Chapter Thirteen

Emi teased me wake, nibbling on my nipples, caressing them with her tongue, then leaving just as I started to come fully awake. She was already dressed, in her maid uniform today, busily straighten up my room. I see a pitcher of hot water waiting, my clothes already laid out. What's going on? Helen is here, so what. Are we expecting someone? Ah, the potters,maybe.

"Do I have an appointment today? If I do, with who?" I ask her.

"The potters are arriving in 50 minutes, I let you sleep as long as I thought I could but now get up or no breakfast before they get here."

Sigh, who was the queen here? Not me apparently. I got up, visited the necessity, had a wash up and got dressed. I put on my new undies and bra then the blouse and skirt Emi had laid out. I slipped on a pair of stockings, normal ones. I would wear my anklets but because I can't stand second day stockings, I won't. I will have to order more, then I put on my slippers. Taking Emi by the hand we head to the garden, gathering Helen and Aden on the way. We all doffed our footwear and arranged ourselves to do T'ai Chi. I let Emi show Aden and Helen a couple of new forms, new to them anyway. Then we start, form leading into form, all of us in unison. I show them all a new form which we practiced a few times before re donning out footwear.

Tilly had made the standby egg on toast this morning with a twist, she had steam poached the eggs in her new steamer. She informed me that doing it that way was so much quicker. She thanked me for making it for her, giving me a hug which I returned. We talked of what was to be done today as we ate our toast and drank our tea. Aden had some baskets to round up then off to the fields, he thinks harvest is about half over, then just about when it ends, threshing begins, then cleaning. So I maybe ten days to design and have a cleaner built. Ok, I can do that, I hope.

I have an appointment coming right after breakfast, for I don't know how long. I would like to talk to Tobias. The bricks need to stacked and I have a lot of plans to draw up. So we will not be leaving for the inlet until after dinner. I ask Kalvin to escort Helen home after breakfast. Looking at her I think she wanted to stay. Sorry Helen, not today. I let her know we will be by to see her late this afternoon to take her swimming with us. I ask Tilly, too, but she can't today. Neither can Aden.

While we are finishing up, there is a loud rapid knock on the front door, the potters have arrived. I bid farewell to Helen, giving her a hug. I tell them to use the garden exit, and remind Helen to change stockings, the anklets need washing. While am doing this Emi has answered the door and led the potters to the study.

"Good morning Masters." I greet them as I enter. I inquire about their health. They are both in fine health, thank you, your majesty. "Have you brought what I asked of you?"

They both say yes to that. They each hand me a couple of sheet of paper, covered in figures, one set in neat rows and columns the other in one large paragraph. I scan both comparing the costs and time requirements. The neat one is ten to fifteen percent below the other, thought he has a higher price for clay and pays his employees more, too. The sloppy one, pays less for his clay but claims to need more, pays his employees less but works them longer, takes longer to do each piece. He doesn't have an entry that the other does: forms and molds, which has a high price. I can see why his is less, he uses a form to shape the item taking less time to make an item. The sloppy bid does it by hand, with a higher failure rate.

The low bidder has brought a sample of the pieces of pipe, which are straight or curved where needed. I test fit them together, they fit well with little play between them. Glazed where I specified. I ran a finger around the inside of the Tee, as far in as I can reach. It's has a smooth finish. I place the to straight pipe on the Tee so that I can look in the curved part and see the joint, no ridge.

I asked the high bidder if he had a sample, he replied no your majesty, all of his attempts failed.

I move on to the refrigerator pots. The estimate sheets look like the previous ones, neat and sloppy, low bid about fifteen percent lower. The same prices for clay, employee costs and firing costs. Again the lower bid has a forms and molds entry. But is still able to out bid the other guy by that much. The low bidder even brought a small demo unit, which sits on the desk. I could see the moisture on the outside. I lifted the lid, which only covered the inner pot, there was a separate cover over the space between the pots. The inside of the pot is cool.

