The next morning, being Sunday, most of the people in town gathered at the little clapboard church. After the service people gathered in the square playing horseshoes and other recreational activities. Candy, Biddie, Lottie and Dr. Wright made their way over to the Bolt cabin, bringing Theresa with them. Jason, Jeremy and Joshua had changed from their Sunday best to their work clothes. Aaron Stempel was there as well, in a crisp business suit, trying to discuss business. The women entering the cabin interrupted any chance he had to talk about the mill contract, and the small cabin was too crowded for him to slip out, so he resigned himself to whatever it was that the women had to say.
     "I want to tell you everything," Theresa began. "Dr. Wright says I can trust you." Jason nodded, encouraging her to continue. "My name is really Theresa Fahy. My guardian is Charles Wellington-Smythe and my fiancè is James Wellington-Smythe. "James is the one who beat me." Theresa looked down fearing what their reaction would be.
     "Are you in love with him?" Joshua asked.
     "I thought I was once. His father brought us together. He was away at school most of the time I was growing up. Wellington-Smythe is my guardian and my father's former business partner. He controls my inheritance and my life till I'm twenty-one. If I marry James he won't have to give it up...ever." She looked up again. "Money is all that matters to him. If I didn't have money, I wouldn't be good enough for James." She continued, "James is very handsome, but very jealous. At first I found this flattering, but one day he beat me. He apologized after and promised it would never happen again."
     "But it did." Candy prompted when Theresa hesitated.
     "Many times. Each time it would be worse. He even stopped apologizing, he told me it was my fault." She laughed bitterly. "He accused me of flirting, although he never let me out of his sight long enough for me to have a chance to flirt with other men. This last time was the worst. I knew I had to get away then." She stopped and shivered as she thought about it.
      "I convinced him to go on a business trip with his father...the servants wouldn't let me out of their sight, I told him. I ran away in the middle of the night. I stole a vase and pawned it." She thought a moment. "It wasn't really stealing—I'm sure they bought the vase with my money." She looked at Aaron, who nodded. "No one in San Francisco would dare to help me get away. Charles is too powerful. I got a ride out of town with a farmer that night. He was going to Oregon. From there I took a stage to Tacoma, and I walked the rest of the way here; I do have relatives in Canada, but they don't know I'm coming. If I actually went to them, I think they would send me back if Mr. Wellington-Smythe found out I was there. They don't have much money...and he has found that money can buy pretty much anything he wants."
     "If they ever find me, I'll run again. I'm never going back there. I'll kill myself first," she stated determinedly. Then she, broke down in tears.
     There was a pause while everyone tried to think of something to say. Jason cleared his throat. "Well, Seattle's small. He'd never think to look here. Why don't you stay here? The school will need a teacher. Miss Essie plans to raise her children herself. She wouldn't start back until they were at least old enough for school."
     "Perhaps. I don't think I'll ever feel safe...here or anywhere else." Theresa's distress was heartfelt. "Wellington-Smythe is very rich. He has the money to track me down wherever I go. But I'd rather die than marry James. He'll kill me if I go back to him. Someday, he'll kill me."
     "He won't find you here," Joshua tried to reassure her. "I—we won't let anything happen to you." He stood up. "Come, I'll take you back to the dormitory."
      "Suppose he does look here." Jeremy wondered aloud after they'd left.
     "That's a bridge, little brother," Jason reassured, but looked worried. "We'll have to cross if it gets here. I wonder what makes a man treat a woman like that, a woman he's supposed to love."
     "Some men don't know how to love," Lottie answered. "The way he was raised may have something to do with it. If he was beaten growing up, he learns it's all right to hurt those you love."
     
     As Joshua walked Theresa back to the dormitory he pointed out the different sights of Seattle to Theresa. Something about the woman's vulnerability touched Joshua in ways that no woman ever had before. When they reached the dormitory, he reached out and put his arm around her waist to help her up the steps. Theresa pulled away sharply.
     "What's the matter," asked Joshua. "What did I do?"
     Theresa looked down at the ground.
     "Theresa I'm not what's-his-name," Joshua said. "You can trust me. I won't hurt you."
     "Not yet, Joshua. Please not yet." Theresa answered. "Please go."
     Joshua nodded and turned and walked towards the cabin. Theresa watched him go, but there was longing in her eyes.