Chapter 3 - The Threat at the Door
The walk back to her cramped, freezing cottage felt entirely different that night. Maren held her old coat tightly around her, but for the first time in three years, she wasn't shivering from the cold. She was burning with a quiet, dangerous rage.
When she stepped through the front door, the house was dark save for a single lamp in the kitchen. Dell was sitting at the table, helping his younger sister, Lily, color a picture.
Sitting across from them, uninvited and entirely at home, was Ledger Vesper.
He was wearing his expensive wool overcoat, his leather shoes spotless despite the muddy roads outside. He was smiling that same patient, patronizing smile that used to make Maren feel so hopelessly inadequate.
"You're late, Maren," Ledger said, rising smoothly from his chair. "I dropped off some leftover casserole from my dinner meeting. The children were hungry."
Maren felt a sick wave of revulsion wash over her. She slipped her hand into her deep coat pocket, her fingers brushing against the crisp edge of the manila envelope she had hidden there.
"Thank you, Ledger," she said, her voice forcedly flat. She had to play the part. If he realized she knew the truth, he would destroy the remaining evidence before she could seek legal counsel. "You shouldn't have gone to the trouble."
Ledger walked over to her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at her face. He reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek, but she instinctively flinched away. His smile hardened into something colder.
"I noticed Dell had clay under his fingernails again today, Maren," Ledger said, his voice dropping to a low, warning register so the children wouldn't hear. "I thought I told you to keep him away from that decrepit old pottery studio."
"He just likes watching Casper work," Maren said, keeping her eyes fixed on the floor, playing the submissive widow he expected her to be.
"Casper Lund is a senile old fool who owes money all over town," Ledger hissed, stepping closer, invading her personal space. "He's a bad influence. And frankly, Maren, it looks bad for the family name to have my brother's widow scrubbing floors for pennies. If you can't manage your finances properly, I might have to reconsider my arrangement regarding your debt."
He leaned in closer, his breath smelling of expensive steak and red wine.
"Don't forget the eleven thousand dollars you owe me, Maren. If I decide to call in that debt, the bank will take this house by the end of the month. Do you really want to see Dell and Lily out on the street over a little stubbornness?"
Maren looked up into her brother-in-law's eyes. For three years, this threat had paralyzed her. But tonight, looking into his cruel, arrogant eyes, she didn't feel fear. She felt an icy, unwavering resolve.
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"I understand, Ledger," she said softly. "I'll make sure Dell stays away."
Ledger patted her shoulder, entirely satisfied with himself. "Good girl. I'm just trying to protect you, Maren. You know you can't survive out here without me."