I thank them both, telling them I would let them my decision by tomorrow. The low bidder packs up his wares preparing to leave. The other man just leaves, no good bye, nothing. I scowl after him. The other man bids me farewell and hopes me a good day. I escort him to the door, thanking him for his time.

There is really no decision to make, low bidder wins in every category. The other guy is a jerk. But I will show the bids to Aden just because.

I return to the study, placing the bids on the corner of the desk. I then get out paper and charcoal and prepare to sketch. First thing is a life size Go stone. In four views, front, top, side and isometric, I then write up a bid sheet for 2200 Go stones, half to be glazed white or a very light color and half in black or a very dark color.

Next is a sketch of a ceramic button, about the diameter as the Go stone but flat on both sides, with the top having a depression with four holes equally spaced around the center. There is a shank button variant, the same diameter and thickness and depression without the holes, but with a stud on the back with single hole near the end, Each with the four views, plus an enlarged side view.

The bid sheet for the buttons I ask for 100 of each in five different colors, white, yellow, black, red and blue. I also indicated to contact me for more information if needed.

Next I start sketching the ideas for the grain cleaner which has seven components, the supply hopper, the auger, the rubbing wheels, the screen or grill, the shaker, the fan and collection chute. I may be able to do without the auger, if I make the wheel feed big enough. The fan could be used by the blacksmiths on their smelters and forges. I am thinking about the screening grills when an idea hits, I could make them two stage, to sort out large seed for planting and smaller seed for eating. New grills would be need every couple of years as the size of the seed grew. And I would need different sized ones for different grains, wheat, barley and oats. Would the thresher handle beans? I'm sure the current one will handle flax seed. Ack, back to sketching, first the rubbing wheels, then the shaker, and finally the collection chute. The power supply parts will have to wait so will the supply hopper.

Emi come through the door, saying it's 900, this would be a good time to stack the bricks if I was going to do it this morning, plus I needed a break. I stretch, my shoulders and neck popping, proving her right. I get up, looking at my skirt, I need to change anyway for this afternoon. We go to my rooms and I change into trousers after using the necessity. As we head out to the garden I ask her what she has been doing this morning. She was catching up on her work and she had washed our anklets. I tell her I am thinking of ordering six or more pair. Would she remind me this afternoon when we are in town. After changing to our boots we go out and start stacking the bricks. While we are doing this Tobias comes by, I hail him asking if he has time to talk about chickens.

He does, so we talk as we stack bricks, I asking how many chickens he had, how many of each sex, were they good layers, were they good brooders, have much meat on the bones. You sure are a curious princess he states. He had twenty chicken , eighteen hens and two roosters, they were fair layers giving 1800 eggs a year on average, when they were culled they were tough but that is normal, they aren't the skinniest nor the plumpest birds and he has a few good broody hens. He replaces half the flock every year.

I asked what he thought would happen if he controlled the breeding, mating a meaty rooster to a meaty hen or a rooster who's mother was a good layer to a hen that laid a lot of eggs. He got a thoughtful look, finally says the chick would most likely lay more eggs or be meatier. Do you think if you did that for several years, each year breeding the best layers to each other or the meatiest birds to each other, would they improve? He stop stacking bricks to think. He got a grin on his face. Then I ask instead of meat or eggs laid could you breed for fast growth, or color or feather configuration or size. He got a spaced look on his face, mumbled a good bye and left. Emi looked at me, "You can spread it, this going down a rabbit hole. I must take care not to catch it." I laugh, saying,"You don't catch it, it catches you."

I tell her where the saying comes from, how Alice, a young girl, chases after a White Rabbit who is late and falls into a hole that leads her to a strange land, with strange creatures and people. Of the Mad Hatter, the Red Queen, the Dormouse and the Jabberwocky. Of the Cheshire Cat, the Tweadle Twins, Dee and Dum, the croquet game. By the time I finish the tale, we have stacked the bricks and it's time for dinner so we change our footwear and go in.

When Emi and I get to the dinning room it is empty. We go check with Tilly, but Tilly is not in the kitchen, where is everybody. I step into the atrium and shout out, "Yo, where is everyone?"

