Ignoring the conversation of that night, Kate tried to resume normalcy, but that seed had been planted long before and it was getting harder to suppress her emotions. She convinced herself that fantasizing about her brother was harmless but actualizing those fantasies would be a whole other level of dysfunction she didn’t think she could handle. She fought her feelings tooth and nail, when she wasn’t pleasuring herself to thoughts of him while he slept a few feet away from her.

The only thing that kept her mind off of her self-diagnosed sickness was Billings’ increasingly persistent courting. She didn’t want Thomas to know for fear of what he would do, but it was only a matter of time and that day came right after Christmas. Kate was in the front of the practice assisting a young boy brought in by his mother. As she went over the instructions on the boy’s medicine written by Ford, the good doctor was in the back with Thomas, who accompanied her that day. He and Ford were packing a set of medical encyclopedias the doctor was gifting Kate.

He was in the corner lying on a bed he used to take naps in or sleep off hangovers.

“You studied how to be a half-wit, didn’t you? Put that down, boy!” he yelled at Thomas, who sniffed a bottle with a label that read trichloromethane. “You’ll knock yourself out!”

Thomas put the bottle down and gave the old man a dirty look. Ford was sitting on the bed, instructing Thomas what to pack.

“How on earth you’re related to your sister is beyond me,” continued the doctor as he watched Thomas picking up stacks of books. “Well, it’s safe to say who got the looks and the brains in your family. Hell, if it weren’t for Kate, I’d say your family tree was a shrub.” He chuckled at his own joke. “You’ve got plenty of brawn, I’ll give you that.” He took a gulp of whiskey from his flask. “You’re built like a damn boulder, son. How much are they feeding you?” he asked with a chuckle.

Thomas mumbled something in German and looked at Ford for a moment. The old man held out his flask and he walked over and took a swig, sitting down in a chair by the bed with one of the encyclopedias in his hand.

“You know, I have a lot of respect for Germans. Some of the greatest advances in the medical field were discovered by them.” He paused for a second and took another giant swig of whiskey. “She’s smart. Really smart.”

“I know,” replied Thomas.

“You gotta get her out of this shit hole.”

“I know,” he repeated as he reached for the flask, but Ford held on to it and stared at Thomas with a look of concern.

“I’m dead serious, son. The sooner you take her away from here, the better.”

Thomas raised an eyebrow. “Something on your mind, old man?”

Ford let go of the flask before meeting his gaze.

“There’s something you should know about Billings’ wife. The circumstances surrounding her death don’t sit well with me.”

The little bell by the door went off and Thomas peeked out. “Speak of the fat devil,” he said before locking eyes with Ford, who stood up and took a look.

“Yep, there he is with his ten-dollar Stetson on his five-cent head. He’s got all the money now too and like most men with money, he’s got enough to satisfy his needs but hardly his greed.”

“Miss Kate! How are you this afternoon?” asked the pudgy pig as the mother and son left the practice.

Thomas immediately got up and walked out of the back and into the front of the practice, much to Billings’ disappointment.

“Thomas. You’re back,” he stated as a fact more than a question. “How are you? How’s the fence business going?” he asked sarcastically with a forced smile.

“Fine,” he replied flatly as he walked up to Kate and placed his hand on her tense back. “Ford needs a word with you,” he said as he looked at his sister and kissed the top of her head, feeling her body ease in relief.

“Oh, Mr. Billings. I’m sorry, was there something you needed from Doctor Ford?” she asked, trying to ignore the box in his hands.

“Well, uh, no, Miss Kate. I just wanted to see if… well, actually since your brother is here. I-I’d like a word with him. If that’s all right with you of c-c-course,” he stuttered as he looked at Thomas, whose eyes were fixed on him.

Kate bit her lip and drew in a long breath. She knew this was not going to end well. “Uhm. All right. Well then, if you’ll excuse me.”

She made her way to the back of the practice with Billings’ eyes glued to her. His line of sight was quickly blocked by Thomas, who stepped right in front of him. His broad and muscular shoulders were a complete opposite from Billings’ sloppy appearance. They stood in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity plus one.

Billings cleared his throat and scratched his bald head. “As you probably already know, my dear wife passed away suddenly.”

Thomas’ icy stare didn’t flinch. “Congratulations.”

Billings’ jaw dropped. “I beg your pardon?”

