Pleasant gripped the side of the surrey as they bounced along the road toward Baldwin Monhollen's house. "Please, Margaret, I'm about to lose my breakfast."

"We're almost there," Margaret said as the wooden house revealed itself from behind the trees.

"I'm still not sure if this is s good idea," Pleasant said.

"It is the only option we have," Margaret said. She reined in the anxious horse and climbed down from the surrey. "I guess I should have worn my cloak." She observed as she dusted the dirt from her skirt.

Pleasant climbed down from the surrey and felt her stomach lurch. She knew however that it was not the ride that was upsetting her insides. "Perhaps we should return tomorrow," she said ringing her gloved hands.

Margaret marched around the horse and grabbed her cousin's arm. "Don't do it for yourself," she said. "Do it for Polaris. And for your student; what was her name?"

"Mamie."

"Mamie. Do you really want what happened to you to happen to another innocent child?"

Pleasant shook her head and Margaret marched her forward. "You're right; I have to do it for Mamie."

Margaret nodded firmly then knocked on the door with the brass knocker. "His surrey is here so he must be home."

"Perhaps he rode his horse," Pleasant offered.

Ignoring her cousin, Margaret knocked again. "Don't people keep servants anymore?" She was about to knock again when the door opened and a pair of violet eyes met her brown ones. "Baldwin!"

Baldwin frowned. "Mrs. Blanche," Baldwin nodded then he looked to Pleasant. "Miss Day!" he stepped outside the house. "Well...what brings you two here."

"Pleasant needs to speak to you," Margaret said.

Baldwin nodded and let the ladies inside. "If this is about what happened to May you can be sure I am looking into it. Crimes like this are new to Natt Fristad."

"How ironic," Margaret said as they followed Baldwin into his upstairs office. "This is exactly about what happened to May."

Pleasant frowned at her cousin only to receive a wide eyed look.

"Well have a seat please," Baldwin said. After the ladies were seated he took a seat himself. "I am sorry about what happened at the cottage." He picked up a magnifying glass and turned it over in his hands. "I will find who did it, I assure you."

"You won't have to look far," Margaret said looking over at Pleasant.

Pleasant turned away from her cousin. Everything was going too fast.

Baldwin leaned forward in his seat, gently setting the magnifying glass down. "You know who attacked your sister?"

When Pleasant looked up she realized that the question was directed at her. Baldwin's eyes stared straight into her as if reading her like pages. She turned to Margaret who nodded for her to speak. "I..."

"Pleasant," Margaret said. "Mamie."

Pleasant squeezed the life out of the armrest and bowed her head. How did she get here? How had it all come so far?

"Miss Day you are clearly very distressed," Baldwin said. He reached into his top drawer and handed her a handkerchief. "Whatever it is it can't be that bad."

Pleasant wiped her tears away and raised her head slowly. "Mr. Monhollen," she began. "It was your cousin, Cedric that attacked my sister. It was he who took Polaris and stabbed him." Looking into Baldwin's eyes she saw they had turned to stone.

"You are saying that Cedric tried to kill your horse?" he asked and Pleasant nodded. "Miss Day..." he shook his head.

"You have to believe her!" Margaret interrupted. "Tell him, Pleasant. Tell him about that day at the lake."

Pleasant felt a tear drop to her hand as Baldwin turned his attention back to her. "When I was thirteen I went ice-skating too late in the season," she began. "I fell through the ice and your cousin, Dick, he pulled me out. He took me back to Greene's Estate to put on dry clothes. He said he would feed me. For a long time I waited in his room. I remember the fire was going...I thought I'd pass the time by reading. He had a book on his nightstand about the stars. I was only going to read it...he came in and he got upset with me..."

Baldwin held up his hand making her stop. "He got upset with you for reading a book?"

Pleasant nodded. "It would seem so," she said. "He tore my dress —" she paused, startled as Baldwin suddenly got up from his seat and went over to the window overlooking the front yard.

Resting his head against the glass he closed his eyes, leaving the cousins in silence. Presently he turned around. "What else?"

Pleasant looked at Margaret who nodded her head. "He went to the fireplace and heated the stocker then he b—burned me on my back, my legs, my chest...all over! I begged him to stop. I fought him as hard as I could!"

Baldwin paced between the desk and the window. "Why did you wait so long to tell me?"

