“Nathaniel,” Elizabeth warned.

He lifted his shoulders at her, palms up. “If you're trying to scare the man away, Boots, why then you're on the right road. Though he's not the kind to scare easy, it looks like.”

“I was asking questions, that is all,” Elizabeth said. “Have you no questions of your own for this man who wants to marry your daughter?”

“Well, sure I do,” he said. “Ballentyne, I recall your father pretty well. Thomas, was his name, is that right?”

“It is.”

“And he's still living, and in good health?”

“Aye.”

“He's a carpenter, as I remember. You learned that trade from him?”

The question took Ballentyne by surprise, but he answered it willingly. “Aye. But I've been a merchant since I came to Canada.”

“Good, then.” Nathaniel smiled at his wife. “That's all I want to know. Go on, Boots.”

She gaped at him. “Very well. As I'm the only one taking this seriously.” A pulse was beating frantically in her throat, but she managed to subdue her tone. “I have some things to say.”

Lily had crept closer, and now she stood, arms wrapped around herself, just behind Simon.

Elizabeth said, “Simon, I do not like the fact that you are connected to Angus Moncrieff, I won't pretend that I do. But you've proven yourself to be honest and trustworthy and hardworking, and from what I've seen of you, you're a bright young man. You have my permission to call on my daughter.”

Lily's head tilted to one side, as if she couldn't make sense of what she had just heard.

“With a few provisos,” Elizabeth finished.

From the top of the stairs, Gabriel's voice came high and thin: “What's a proviso?”

“Gabriel!” shouted Nathaniel. “Back to bed!”

“My conditions,” Elizabeth continued, spreading her skirt smooth with her hands, “are these. First, that you will make arrangements to stay in Paradise for a minimum of five months—”

“Ma!” cried Lily.

Elizabeth held up a hand to stop her daughter. “In that time you will lodge with Mrs. Freeman in the village; I will speak to her about it immediately. While you are here, you will work for me. I need someone to oversee the building of the new schoolhouse, as it is clear that Peter Dubonnet cannot handle it on his own. At a reasonable wage, of course. While you are in Paradise, you will call on Lily here, in her home, at reasonable times. On occasion you will be allowed to accompany her to a party or dance, as long as my husband or I or someone we trust is in attendance. You will always be chaperoned.”

Lily stamped her foot. “Chaperoned? And I have nothing to say about this?”

“Don't interrupt your ma just now, Lily,” Nathaniel said, trying not to smile.

“Very good advice,” Elizabeth said, without looking at her daughter. “Now, Mr. Ballentyne. You have done us some services, some very kind services, which I have not forgotten. And my stepson trusts you, which is worth a great deal. But it is not everything, I hope you'll understand. In the next months you will have to win my trust, and my husband's.”

“And mine, or doesn't that count for anything?”

Elizabeth raised her head very slowly, and looked directly at her daughter. For a moment she held the gaze, and then Lily blushed, and looked away. Simon saw this, and ducked his head, but not without first sending a look Nathaniel's way that told him everything he needed to know about the connection between the two of them.

Lily's voice came hoarse. “We could just elope and get married. You did.”

As if she hadn't spoken at all, Simon said, “Mrs. Bonner, I agree to all your conditions.”

At that Lily let out a muffled scream and ran back up the stairs. Her chamber door slammed with such force that the braids of corn hung to dry overhead swayed gently back and forth.

“Things are getting back to normal around here,” Nathaniel said, not trying to hide his satisfaction. “I haven't seen Lily in such a temper in a long time. The spring and summer promise to be right lively.”

That earned him one of his wife's sharpest looks. She got up to go to Lily, leaving the two men in front of the fire.

“I know my uncle caused you a great deal of pain and trouble,” Simon said to Nathaniel. “And I understand that you need time.”

Nathaniel laughed. “You got a lot to learn about the Bonner women, Simon. It wasn't Angus Moncrieff that brought all this about, though it gave us a shock, I'll admit that.”

“It wasn't?” Simon glanced up the stairs.

“Hell, no,” Nathaniel said. “Elizabeth just wants to keep Lily close as long as she can. Maybe you can understand that, given the situation with our Daniel. And you being connected to Moncrieff gives her an excuse to make all kinds of demands she wouldn't make otherwise. You played right into her hands, son.”

“She's not angry?” Simon sat back, looking not so much confused as intrigued.

“Oh, no,” Nathaniel said. “You'll know when she's got a temper on her, there's no mistaking it.”

Simon ran a hand over his eyes. “And you, you aren't concerned about my connections to the Moncrieffs, then?”

“Oh, I'm concerned.” Nathaniel yawned. “I'll be keeping watch, Simon. You can bet on it.”