Thomas placed both hands on the wooden counter. “Your wife’s corpse is still warm and you’re gifting things to my sister, so it’s safe to assume you’ve handled her passing rather quickly and quite well. And now you’re asking to speak with me because you want to ask for Katarina’s hand in marriage,” he leaned in, stating the obvious.

Billings cleared his throat for the umpteenth time.

“Are you feeling well, John? Can I interest you in a box of Roger’s Remedy?” asked Thomas, delighted at the scenario presented to him as he tapped a wooden box containing the dreaded medicine on the counter. When Kate told him how they were administered, Thomas cursed something in German so vulgar, it made Kate gasp and Pa hit him over the head.

Billings looked at the box closely and read out loud, “Reek-tal su-ppos-it-ory.” He remained quiet for a moment and lifted his gaze to Thomas. “What’s it for?” he asked.

“All sorts of things,” replied a confident Thomas.

“Looks like a bullet,” he said as he picked up one and looked at it.

“I hear it goes in just like one too,” he replied with a smirk.

Kate was sorting through books with Ford when they heard a commotion in the front. They exchanged glances before rushing to see what was happening.

“I oughta shoot you right here!” screamed Billings at Thomas, who was standing with his hands in his pockets looking bored.

“What happened?” asked Kate as she looked at her brother, who shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, hands still in his pockets.

“He told me to stick this up my ass along with my propos—” The infuriated man cut himself off as he pointed to a box on the counter.

Kate looked over at the box and then at Thomas, trying to contain her laughter.

Ford began laughing. “Oh, Billings. Pay no attention to the boy. He’s just pulling your leg,” he said in hopes of calming the situation. “That is, in fact, the way it is administered.”

A look of horror came over Billings’ face. “That’s not Godly,” he said, regaining his composure. “Out of respect for Miss Kate, I’ll let it go this time.” He glared at Thomas before leaving, forgetting the trinket box he was carrying.

Ford and Kate began laughing as soon as he was out of sight. Thomas remained serious as he walked over and picked up the small box, opening it to look at the contents. It was a gold chain with a large locket. On the locket was the profile of a woman. Thomas thought it was the ugliest thing he’d ever seen and wondered if it was supposed to represent Kate.

“Did he get a blind man to carve this?” he asked as he held up the garish piece, almost insulted at the notion that anyone would compare its likeness to Kate. Doctor Ford laughed as he took it in his hand.

“It’s a cameo. They normally come that way already.” He held it out to Kate, but she just shook her head, not wanting to even look at it. “I’ll make sure he gets it back along with the others,” said the doctor as he walked toward the back of the practice. Thomas immediately looked at Kate when they were alone.

“Others?” he repeated in German as he approached his sister. “What others?”

Kate sighed and looked at the floor. Thomas lifted her chin to look at him. “How long has he been gifting you things? How long has he been bothering you?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve returned them all. I would never consider keeping any of them,” she replied with a look of revulsion at the thought of the pudgy pig putting a necklace around her neck.

“I know that. I would never think you would, but why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t want you to worry or do something that could cost us…” she trailed off as she gestured with her arms to the very practice they were standing in.

“You don’t need to work. Don’t ever think you have to. That’s why I’m here. I’ll always take care of you.”

Kate smiled and hugged her brother, his strong arms wrapping around her tightly. “Next time he brings you something, you come to me and you tell me,” stated Thomas. “Look at me.”

She raised her head off his chest and looked up.

“If he ever tries to put his hands on you, I’ll kill him, Kate. I’ll fucking kill anyone who puts their hands on you or tries to take you from me.”

They locked gazes and Kate felt the heat painting her cheeks. Walking in on them, Ford accidentally bumped into a chair and cleared his throat before apologizing.

News of Billings’ plan to officially propose to Kate began circulating much to the disapproval of the late Mrs. Billings’ friends. But after his unsuccessful attempt with Thomas, he decided to go to the Streicher cabin and discuss it with the true head of the household: Pa.

Kate was sitting on the porch steps wrapped in a thick blanket talking to Thomas, who was chopping firewood, when they heard a horse neighing from the main trail. It had snowed that week, making the trail nearly impossible to travel on, so when they saw a horse-drawn snow roller with the familiar carriage following behind, they exchanged glances. Thomas cursed and ordered Kate to go inside while he continued what he was doing. He propped up a log and came down on it so hard, he cut through the tree stump he was chopping the firewood on.

