The men got to their feet as she approached the breakfast table. She looked pale and gray, haggard despite her long sleep. She looked up with a half-hearted attempt at a joke.

"You've never done that before! Stood up when I came to the table!"

"You'd have murdered us if we had," Adam said.

Joe exploded, no longer able to contain himself. "Scamp, for crying out loud! Tell us what's going on!"

"Let her eat first," Ben said in a gentle reproof. "Sit down, love. Here, Hop Sing's done the eggs just the way you like them."

"Thanks, Pa."

She ate a little, aware the others were staring at her. She was not even aware she was still in her party dress of the night before. The silence was so heavy she eventually put down her fork.

"Look, I wanted to apologize for last night. It was real dumb of me. I hope I didn't spoil it. Or that anyone noticed."

"Well, quite a few people noticed, Scamp," Ben said gently. "But you didn't spoil anything, they were worried, that's all. Mrs Warren asked to be remembered to you, dear. She spoke very kindly about you."

"Yes, she's a nice lady."

"Try to eat a little more."

"I'm really not hungry."

"Some coffee, then. For me?"

She smiled at him. "OK, Pa. For you."

Her brothers twisted in their seats, tormented. Joe was ready to erupt, not being able to understand how calm and patient his father was.

Ben waited until she had drunk a little then took her hand. "Now, Scamp, you're not being fair to us. We need to know what happened. Your brothers and I are so worried we feel ill."

"I told you what happened."

"And you lied to us." He held up his hand as she went to protest. "Please, Marie, don't insult me with another lie. You've never lied to me before and I don't want you to start now."

She squirmed. "What makes you think I'm lying?"

"Because I've known you since the day you were born. You were never able to lie, even when you were a little girl. And you never did. Remember? Even when you and Joe were in real bad trouble, you never lied. And whenever you try, you're so bad at it I can tell straight away."

"Please, Pa, just leave it alone."

"We can't. You were distraught last night and obviously something terrible happened. You're not being fair to us. None of us have slept, we're sick with worry about you."

"There's no need to be, Pa. I'm OK."

Hoss scraped his chair closer to her, took both her hands and turned her to face him. As soon as she looked him in the face, she wish she hadn't. He looked so upset he was close to tears. "Little sis, please. This is killing us. We have to know."

"Please, Hoss. Don't ask. I can't tell you."

"So it was something, then?" She did not answer. "You know we won't be angry at anything you say, don't you?"

"You would be. You'd be furious."

"You haven't killed anyone, have you?"

She had to laugh at Adam's question. "Of course I haven't."

"I can't speak for the others, Marie. But I know you could never make me ashamed. I'd trust you with my life. I'm proud of you, sis. Proud to be your brother."

She gave a small cry. "Oh, Adam!"

They jumped at a loud groan. Joe sat with his head in his hands. "If you don't tell us, Scamp, I'm going to go insane."

"Oh, you're so unfair! It's not even anything that bad, anyway. I was just being a stupid girl. What I've always despised. It's all my fault, anyway." There was a long pause and she felt the four pairs of eyes boring into her. "It's just I feel ashamed. I feel I've let you down, Pa."

"Darling, you could never do that."

"A boy...a man got fresh with me last night. I was scared, that's all. He didn't hurt me."

"Fresh? What do you mean, fresh?"

"He...he...tried to kiss me. He did kiss me. Twice. But he was real rough. I didn't want it. I told him no. I slapped him and I tried to get away. Then he got my head and banged it against the wall. Then I scratched him."

"Ah, the blood on his face!" Hoss said triumphantly.

"I'm sorry I scared you. It's just he was so rough and I was really frightened. I've never been that frightened before. I've had dozens and dozens of fights but I've never been truly scared before. I can't explain it to you. You're men and you wouldn't understand. It sucks being a woman. It sucks and sucks!" She burst into tears and swiped at the cup with her serviette. The china tipped and the liquid slopped over Hoss. "Gosh, I'm sorry, Hoss! I'm so sorry! I...I can't do anything right!"

He grabbed her hand as she tried to run. "Scamp! Scamp, honey! It's only a bit of coffee! A bit of soap and water and it'll be as right as rain!"

She wept and wept in his arms, her fingers curling into talons around his massive shoulders. She was gripping him so tightly it hurt him but he let her cry it out. His gentleness belied his size, as it always had. She had always felt safest with her brother Hoss.

"I'm sorry, Pa."

"What for? You haven't done anything wrong."

"I did, though, Pa. I thought about it afterward and I remembered what you said. You said I should never be alone with a man. I was alone with him. I'd told him I'd done the repairs on the roof and he didn't believe me. So I said I'd show him. I was showing him the gable round the back and that's where it happened. We were out of sight of the house. I realized he'd wanted to get me on my own. Then I knew I'd disobeyed you and I felt embarrassed. I shamed you, Pa!"

"Marie, it was not your fault and I forbid you to say that. Or even think it. Hear me?"

"Yes, sir."

"Come here." She went from Hoss's arms to her father's. "Now, Scamp, you must never, ever be frightened to tell me anything again, do you hear me? Nothing you could do would ever make me ashamed. On the contrary, I'm proud of you."

"You are?"

"Yeah, you fought back!" Joe cried. "It'll be nothing to what I'll do to him, though!"

"Joseph! Yes, Scamp, I'm proud of you because you're a good girl. You kept your head, you fought him, and you must have been very, very frightened. You're right, we can't understand."

"It was gross, Pa. It was disgusting. His...his face smelt of alcohol. His lips were all over me. And I was so scared. I just hit out as hard as I could but even then he didn't let go."

"Did he hurt you in any other way? Did he do anything else to you?"

"No, sir."

"Truth?"

"Truth."

He smoothed her hair back and smiled at her gently. "Have you washed? Combed your hair?"

"No, Pa."

"Well, I think you should. Then you can change your clothes."

"But that's what you meant, wasn't it, Pa? That I should never trust any man, ever?"

"No, that's not what I meant. You did nothing wrong. You were in the yard, not fifty yards from the house. That man was obviously no good and had designs on you. He saw his opportunity and maneuvered you so he could get you alone. As you get older, you will get a bit wiser. This is his fault and his alone, Scamp."

"He seemed so nice. He'd been talking to me and we got on real well. How could I have gotten it so wrong?"

"They often do seem nice, Scamp. But most men are not like that. You get to know a boy first, love. Let me and your brothers meet him, speak to him. Most men are good people, I don't want you to be afraid of them. It's just you have to take a bit of care when you don't know them well, that's all."

"I'm sorry, Pa."

"And I forbid you to apologize again," he said with mock severity.

"OK!" she laughed.

"Now, what is his name?"

"You...you...won't..."

"Just tell me, Scamp."

"I don't want to cause trouble."

"His name, Scamp."

"Harry Peterson."

Joe was on his feet, striding to the sideboard.

"Joe? Come here! JOSEPH!"

The door slammed as Hoss and Adam quickly got up to follow him.