I hear a voice come from up above, "They are out front, your majesty." It is one of the guards.

We go out the front door to find, Aden, Tilly, Kalvin and several of the guards standing there examining something. It turns out to be the thresher, all shiny and new. "The thresher is finished as you can see, your majesty. It was just delivered." says Aden.

"Is there any wheat or other grain that we could use to test it with?" I wonder. One of the guards runs off to the stable to check. He returns a short time later carrying a arm load of straw, even from this distance I can see there are seed heads still on the stalks. I instruct one of the guards to step on the treadle at the side of the machine at a slow steady rate. Then taking a double handful of straw from the guard, I place the heads of grain against the spinning drum. Bits of grain and straw start flying about, soon the heads are beat off the stalks, leaving bare straw. Because the straw is not all laid with the seed heads up, I flip the bundle in my hands and do the other end, soon it too is bare. There is a small pile of grain on the ground below the grain chute and one of straw bits below the chaff chute. Every one wants to try it which they do. I have someone fetch a bucket to catch the grain in. We soon have a bucket full of grain with very little chaff mixed in.

Kalvin and some of the guards comment that this is so much quicker than flailing and winnowing. I ask Aden if there is always so much grain left on the straw. He says not usually but as these are oats used as animal feed, it's left on the stalk. We leave the guards and the stable hands, who have joined in the fun, still threshing oats to go eat our dinner.

By the time Emi has the table set, Tilly has dinner waiting to serve, pork stew and fresh bread. Aden asks how the meeting with the potters went. I go get the bids for him to look at. I don't tell him my opinion yet, I let him look them over first. I had put the high bids on top, he scowled at them. When he turned to the low bid he studied them closely, checking them against the high bids. He then separated them, handing me the low bid saying, this one. The low bid of course.

I take both sets of bids and hand them to Emi, asking her opinion. She looks them both over, choosing the low. I have her pass them to Tilly who passes them to Kalvin. They all agree on the low bid. I ask them why. They say the lower price. I tell them that low price isn't everything. I have them study his bids after asking why is his price so low, seeing as he pays his employees more and pays a high price for clay. It is Tilly who suggests that the molds are the difference, which earns her a well done from me. The molds allow for a higher production rate, lowering over all costs.

I tell Aden I will be writing some letters to the potters, that I would like him to have delivered. There will also be a pair of new estimate requests going out but only to the potter that won the bid. The other man may be an adequate potter but lacks imagination and skill. So we will only be using the winners shop from now on.

I ask Aden what he will doing this afternoon. He will supervising the harvest again, other than the tasks I have given him. When I ask him if he would get me a small quantity of oat, wheat and barley berries, Tilly interrupts saying that she has some in the kitchen. Then I ask Aden how long until there would be a need for a grain cleaner. He informs me that harvest will be going on for another five days, by that time the first of the harvest will be ready to thresh, and with the thresher that will only take a day, so six days, maybe. The thresher shortening his previous estimate for time. When are the other grains harvested, some are being harvested now, but their harvest is drawn out, with the majority several weeks after the wheat harvest.

I asked Kalvin if he was able to teach any of the guards rummy. He had, some wondered where they could get a deck of cards. I tell him we are working on getting a source. I ask Tilly what she did with the grain berries. She used them in various dishes and breads, grinding them in mortar and pestle, I told her I knew several uses for them, one was call oat meal, crushed oat berries soaked over night then boiled until tender served as breakfast with fruit, honey, butter or cream. She and I are going to have to sit down and have a long talk about food.

As we clean up after eating I ask Tilly to place the grain berries on the desk in the study any time. She ask why I need them, I tell her to get the dimensions for the grills for the grain cleaner. She says she remembers cleaning grain when she was a younger and still needing to do it on some of the grain she uses, it's not fun.

I go to the study as I have some letters to write. One accepts the bids for piping and the cooler, another sending regrets that their bid can't be accepted, a third placing an order for the pipe I need for the bath house and finally a fourth for five sets of refrigeration pots. After addressing them, I fold then seal them. I also address, fold and seal the bid requests for the buttons and the Go pieces. I hand all of them off to Aden to have delivered.

