Patience was the first to wake. She opened her eyes and took in her new surroundings. She half hoped to see her bedroom, and that the last two days were only a dream, but she knew better. She saw the man who brought her here sleeping in front of the fireplace and her little brother sleeping in the bed next to her.

The cabin was not large but not too small either. It had stone walls, two windows, a sturdy wooden door, good size fireplace, and a very nice stove that looked out of place in a wilderness cabin. The cabin was also definitely in need of a good cleaning. It was well built, and she felt safe inside it. After the horrible things that had happened, safe was all she could hope for right now. She quietly woke William and asked him to do her a favor.

Rud did not wake when Patience and her brother slid the tattered old rug, Rud included, further away from the fireplace. The boy built a fire as Patience looked for food to cook. Although they had lived a privileged life, Patience had learned to cook, clean, and sew from her mother. Her brother had learned to build a fire, split firewood, sharpen knives, and make simple things from the men who served his family.

Only when Patience shook his arm and softly said "Rudolph" did Rud wake from his deep sleep. He looked into Patience's eyes, saw the smile on her face, felt the warmth from the fire, saw the food waiting on the table, and the boy bringing in the last of the supplies. Rud smiled again, and Patience's eyes brightened with his smile.

She pointed to the washbasin and instructed Rud to wash before breakfast. Rud had been alone for a very long time, and hearing her voice echo slightly off the stone walls of his cabin was very pleasing. His head cleared, though, and the gravity of the situation became apparent. Rud's smile slowly disappeared.

Rud had survived these past seven years because no one knew him. He was always careful to cover his tracks, to change his routine, and to stay as invisible as possible. If the men who killed his family were still looking, they were looking for a young boy with no family or friends, not a self-sufficient woodsman.

But now there was a dead rich man and his wife, and at least nine other men dead. And there was a young woman and an even younger boy from a prominent family missing. Someone was going to look for them.

He did not regret intervening and could care less about the men he had killed. Taking Patience and the boy where they would be safe was the right thing to do. But with three of them living in the valley, it was going to be nearly impossible to remain invisible.

And then there was Patience. It was a bit of fun when the shopkeeper's daughter had convinced him to buy the fancy vest and a bag of seeds. Living a solitary life, he could forgive himself for giving in so quickly when the shopkeeper's daughter paid him some attention. But Rud would need to keep a clear head and his guard up around Patience.

After all, she was from the town, the same as the shopkeeper's daughter and town people could not be trusted. Rud realized it could have been Patience's father, the well-dressed man shot by the river who had paid the men to kill his family. Even if it had been their father, Rud knew what happened seven years ago was not Patience or her brother's fault. They had no blame in any of what happened to his family or their own.

But they were town people and would eventually want to return to a town. Even though she seemed comfortable in the simple clothes he had bought her, Patience was accustomed to fine things and would eventually want her old life back.

Patience felt a chill in the cabin. The smile on Rud's face was gone, replaced by a distant, concerned look. She sensed the change in Rud but forced her smile to remain. Maybe it was just gratitude for saving their lives, but there was something about Rud she had liked from the moment she noticed him staring at her next to the pile of wood. With his smile gone, a nervousness settled in her stomach. She hoped his smile would soon return.

Rud sat at the table. There were only two chairs, so the boy sat on an upturned piece of firewood. Rud noticed she had only prepared a meager amount of food. He had expected coming from a household of plenty Patience would have cooked a large meal. When it seemed Patience and her brother were waiting for Rud to take what he wanted, Rud said "guest first" and leaned back in his chair. Patience stood up and scooped a small portion for her brother and herself, then passed the pot of oatmeal to Rud.

Rud put what he figured was a third of the original amount in his bowl, scooped enough into the boy's bowl so when added to what he already had would give him a third as well, then passed the pot back to Patience. Rud understood and appreciated what Patience had done. It was his cabin, his food, and they were sitting at his table. As a guest in his home, she understood her place. But Rud, by taking only a third, making sure the boy got a third, then leaving the remaining third for Patience signaled how it was going to be.

