The group stood back, pleased at their progress. One house had already been partially built, and provided some cover from the elements. Beatrix herself was first to stake a claim in the partial shelter. The wagon she had sheltered in during the journey had found misfortune first in mud, then from errant sparks from a fire. Since then Beatrix had resigned herself to a shabbily made tent of spare cloths.
So the group gathered, Beatrix placed squarely in the center of it all, firmly holding onto her bedroll.
Jeremiah nodded at the scene. "These walls will be sturdy. They should do well for the winter, once they're finished." Lilliane slipped into his arms with a smile.
"You've done well, my love." They shared a rare kiss while everyone turned away for their privacy.
Frederick cleared his throat to draw everyone's attention. "I'm pleased to have everyone here for this moment. This couldn't have been done without everyone coming together." He patted a wall.
Jeremiah nodded at the scene. "These walls will be sturdy. They should do well for the winter, once they're finished." Lilliane slipped into his arms with a smile.
"You've done well, my love." They shared a rare kiss while everyone turned away for their privacy.
Frederick cleared his throat to draw everyone's attention. "I'm pleased to have everyone here for this moment. This couldn't have been done without everyone coming together." He patted a wall.
"The curtains are almost done!" blurted Beatrix. She dropped her bedroll to pick out some folded material from a barrel. The plain cloth had several clumsy stitch lines done down the edges and the gathering was a little crooked. Despite the flaws, the group smiled encouragingly at the girl as she hung the curtain on some jutting branches on the wall.
"We'll cut out some wood to make a window soon," promised Morrys. Beatrix smiled widely at the thought and pulled out even more stitched material.
"Not to ruin the moment, but aren't we getting ahead of ourselves here?" Dane spoke up. "I mean, a window and curtains are necessary of course," he continued. His tone suggested that windows and curtains were anything but. "What of the roof?"
Jeremiah came forward, stick in hand. A quick sketch in the dirt showed the next plans for the building. "I'm glad we're here now since the roof will be a difficulty."
Frederick knelt by his father's drawing. "A thatch roof?" he questioned. "I feel as though something, anything else, might be ... well ... better?"
"We'll cut out some wood to make a window soon," promised Morrys. Beatrix smiled widely at the thought and pulled out even more stitched material.
"Not to ruin the moment, but aren't we getting ahead of ourselves here?" Dane spoke up. "I mean, a window and curtains are necessary of course," he continued. His tone suggested that windows and curtains were anything but. "What of the roof?"
Jeremiah came forward, stick in hand. A quick sketch in the dirt showed the next plans for the building. "I'm glad we're here now since the roof will be a difficulty."
Frederick knelt by his father's drawing. "A thatch roof?" he questioned. "I feel as though something, anything else, might be ... well ... better?"
"Won't it leak?" asked Anne, peering around Frederick. "If it leaks, it won't be any good." Her speech turned rougher, an influence of spending time with some of the men. Namely Dane Whyte. "A leaky roof be meaning a weakling foot." Anne was referring to what happened when feet were too wet for too long, a danger when bedrolls were wet. Walls were good for keeping out the wind and animals, but they kept the water in.
Medea frowned at her sister's coarse behaviour and spoke up, careful to keep her voice even and ladylike. "I think what Anne is trying to say is that, a thatch will cover us, but what's the point if it does leak? Maybe our time could be put to better use ... "
Jeremiah nodded as the women spoke. He stood as they watched, waiting for his wisdom. "You're correct, thatch may not last forever, nor will it keep out all of the damp,. That's why we use a special coating atop. Perhaps one day, before winter I hope, we can make some roof plating." As he bent over the dirt once more to show the plates overlapping, the group knelt in and nodded in understandment. "But we must make the plating before winter, and the thatch must be changed again before summer," Jeremiah stressed. "If the thatch says for too long, it will wither and die under the sun. I cannot remember all of the dangers, but the thatch must go." The group nodded solemnly before they dispersed to their previous tasks.
Medea frowned at her sister's coarse behaviour and spoke up, careful to keep her voice even and ladylike. "I think what Anne is trying to say is that, a thatch will cover us, but what's the point if it does leak? Maybe our time could be put to better use ... "
Jeremiah nodded as the women spoke. He stood as they watched, waiting for his wisdom. "You're correct, thatch may not last forever, nor will it keep out all of the damp,. That's why we use a special coating atop. Perhaps one day, before winter I hope, we can make some roof plating." As he bent over the dirt once more to show the plates overlapping, the group knelt in and nodded in understandment. "But we must make the plating before winter, and the thatch must be changed again before summer," Jeremiah stressed. "If the thatch says for too long, it will wither and die under the sun. I cannot remember all of the dangers, but the thatch must go." The group nodded solemnly before they dispersed to their previous tasks.