When we leave to go in to town I make sure Emi has our swimsuits and Kalvin has his on under his armor. We need a cabana so we can suit up at the water. A tarp with some poles would work. Tarps we have, poles can be obtained on locale so I just need some twine. And some way to carry the tarps to the beach. OK, not today then.

When the four of us have ridden in to town, Aden heads to the fields again. Kalvin, Emi and I ride to the furniture makers shop, where I ask to tour his workshop. He agrees, reluctantly I think. I ask what size turnings he can do on his lathe, he shows me his lathe, which is two paces long, so he can make table leg length turnings up to about eight inches in diameter. I ask if he has ever built a loom. He hasn't. Does he know anyone on the island that has? The carpenter has. I notice his shop is neat without a lot of dust or shavings around, having plentiful windows to let in light, the tools are well cared for. His workmen are clean and healthy looking. I thank him for the tour.

The carpenter is visited next. I ask him if he has built a loom before, he says no but one of his journeymen has. I ask to speak to him and he goes to get him. When he returns he introduces me to Albert, journeyman carpenter. "Good afternoon Albert, I understand you have built a loom. What type and size of loom?"

"A table loom with four shafts that would weave a cloth this wide." He holds his hands about 20 inches apart. I ask how the heddle was made, loops of string supported by a shaped wooden bar was the reply. And the beater? A frame holding smoothed reeds. I ask if this shop has a lathe? It does, a fairly new one, powered by treadles, able to turn objects a forearm across. I smile, men, they are always bragging about their tools. I thank Albert and his master for their time and take my leave.

"What were you smiling about, your majesty?" Emi ask as we ride away.

"I'll have to tell you later." glancing in Kalvin's direction. She raises an eye brow.

We are heading to the carvers shop, though I doubt he has a lathe or has built a loom but he could surprise me. He is grumpy when we enter his shop but cheers up a little when I say I don't have any additional work for him... yet. When I say the yet he frowns. I tell him that it will be several days before he will be getting the additional work so relax. I have come to tour his shop to determine his capabilities. First do you have a lathe? He did, though a very small one, it would only do turnings a forearms length by a hand across. Had he ever worked on a loom, if so what size. He had, one about two forearms across, with eight harnesses. A floor model? Yes. Describe it for me I asked. Like he said, two forearms across, three deep, and four high. The harnesses were frames holding brass wire heddle, controlled by foot peddles. You said you worked on it, what did you do, build or repair? Both, it was my journeyman project, what I did to get my journeyman rank, later I did some maintenance on it. Which craft are you a journeyman in? Furniture maker. I am surprised, it pays to not under estimate someone.

I tell him I may have him build a loom or two in the future. He is shocked, really? Yes, of the three woodworking shops in town his is the one with the most experience on the type of loom I need. There are other projects to complete first so it will be a while before he will need to work on a loom, that least mine. I thank him for his time. As we leave I notice he is working on my forks.

The next shop is the stocking maker, Clara, where I order a dozen pair of anklets. I have Emi pay up front. I decided to buy four pair for Helen, four pair for Tilly and two more pair for Emi and I. I suggest to the owner to put a couple on display so her customers can see then, she may get an order or three if she does. Make one a fancy one, to show off the work and one a plain one for the less well to do. She thinks that is a good idea.

We finally head to the inlet. We can see the cart carrying stone ahead of us. When we reach the inlet, Hans is there unloading the cart with two others. There are now six piles of stone on the beach. I ask the driver how many trips he has made total? He says sixteen , six the first day and ten so far today but there is only two loads at the source left. I tell him that will probably be enough and to tell Karl that. I then turn to Hans, letting him know that there will only be two more loads of stone. I ask if there have been any problems. He says that the big rock has been hard to break but they had taken it down. I wait until they have the cart unloaded before taking him to see the rock. Like he said it was down, it was in a depression about a hand deep. I instruct him to have the workers level the hole with sand, packing it down to the level of the hole without the clay. After that fill it with clay.

