Silas Crowe folded his hands behind his back. The smugness had gone hard. "There are still unpaid wages," he said. "Thomas Hardwick died owing me."
Tess felt the old anger rise and held it to a usable heat. "If he owed you wages, you should have filed a claim against the estate like any creditor. You did not. You took a blank bill and wrote yourself a mare."
"You cannot prove I took a blank."
"I can prove the blank went missing when you left," Tess said. "Aunt's inventory note. Sheriff has a copy in the estate file."
Brennan nodded. "We do."
Pike exhaled through his nose. "Here is my present ruling, subject to formal entry when I sit this afternoon. The mare Starling remains with Tess Hardwick. Mr. Crowe's bill of sale is not accepted as good title on the evidence before me. If Mr. Crowe wishes to file a wage claim against the Hardwick estate for any verified unpaid sum, he may do so in the ordinary way, with ordinary proof. He will not satisfy a wage dispute by inventing a purchase. Mr. Redhorn's ledger is entered as supporting record of foaling and origin. That is all for the corral. Clear the animal of spectacle and let her drink."
Someone in the crowd started to clap and thought better of it. This was not a dance. Cobb the old hand spat and said, loud enough, that a stamp man ought to know better than to steal with his own stamp. Mrs. Dedrick nodded as if fashion and justice had briefly agreed. Harvey Blunt stared at the dirt as if it might open and spare him.
A breath went out of Tess that she had been holding since the day before. Starling rubbed her forehead against Tess's shoulder as if the judgment were a fly she could push away. Eliot Redhorn's face stayed calm, but Peter Ironbow allowed himself the smallest smile.
Silas Crowe put on his top hat with slow precision. "This town protects orphans and Indians over contracts," he said, soft enough to poison, loud enough to hear.
"This town protects records that match," Pike replied. "You are free to dislike that. You are not free to ride out with that mare."
***
After Pike's ruling, the corral emptied in layers. The curious left first. The men who owed Silas money left next, not meeting anyone's eyes. Brennan stayed until Silas's buggy turned the corner toward town. Only then did Tess allow her shoulders to drop.