The snow roller compressed the path for the carriage, turning around once Billings had access to the cabin. Thomas stood motionless with his axe resting over his shoulder as he watched Billings dismount the carriage with flowers and another one of his trinket boxes.

“Good afternoon, Thomas. May I speak with your father, please?”

Thomas took a step toward him, causing the man to clear his throat nervously and step back. If looks could kill, Billings would’ve dropped dead on the spot.

“No,” he said through gritted teeth when Pa walked out the door.

Ignoring Thomas’ response, Billings greeted Pa like a long-lost friend, much to Pa’s confusion. He looked at Thomas, who began speaking in German to his father.

“Mr. Streicher, may I please have a word with you?” interrupted Billings.

Pa said something in German and father and son began arguing, seemingly ignoring Billings, who stood there like a third wheel until Thomas dropped his axe near his feet and yelled what sounded like the number nine.

“Nein!” he yelled again, further confusing Billings, who was trying to get a word in until he too was yelling.

“I want Kate!” he declared loudly and all three men became silent.

A muscle in Thomas’ jaw twitched and he started walking toward the petrified man, who must’ve felt like he was being charged by an ox. He held out his arms in front of him, backing away and pleading with Thomas, who knocked the flowers away. Pa called out his name and told him to stop, much to Billings’ relief.

“I-I—no, I… that’s… Mr. Streicher, please, I have a proposition… a bride price if you may. One thousand dollars for Kate’s hand in marriage.”

“What did you say?” asked Thomas in a near whisper, the cold air visible as he breathed in and out.

“One thousand dollars for her hand and another one thousand after the wedding,” he continued, avoiding eye contact with Thomas.

Pa stood motionless as his eyes darted over to his son. When he opened his mouth to speak, Thomas flashed him a veiled glare.

“Get the fuck off my property. And don’t you ever come back. She’s not for sale. Not now, not ever.”

Billings saw Thomas’ amber eyes turn a shade darker.

“Exactly who’s in charge he—”

“I am. Now leave. Go back to the Sunday schoolteacher because you will never have Kate. Never.”

Billings looked like a trout as he stood there, racking his brain on how Thomas knew about Ms. Abbott. He looked at Pa for assistance, but the eldest Streicher remained silent.

“This is preposterous! I have never been more insulted in my life!”

They watched the stocky man struggle to climb into his carriage, cursing when he slid on the snow. When he finally got on, he and Thomas shared a glare.

“That was more money than we’ll ever see in our lifetime. We should th—”

Thomas grabbed Pa by the jacket with one hand and held up his finger with the other, pointing it at his father.

“Over my dead fucking body. Do you understand me? You will have to kill me before I allow something like that to happen.”

Had Armin been younger and without a cane, he may have put his son in his place, but that was no longer the case as he felt slight next to the mighty and formidable man standing in front of him.

“Thomas, she’s almost eighteen. We have to think about—”

“Do I need to remind you what happened the last time you tried making a decision like that, old man?” he interrupted, tightening his grip on his father’s coat and his eyes falling to the cane. “Any decisions regarding Katarina are mine to make and mine alone. She is mine.”

The corners of Pa’s eyes turned downward. Over the years, he’d had suspicions, but it was easier to disregard them as simple misunderstandings than face the truth.

“Sie ist mein,” repeated Thomas before releasing his father and going inside, leaving Pa with the decision of whether or not to tell his wife. In true Pa form, he brushed it off as an overly protective brother looking out for his sister.

Kate was crying in her room with the curtain drawn when she heard Thomas’ heavy footsteps on the wood floor approaching. He moved the canvas separating their room and sat down on her bed without saying a word.

“How much did he offer Pa?” she asked through her tears.

Thomas cupped her face and wiped her cheek with his thumb. Her skin felt like a rose petal under his rough and calloused hands.

“Two thousand dollars,” he responded dryly.

The answer made her puff out a harsh breath as a look of fear clouded her features.

“What did Pa say?”

“He didn’t have to say anything. I told that fat fuck Billings to leave.”

Kate slapped a hand over her mouth.

“You did not!” she whispered loudly.

“Yes, I did.” Nodded Thomas. The murderous look in his eyes softened as he gazed at her. “We’re leaving this place soon, Kate. As soon as winter is over. Once we get settled in the new cabin, it’ll be like before when we traveled with Pa. Just you and me out there. How does that sound?”

Kate lit up at the notion and the corners of her mouth quirked up. “It sounds perfect.”