After that I check the liner holes. The third one is the only one with water in it, being down two finger widths today. There is even a bit of salt forming on the side of the hole. I go back to Hans, asking when he thinks he will have to start the harvest on their farm? In three days he thinks. Good I say, then tomorrow I would like the six of them to add sand to the holes. I have Emi find the recipe I used on the third hole so I can tell him how much to add. When they are done with that to mix the sand and the clay together.

When I am explaining that I have an idea, which when I finish talking to Hans I get out a sheet of paper, quickly sketching a mixer, a barrel with slanted paddles on the inside, and crank with gears at the base. It is on a frame so that it can tip to empty. It would be perfect to use with a wheel barrow. Ok, time to order a couple more wheel barrows. I sharpen my charcoal stick, I have a letter to write. I ask Kalvin what the blacksmith and the carpenters names are. The blacksmith is John and the carpenter is Jason. I write: to master smith John and master carpenter Jason, I would like two more wheel barrows made, the same as the first one. Contact Aden for payment, use this letter as authorization. Signed Rufina, Queen of Haven. I ask Emi what the date is, as I have no idea what it is. When she tells me I add it to the letter. I hand it to her to put in the basket. I say farewell to the Hans and the others as we start riding back to town.

Once in town, we stop by blacksmith John's shop, dropping off the letter. We then proceed to Helen's shop. Emi and I go in as usual, leaving Kalvin with the horses. We greet Helen then ask her if she is ready to go swimming? Yes she is, she just needs to put her suit on. The three of us go to the back room, strip down and put on our suits then redress in our outer cloths. While we are doing this I ask Helen what she has been doing today. She has been weaving, she is getting low on cloth. I tell her of ordering some more anklets, including four pair for her. She gives me a hug for that.

We have finished getting dressed so we go out, Helen locks up her shop and we ride back to the inlet. As we ride I ask Helen if she would like a larger loom? Of course she would but they are expensive. I explain that I want to increase the production of cloth on the island, to that end I intend to improve the looms on the island. I will need weavers to use them. I also intend to increase thread production, which will lead to increase flax production. Would she like to go in to business with me as manager of weavers. She will need more information first, like, you aren't the queen are you, if you aren't, who are you?

When she asks me this I don't know what to say. Emi saves me by asking her what led her to that conclusion? It seems I do not act like any noble that Helen ever meet or heard of as most are rude arrogant bastards, full of them selves who look down on any one of lower station. I am kind, polite to all, asking advise of my cook, guard and maid, helping serve at meals and in the cleaning up after, aren't afraid to get your hands dirty. But the telling point is I don't dislike her because of her species, going as far as to tell me to stop hiding what she is, a Gwynne. Then there is the fact that in the three days she has known me I have invented so many different things. Plus that I know so many things pertaining to so many different fields. Looms, making clothes, such strange clothes, foods and how to swim, not just paddling but different ways.

Emi and Kalvin look at me, I shrug. It's just like with Kalvin, Tilly and Aden, I can't hide my personality from anyone that is around me for long. The personalities of nobles are so different that I stand out.

"I am a reincarnate, I woke up as Rufina thirteen days ago. I assume that she had just died of the poison that Lian has been accused of giving her. Later you should ask Emi and Tilly what they experienced a couple of days after that. I was told by a God that I was here to do something for him but he is being tight lipped about what he wants, though he did say he would be visiting soon. When soon is wasn't explained either."

"So I just do as I think best, make things, teach things and cause things to be built. I wish to raise the living standard of the island, maybe the world but have only been here 13 days; I glace at the sky, yes 13 days as of now. You say I invent things, I don't really, I just rebuild things that I have seen on my old world. I have a need, I know there was a device to do that, I just recreate the device using the materials I have available. Like the swimsuits, I have worn similar clothes in the past, I have seen how they are put together, so know it can be done, but you, with the little bit I showed you were able to improve how to do it."

