He came in the next morning, half his face a dark, evil color. Hannah watched as her brother picked through the apples for one to take. "Going out?" she asked, her tone light.

Without looking at her, Rio nodded.

"Don't come home."

He bristled defensively.

"Not until late, I mean."

"Oh? Why? Can't bear to look at me?"

"Not at all. It's for your own safety. I predict someone from the Trent family will be coming here, looking for you."

"Please. If anything, they owe us an apology."

"Oh, why's that?"

But he turned guarded at this point, refusing to say more. "It's nothing to do with you," he said, leaving the kitchen. Kurt was right, she thought. It was hopeless. She had two men she didn't know what to do with. It made her wonder who would want to marry her and take on such a burden?

As she headed out with the day's laundry, she wondered if she ought to tell her father what had happened. A fight with John Trent – that was a serious thing, not the usual kind of boyish mischief she could just brush off. John was a bad character, and her brother might have unwittingly put them in trouble with his stupidity. And for what reason? Neither she nor Kurt had a clue.

Then again, she hated to stress her father while he was in bad health. What she really wanted to do was trust Rio and allow him the chance to explain his side of the story first. She would judge for herself afterwards if her father needed to be told.

She came to the river, where the banks were packed with women yakking and scrubbing. They always hung around a little longer when the weather was nice. "Kaye?" she called, walking up and down.

"Over here, Hannah," she heard an answer behind her. "Come, come. Laura, move over, will you?"

"Thank you," Hannah said. "How's your mother? Is she any better?"

"A little. Still having pains here and there. I do think she worked herself a little too hard this winter."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope it got you a good harvest, at least."

"Oh, yes. The best in years. And you? Did you get enough?"

"More than enough. Took a long time with the cleaning and keeping."

"Didn't your brother help you?"

"No. I did it alone."

"Entirely?"

Hannah shrugged. "Entirely."

"Goodness. I don't know how you manage, Hannah."

"I just do."

"I don't think I ever could."

"Of course you could. You'd be surprised what happens when you have no choice."

"But you're tired of it, aren't you?"

Hannah kept quiet, wondering if she should tell Kaye about her brother. Was it a smart thing to talk about it openly, so near to the village women? No. Ears would strain and tongues would wag. This was not the place. But one could always settle for hints. "You know, sometimes I'm ashamed."

Kaye's eyes perked, resting on her. "Of what?"

"My brother."

"Rio? Why, what has he done this time?"

"Nothing. It's just thoughts."

"And what are those thoughts, exactly?"

"That he could do so much more with his life."

"Like marry a good rich girl. You would never need to do housework again."

"Well, that's not what I had in mind but ... " Her words died as a tall, slim shadow suddenly appeared behind her, casting them in shade. Next to Hannah, Kaye froze, and a few of the women turned curiously.

"Hannah?" there was a voice, male, half-familiar.

Hannah looked over her shoulder, lifting her eyes. Her breath caught when she saw the face, remembered his name.

David Trent. Also known as John's younger brother. Hannah had never spoken to him before, only ever seen him around the village. She'd never thought he would one day be talking to her.

David tilted his head, the sun blazing fiercely behind his back and shoulders. "Could I speak to you?" he asked, in plain view of everybody else.

Hannah glanced at Kaye, a little desperately, but her good friend was lost.

"Alone," he added, dark eyes flickering.

Hannah pursed her lips, knowing she had no choice. She should have told Da, she should have told him ... "Yes," she said quietly. "Of course." She got to her feet, which felt like two big stones all of a sudden, following David upriver towards the top of the hill. The grass murmured and sank under Hannah's steps. She glanced back, thinking how far and faded the villagers looked. Even so, she knew they could see them. Oh no, what they must think …

David finally stopped, and she did the same. She stood upright, trying to think how she was going to defend herself and Rio. What argument could she give when she didn't even know the details?

"I'm sorry to interrupt your morning work," David began.

Being polite? Probably to try and get her guard down. "Oh," she murmured. "No, think nothing of it."

"I just wanted to come and apologize to you myself."

"Apologize?"

"For last night. I think you know what happened between your brother and mine."

She lowered her head, remembering what her brother had said to her that morning. "I know there was some trouble yesterday, yes."

"I hope you're not angry."

"Me? I thought you would be angry."

