. “Have him inspect the bracket himself. And tell your husband what you did with the bracelet.”

Catherine drew back. “You know what that would cost me.”

“Yes,” Daniel said. “I know the kind of fear that follows a person out of a room.”

She left without promising anything.

6. THE EMPTY GALLERY

The night watch changed at nine. Daniel sat beside the forge, ankle chained, and listened to a mule stamping in the stable. The guard assigned to him had been drinking with Pike. He was less interested in escape than in staying warm. Daniel asked for water twice and got none.

At ten, Ruth appeared carrying a heavy folded blanket. She argued with the guard until he let her approach. Hidden inside the blanket was a small sharpened oak wedge, no longer than a finger. Daniel slid it beneath his sleeve as he thanked her.

“Mercy found the coat,” Ruth whispered. “Pike loaned it to Silas. He also sent two men to the orchard gate with a wagon.”

“Why the wagon?”

“It has a false floor. Nobody knows what they mean to put inside.”

Daniel felt a new unease. The first plan had been to kill Fiske at the drying house. A second plan might have been prepared in case the inspection failed.