"He threatened that May would be next!" Margaret said confidently.

"I just..." Baldwin shook his head. He put his hand in his pocket and felt the knife he had yet to return to Espen. "Dick..." he shook his head. "I just don't understand. Why would he pull you from the river just to do what he did?"

"He was angry at her for looking into that book," Margaret said.

"That sounds like a petty offence," Baldwin said.

"Then perhaps he is hiding something," Margaret said. "All houses have secrets."

"Let her answer, please," Baldwin said. "Miss Day, I know my cousin can be cold but he would never hurt someone the way you described. Not unless provoked and even then not to some little girl."

"Provoked or not, no one deserves to be burned that way," Margaret said.

Baldwin nodded. "I agree," he said. "But perhaps time has made things seem worse than they were. You were in a fire once; perhaps you are confusing two incidences."

"She's not."

"How can you be sure?" Baldwin demanded. "Before I go accusing my cousin I need proof of what he did to you."

"Show him."

"No!"

"Pleasant!"

"Without evidence I can't help you," Baldwin said.

Margaret glared at Pleasant who closed her eyes. "Mamie, Polaris, May."

Pleasant opened her eyes and stood. Slowly her hands went to the back of her blouse and undid the first button.

Baldwin's eyes went wide and he stepped back. "That is enough," he interrupted. "Sit back down."

Pleasant listened, more than a little relieved at not having to undress.

Baldwin returned to his desk in thought then looked up at the two women before him. "What...what did you do to make him so angry?"

Pleasant's mouth slowly dropped open.

"You must have said something...teased him...taunted him...did you mention his father?"

Pleasant looked to Margaret who had turned into a statue.

"I've told you," Pleasant said.

"I know my cousin," Baldwin said. "He wouldn't just do something like that..."

"Perhaps not over a book," Margaret said receiving a glare from Baldwin.

"You shouldn't have let yourself be alone in his rooms," Baldwin said. "No sensible girl would allow such a thing. I'm surprised at you."

"Baldwin, please!" Pleasant sobbed. "He hurt me—"

"I have heard enough!" Baldwin boomed. "You should have known better than to go to some place you did not know! How can I be sure that your memory serves you correctly if you suffered the extent of violence that you say? My cousin has suffered enough without you dragging his name through the mud. People come in and out of that house all day, it could have been anyone!"

Pleasant reached to Margaret and squeezed her hand as Baldwin went on.

"I won't tolerate anyone throwing accusations at my family! You have no real proof. If it is as bad as you say then tell my why is it that my cousin expressed the desire to court you? Are you hiding something else from me, Miss Day?"

Margaret stood and grabbed Pleasant after her. "Even if she did we wouldn't tell, you sorry... you... Pleasant trusted you with her dignity and you trampled all over it.  Cedric ruined her life! You are a big a shame to the Monhollen name as he is to his mother. Your father is tossing in his grave."

"Bridle your tongue, Mrs. Blanche."

"What are you going to do?" Margaret challenged. "Release your cousin on me. Let him tear me to pieces like he did to Pleasant? Well I warn you, I am not meek! I am not quiet and I am not afraid or weak or helpless. Monhollens have been held saints for so long they don't know what a threat is. Well you better practice fear because I aim to make your life miserable!" Turning her back on him she grabbed hold of Pleasant and marched from the room.

Downstairs she flung the door open and walked her cousin out. At the bottom of the steps she felt Pleasant's weight increase as her cousin began to sink in sorrow. "No," Margaret said pulling her back to her feet. "No, no, no, no, darling. Don't you dare let that man see you down."

Helping Pleasant into the surrey she took up the reins. When she looked up at the window she saw the curtain fall back into place. Flipping the reins she got the surrey going, glancing over at Pleasant every now and then.

"I am so sorry," she said. "I insisted you go to him and all that did was bring you more pain. I am terribly sorry, Pleasant. I really thought he would help."

"It isn't your fault," Pleasant said with a tight throat. "Perhaps...perhaps I should have known better than to be there alone."

Margaret pulled the reins. "No!" she shouted. "Don't you blame yourself. Don't you ever, ever blame yourself! Dry your tears. The fight is not over."

Pleasant nodded her head and Margaret flipped the reins. Perhaps something good could still come of this.