"I have no right to be," he answered, shaking his dark head. "My brother should have known better, but as you can see, he behaves like a young boy himself sometimes, if not worse."

"Do you know what happened? I mean, exactly?"

"Only that some wrong things were said … and Rio did not take well to them."

She frowned, still disappointed with her brother. "He shouldn't have reacted that way."

"How is he, might I ask? I hope he wasn't too hurt."

"No, he's fine. Just a little grumpy after what happened."

"You should do whatever you can to keep him away from my brother. I'm afraid John's not going to forget the incident anytime soon."

"I didn't think he would."

"Aside from that, well, that's all I really wanted to say. If there's anything I can do to help make it up to your family, please let me know."

"Thank you. That's very kind of you, David. I'll tell Rio everything you said."

He nodded, turning round and making his way off the hill.

Relieved somewhat, Hannah moved to head the other way, back towards the river. As soon as she got back, Kaye was on her feet, but it was the other women who got to her first.

"Well, little Hannah, it's about time," Mrs. Appleby called, winking at her. "And not a better choice could you have made."

She stopped, her eyes bursting wide.

"He's too old," one of the girls commented.

"Oh, hush! Who asked you anyway? He's a solid young man. Plus his father's got the biggest farm around."

"We were just talking," Hannah tried to explain.

"Of course, you were, dear. We hope we hear the news very soon. And what about you, Kaye? You can't allow yourself to be outdone by Hannah, you know. You've a good three years on her."

"Oh, leave me alone," Kaye grumbled, scrubbing furiously.

"Please," Hannah cried. "There is nothing of that sort going on."

But she knew it was too late. There was no stopping gossip like this, not in Chell. She glanced at Kaye, who stared back with all sorts of questions in her eyes. "He had some things he wanted to ask me," she said vaguely. She couldn't let everyone find out about her brother's fight.

"Like what?"

"Just … some questions about our family."

"Your family?"

"He was being concerned."

"Really."

"It's not what you think."

"If you say so."

At least one good thing had come out of talking to David. It didn't seem as if Rio was the one at fault. Yes, he'd gotten into a fight, but she understood now that he had been provoked – so David had said.

That night, she waited in the kitchen for her brother. He got back even later than usual, his head low as he came in and took his food, like he didn't want her to look at him. She watched him put together some bread and vegetables, and fill a glass of water. He'd take it to his room to eat, something their Ma had never allowed before, but then she wasn't here now, was she?

"I have something to tell you."

"What?"

"I talked to David Trent today."

He stopped, glancing at her.

"He wanted me to tell you he's sorry for what happened."

Her brother kept quiet.

"Does that mean anything to you?"

"Not really."

"Rio," she said disapprovingly. "It was nice of him."

"But meaningless, unless it was from John himself."

"You know John's not that sort of man."

"Oh, yes, I know."

"Nothing good can come from anything where he's concerned. I only hope you remember that next time."

"Next time?"

"Not that there should be one."

"There wouldn't be if he knew how to keep his mouth shut."

"Or you knew how to walk away."

He stared at her, hard.

Hannah got to her feet, starting from the kitchen. "I don't want you getting hurt, Rio," she piped up, with her back to him. "Not over a man like Trent. It could never be worth it."

"You don't know, Hannah."

She paused, looking back at her brother. "What don't I know?"

"He said things about us," he hissed, unable to hold his tongue anymore. "About Ma."

"Like what?"

"You don't want to know. I cannot bring myself to repeat it."

"Why do you care what he thinks?"

"I don't."

"Then what is the problem?"

"The problem is I don't know," he snapped, the words coming out in a tumble. "I don't know what she's doing in Dalen, or why she had to go."

"You know why."

"No, I don't. Don't you see? A few letters and you think that means anything? We know nothing. We have nothing. It's just pointless."

"Don't say that. She did what she had to for all our sakes."

"Look at Da and tell me you really think that. Tell me you really think it was right of her to go."

"It's not for us to judge that."

"Who then? The neighbors? Our friends? Everyone in Chell – "

"I don't care about about everyone in Chell! We have to focus on making it as best as we can now. That's all."

"You're fooling yourself, Hannah. This house, this family – is coming apart."

She clamped her mouth, too angry to continue arguing. She should have expected her brother would not be mature enough to fully understand their situation. All he cared about was how hurt and angry he was, not what needed to be done. No, that was going to have to be her responsibility, and hers only.