Elizabeth lay down and turned to face the wall. Overcome with loss and exhaustion, she cried. Her sobs leaked out of the room, colouring the faces of all outside, and the smell of frying potatoes crept back in under the door. Her stomach growled and Elizabeth lay on her back, letting the last of her teardrops roll down her cheeks and into her ears, before she sat up, rubbed her face, and went to the door.

Opening it, her first thought was an odd one. For a tense moment she wondered if Maisie ever got a good look at the 'six brawn gentlemen' that took her to her grave, and decided if she hadn't, she was a very lucky woman. Gus was sitting on the floor, looking concerned over Millie and the boy, but the eyes of Willis, Tom, Gerald, Adam, Daniel, and Sam all riveted on her. Merciless, they stared as she walked to the table. She made conscious effort to put one foot in front of the other, no weakness, as regal as possible, and hoping not to trip over a sunbeam on the floor. She sat at the table, joined in the collective sigh, and thanked Samuel as he slid her a plate.

The other, Mister Owen?, sat beside her, he smiled at her kindly and began to offer his condolences, when the wave hit again. "Grief? What do you mean my grief? How long was Samuel married? Sam? Fifteen years? You don't treat him as such! Do I appear weak and infirm to you, Mister Owen? I assure you I am not!" Gerald Owen sat bolt upright at the onslaught, looking like a man who'd just dropped his cigarette near a powderkeg, and stammered slightly. Elizabeth quickly retreated, and quieting, she apologized to Gerald. "Oh, I am truly sorry..." she offered him a hand and a warm smile, "Surely your Mister Eaton has told you that I am a vile creature, and generally horribly company.." Gerald glanced momentarily at Tom, then smiled weakly back at her.

Elizabeth's tone was softer as she continued: "You have no idea, Mr. Owen."
"Please, Gerald."
"Thank you, Gerald. But you were born in a place...oh...fate saw fit to give you a safe place to return home to. Some of us were not that lucky. I understand you position, after Mr. Eaton was gracious enough to speak to me, but we are still very different people. You wanted to help us, correct?" Gerald nodded politely. "That is noble enough, but you did come down here like we are foxes in a trap and you would nobly help us chew our own leg off to be free. It's not as simple as that, and you cannot imagine me grateful for having you chew on my flesh."

Tom stood silent by the window, glaring at the scene before him. Felt the gaze, and turned to look at him before continuing with Gerald. "No playacting. Your Mister Eaton challenged me, you know. Truthfully, he made my blood boil, but that is easy enough in most instances." To this, Samuel coughed, and Adam tactfully hid his grin behind a coffee cup.

"My house is gone, true enough, as is my family, but it's no different than anyone else's loss. Samuel also lost a good deal of his life, and he's managed to remain upright. I can do the same. If he wishes to go back to that farm, he is more than welcome, and that is his business, but I cannot. There is nothing for me there, and I can't see fit right now to rise phoenix from the ashes. It is done." She turned towards Tom, "It was never the house, you know. I thought it was, at first, but I was wrong. I realize that now. I was only there for the 'reason'. And you sir," she looked at Gus "I will see you in Philadelphia or I will go to hell in the attempt."

"As for seeking 'justice'? Here is where your Mister Eaton showed his ignorance." Tom began to protest but she lightly waved her hand. "No no no, it's easy enough to forgive, Reynard. Once again, you don't know any better. You seem to think that someone here will listen. Think about it. I know for a fact that it was Matt Stanford who tipped his hat to me last night. I know it as sure as I'm sitting here, but you know what they are going to say?" Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and stuck her thumbs through the rope that was holding up her borrowed pants, and affected a deep drawl as she continued: "You know, that Widda Miller, she been fightin' wit Stanford for a coon's age....what? He had him a big neckerchief on his face? Well, then how can you be shuah it was him? 'Cause the mayor had Stanford over to dinner last night, yessuh, he stayed late, and shure couldn't have done nuthin like that....Must have been some outlaws, Ma'am, yup...outlaws.." She collapsed in her chair, "Then they will hunt me down and see me dead. That is what your justice will get down here Mister Eaton. And the fact that my baby died? That my darling Jacob was shot and murdered?? That was a sad thing indeed, and most likely the cause for my evident hysteria and finger-pointing at good, honest, upstanding white men like Matthew Stanford."

She rose and walked over to Tom: "You asked me what I owe them? I owe them nothing. By all rights, by Law, I am stealing their property and taking off across the country with it. I am a thief. And as for the question of if I want to live with them? I never did."

"Now," she said, turning back to the table and placing a hand on each Gerald and Adam, "as for the kind offer to kill them all, I feel grateful to count you as friends, but please take me at my word: I never wanted any blood shed to begin with. If they want to try and fight, fine, but if you chase them out of revenge or spite, you are no better than they are. They will, of course, chase us like the hounds of hell. I can't believe last night was a singular occurrence, but that little boy over there, sleeping on the floor? He deserves a chance too, and if his parents are willing to take it now, then I am as well. I'd have done the same for Jacob. Now...I suggest we rest and get ready for tonight?" Elizabeth gathered her, by this time, cold plate, and went to sit outside.