It was an old argument, and one they both hated.

“Let me ask,” she said, her voice firm. “Have we brought anything to you recently? In the last two years, even. And let me remind you, we have not. If Hannah and I are willing to risk your anger and another week’s long disappearance, does it not seem reasonable to you that this time what we have to propose must be something very out of the ordinary?”

She was breathing rapidly and made an effort to calm herself. When she looked up again, some of the tension had left his face. His expression was still aggrieved, but there was a good amount of reluctant acquiescence there as well.

“So,” he said. “Go on and tell me about this miracle cure that comes all the way from China by way of India. I’ll listen, but that’s all.”

“Very well. Hakim Ibrahim spent his time in China studying a medical procedure that involves targeting specific nerves. The evidence indicates that this treatment will have a positive effect in the majority of patients.”

“But not all,” Daniel said.

“Not all,” Elizabeth echoed. “But there is some reason to believe it might help your symptoms. There is no tea or herb or ointment, no medication in the traditional sense.”

His mouth contorted. He was interested in spite of himself.

“A scalpel, then,” he said.

“No,” Elizabeth said quickly. “No surgery.”

His patience was at an end. “What then, Ma? Will you spit it out?”

“Needles,” Elizabeth said. “Long, very thin needles. Hakim Ibrahim has sent Hannah a full set of these needles in a beautiful ebony wood box, along with a hundred-page treatise on their application and use. Dozens of illustrations. Hannah was up until very late studying them, and today she has a headache. She should know better than to read by candlelight—”

She stopped herself, because the corner of Daniel’s mouth was twitching.

He said, “And Hannah would like to try this procedure. She’d like to turn me into a pincushion to see if she can put things right.”

“Hannah would like to sit down with you and Curiosity, if you agree, to talk it through. And then, if everyone is agreed—”

“What?”

“She will turn you into a pincushion.”

He turned his head away sharply. “I need to think about this.”

“Of course,” Elizabeth said. She got up and brushed her skirts. “Would you like to read the letter? Hannah thought it might answer some of your questions.”

“I’ll read it,” Daniel said. “But that’s as far as I’m willing to go.”

It was hard to suppress her own relief, but Elizabeth closed her mouth hard on the things she might have said, promises that would be worse than any knife cut and take longer to heal. She held out the letter, and after a moment, Daniel took it.

Elizabeth knew that there would be no more discussion until Daniel had had time to think through this new information. Which meant that the other subjects she had wanted to raise would have to wait. But he surprised her.

“Did you want to ask about Martha?”

“Actually I was thinking more of Lily,” she said and for that she earned a narrowed look, one that said he didn’t believe her, not for a moment.

“She was expecting a visit from you yesterday,” Elizabeth said.

“Martha—” he stopped himself. “Lily was expecting me?”

Elizabeth couldn’t hide her surprise. Daniel himself was surprised; he looked away, rubbing his beard stubble with the flat of his good hand.

“Lily would like to see you, but I think Martha would also be glad of a visit. Have you made a decision, then, the two of you? About the second classroom?”

“Haven’t had the chance to talk to her about it.”

When he was a young boy she could usually read his state of mind from his posture. Over the years he had learned to mask his thoughts more thoroughly, but just now she saw him as a fourteen-year-old, unhappy with the direction a conversation was taking.

Should she withdraw the question, or push, ever so carefully? She still hadn’t reached a decision when Gabriel came into the clearing. Daniel wasn’t surprised to see him, which was more evidence that Elizabeth’s woodcraft had declined past the point of return; she hadn’t heard him approaching. She pushed that thought away and focused on her sons, the two surviving sons of her body. They were tall and strong and handsome. Pleasure and pride rose in her so that for that moment all the other things to worry about fell away.

“You make more noise than an army in the bush,” Daniel said, but he was smiling. “Has marriage got you so turned around?”

Gabriel’s color was high, his eyes bright. He looked happy, and Elizabeth was sorry that she had ever stood in the way of his marriage. He understood his own needs, even when she did not. A recurring theme for the day, she pointed out to herself.

Daniel was saying, “I had the idea you never came off the mountain unless it was to hunt.”

“Ma,” Gabriel said. “Would you tell my big brother he’s being rude? He could at least pretend to be glad to see me.” And he winked at her.

“Oh, no,” Elizabeth said. “None of your games. If there’s a message we’ll hear it now, and not be made to jump through hoops first.”

Gabriel put a fist to his chest with mock surprise. “You cut me to the quick, Ma. And here I am to say tonight’s the ice-out party.”