He realized the "guests" comment might not have been the best choice of words, so he added, "You live here too, and everyone who lives here gets an equal share." Patience smiled again as she put the remaining portion in her bowl. As they ate, Rud told the boy, "As soon as we can, you and I will build you a chair." The boy smiled and ate his food as he rocked back and forth on the firewood.

After breakfast, Rud left the cabin and walked down to the small lake in the meadow. Patience and the boy joined him, and all three sat on the half log bench Rud and his father had originally made for their lean-to. It was his favorite spot to sit, think, and enjoy the view of his valley.

Patience marveled at the landscape before her. The valley was beautiful. It was ringed by snow-capped mountains, with thick green forest covering most of the valley. The sides of the smaller hills next to the valley were mostly bare rock providing a dramatic border to the valley floor. In front of the cabin was a broad grassy meadow with a small, clear lake in the center.

Compared to the crowded streets and buildings in the town she was from, this valley looked like a paradise.

"They will be looking for you," Rud said, "those who want to help you and those who want to finish what they started at the docks, the problem is we won't know who is who. So you are going to have to hide out here until we can figure this out." Patience asked how long and Rud said he did not know, "Until you no longer need or want it, this is your home, and you are welcome." After all that had happened, those few words about home and being welcome meant a lot to Patience.

Rud started down the list of things they would need to do. "We will put in a food plot as soon as we can. The soil is good for growing here, and there is plenty of water. We should have enough store-bought supplies if we are careful. Between hunting and trapping, we will have more than enough meat. If we build a pen, I know where I might be able to barter for some goats. I know where I can get some chickens too, and we can build a chicken house. Then we should have enough goats' milk and chicken eggs to keep the boy growing."

Patience hoped they would not be there that long but made a point to remember each item and already knew which she would take responsibility for completing. Rud added, "We need to build a hideout somewhere in those hills we can get to without being seen. We can bury some provisions there just in case." Patience asked, "In case?" Rud looked directly at her to reinforce his point, and then said, "In case they find us here."

Rud asked her what else she would need. Patience said, "I did not see any sourdough starter in the cabin. I guess you don't eat much bread." Rud said no, only flatbread, not the kind that uses a starter. But if he could find someone with sourdough starter, he would get some. He would also get more flour and anything else she wanted if he could.

Rud added for now they would need to stay in the valley when he ventured out. A lone woodsman is not unusual, but a woodsman, a pretty woman, and a young boy together would be noticed. He asked if they minded being alone? Patience said nothing about the pretty woman comment and just responded they would be fine.

* * * * *

It was the second day since her parents had been killed, and she and her brother had been saved from the same fate. Patience did not know how to feel. She was devastated at the loss of her parents and needed to grieve. The old Patience would have cried for days.

But so far removed from what had happened, Patience felt a strong need for her and her brother to continue on with their lives. She knew it would be what her mother and father would want. Knowing she would never see her parents again, tears began welling up in her eyes. But Patience had no time for tears. She would have to find a different way to grieve.

Patience immersed herself in her new circumstances both as a way to keep her mind off what had happened and to make sure she and her brother earned their keep. With Rud and her brother busy outside, Patience got busy cleaning their new home. The cabin floor needed to be swept, and the walls, dusty and covered in soot, needed cleaning.

Patience cleaned the cobwebs from the rafters and, with her brother's help, beat the dirt out of the rugs. She did the washing and hung the blankets up outside in the fresh air. Patience paid particular attention to cleaning the stove and was intrigued as to how such a nice stove came to be in a wilderness cabin. She asked Rud about it, and Rud said that he had "found it." The hard work seemed to agree with Patience, and she felt a great sense of accomplishment once the cabin had been cleaned.

Rud still did most of the cooking but was not a very good cook. After a few days of eating Rud's cooking, Patience had enough. She asked if she could cook supper for them, and after eating the meal Patience had prepared, Rud admitted what Patience had cooked tasted much better. Patience told Rud, "If you don't mind, I will do the cooking from now on." With the boy nodding his agreement, Rud smiled, and said, "Okay."