He came quietly enough. We waded out to a boulder where we could sit and sharpen his axe with a flat rock. Thus we were free from interruption, and there was no make-believe to our work, since even still we were without grindstones, and our axes, as a result, duller than hoes most of the time.

“Nathaniel,” I said, “Ellen’s gone, and Joseph Phipps went with her.”

Nathaniel scooped up water and trickled it on his axe-blade, but said nothing.

“Since Joseph was subject to your orders,” I said, “I suppose you knew he was going, and with whom.”

“Yes.”

“Nathaniel,” I said, trying to choose my words with care, “why didn’t you speak to me before you gave Joseph permission to go? You must have known that if I’d wanted Ellen to go to Albany, I’d have sent her myself.”

Nathaniel laughed. “What was the use of speaking to you? She was bound to go to Albany. Nothing you could have said would have changed her. Why wouldn’t she be bound to go to Albany, knowing that the sooner she went there, the sooner she could get back to see—to see her aunt.”

“Oh, so that’s it! After she goes to Albany, she’s going back to St. John’s.”

Nathaniel was silent.

“I begin to understand your willingness to have her go,” I said. “I don’t doubt you were eager to have her go, even, seeing that she could carry a letter to Marie de Sabrevois for you.”

Nathaniel’s glance was hard and level. “Well, what’s the harm in that?”

“Harm? What’s the harm in it? Can’t you see the harm in it, without my telling you? Doesn’t it seem to you possible that you’ve done a dangerous thing? That innocent child knows all we’ve been doing here in Skenesboro! And what’ll she do? She’ll tell Marie de Sabrevois!”

“Well, why shouldn’t she?” Nathaniel asked. His voice sounded half strangled. “Why shouldn’t she?”

“Why shouldn’t she? I’ll tell you why she shouldn’t! Do you know who Marie de Sabrevois is? Do you know what she’s done? Who she was with when we—–”

Nathaniel jumped up to stand over me, his axe in his hand. His eyes were hot.

“Sit down on that boulder!” I told him. “What are you trying to do? Let all Skenesboro find out what a fool you’ve been?”

Nathaniel seated himself slowly, his tanned face a sickly yellow. “Listen,” he said softly. “She’s the—she’s all I—she’s the purest, noblest—if you dare—don’t you dare to try to tell me anything else, or by God, I’ll kill you!”

“You’re insane!” I said. “That woman has driven you out of your head!”