
“May I carry those parcels to your wagon?” “I can manage,” she said automatically. “I believe you can.” His voice…

Sheriff Pike folded the paper too quickly. “You got an accusation to make?” “Not yet.” Jasper’s eyes narrowed. Luke finally…

Nathaniel lowered the pistol just enough to reveal his triumph. “You thought you were the only one hiding things in…

Jonah stared at it until his lantern shook. Then he ran to the nearest neighbor’s house and called Sheriff Rivers….

Then Ruth woke, saw a beetle crawling over the floorboards, and cupped both hands around it so no one would…

Willa rested her head against May’s shoulder. “Do you think we should go back?” May looked at the terraces, the…

“We did not know, at first, how much of them remained.” “And after you knew?” Ruth looked toward the tanks….

“Then I’ll have the pleasure of being free of its opinion.” She walked away before he could answer. Snow thickened…

But it was theirs. For a week, survival left no room for sorrow. Thea patched the roof. Lenora hauled water….

Pearl’s lip trembled. “Then who will fix the roof?” Nora pressed her mouth to Pearl’s hair. “We will.” By dawn,…

Eleanor reached out, her hand trembling in empty air. “Her name is Grace. Do you hear me? I named her…

When she read Bible stories, Lily once raised her hand and asked, “Miss Vance, if Abraham had killed Isaac, would…

“You saw the cabin on East Gallatin Ridge?” Laurel asked. “Yes.” “You understand it’s remote?” “I read the listing.” “No…

“And if Elias slams the door on you?”Clara’s fingers tightened around her coffee mug. “Then at least I’ll finally…

He stared at it. Sadie watched him as if his first bite mattered more than her own whole life. Finally,…

“You always speak that freely on land that isn’t yours?” “When a horse is being blamed for human stupidity, yes.”…

That made her go still. “You know me?” Caleb looked ashamed before he answered. “I knew your father.” “My father…

He glanced at her carpetbag. “Is that all?” Shame burned her face. “Yes.” “All right.” He put his hat back…

For one terrible second, he thought he was too late. Then the fingers twitched. She lay half hidden beneath a…

He looked first at Ruth. “Ma’am, are you hit?” Ruth swallowed. “No. Frightened, mostly. Too old for men shooting holes…