By this time we have reached the inlet, the cart is being unloaded. I have Kalvin help Helen down then dismount my self. We walk our horses to the far side, opposite where they are unloading the cart and slightly up hill. Kalvin ties the horses down close to some grass, while we settle in the shade. Helen then asks what all I intend to do to help people.

"First I need to increase my income, I need to buy new seeds, animals, some metals and hire some craftsmen or find someone on the island that can do that job. Oh, did you talk to your artist friend yet? No, that's alright. If I increase the production of grain, I have more grain to sell. If I have more animals I have more of their products to sell. This place is going to be use to make salt from seawater. I can use that to sell or preserve food or hides. Today I told my gardener how to improve his chickens to increase egg and meat production. I can do the same with sheep or cattle."

I tell her of the machines to process the flax, to spin yarn, to weave it. If done right we could make enough cloth to export some.

I ask her at what age do most people die? Most are dead by 50 with only a few getting to 60. I tell her that on Earth, the planet I am from, it wasn't unusual for people to live into their 90's. My grand parents were in their 80's and all still in good health. With a few fairly simple things I could add 10 years to people life span. and with a few complicated ones add 20 more.

While I have talked the cart has returned with the final load, the men have unloaded it and are loading the limestone. The cart driver is approaching wanting to know where to take the limestone. I tell him the shop of blacksmith John. When they are out of sight I say lets swim. I strip down to my swimsuit then run down the hill into the water, diving in once I am in up to my thighs. I swim out 50 meters before turning around to swim aback. As I climb out the others are just getting their feet wet.

Emi slowly get deeper then finally drops down and breast strokes toward me. I am out far enough that my feet don't touch bottom. When she reaches me she goes to take hold of me but I tell her to stop as I move away, telling her just slow kick her legs and move her arms as she stays in place. I tell her you shouldn't grab people while swimming, unless you do it correctly you can drown someone especially if they are new swimmers. I tell her to float on her back and I will come up to her, just to concentrate on floating. Telling her what I am going to do before I do it, I tread water behind her and place my hand under her chin,. With her floating, I start kick harder and stroking with my free hand we are soon back to shallower water. I stop moving us and tell her that the next thing she going to do will cause her to sink. I tell her to grab my arm. She does and sinks like a stone, floundering. I have both feet on the bottom and stand her up so her face is in the clear. When she calms down I says that is why you don't grab a person in deep water, if she had panicked out there we both could have drowned.

I look to the others, "You two ready to learn how to swim?"

"Yes, Your majesty." Kalvin replies. Helen just nods.

I explain that I will teach them to float on their backs first, then the back stroke. After asking Emi to help Kalvin, I have them lay back, telling them head back and chest out. We support them with a finger between the shoulder blades, slowly moving it away as they gain confidence. I tell them to slowly kick their legs, from the hips, feet out. Then to move their hands slowly next to their sides. They are slowly moving away from the beach. I tell them to only move one hand now but faster. They slowly turn, when they are pointed parallel to the beach I tell them to move both hands again. We had been to the left side of the inlet, now we were on the right. We have drifted closer to the beach so I have them stop, letting their feet touch bottom and to stand up. They are amazed they traveled so far.

I show them how to do arm movements of the backstroke and soon they are backstroking across the inlet. They are soon breathing heavily so I get them up on the beach to rest and to dry out as it is approaching time to leave.

As we ride to the palace, I ask Helen what her answer to my proposal is. She says she will be my partner and manger of weavers. I thank her, then tell her I'm not sure when the loom will be built as there are some important projects that need to be done first.

As we are approaching the palace we see a man pushing some thing. I know what it is but I want to see what the others make of it. It think Emi knows and Kalvin may, too. Helen is out right curious though, asking the man what it is, he says the queen ordered it, he didn't know what it's called. She says, looking at me, "Well, what is it?"

"It's called a wheel barrow, used to haul small loads too heavy to hand carry." Helen and man look at each other then the wheel barrow, Helen dismounts, gets on the wheel barrow but is sitting to one side, when the man tries to move it starts to tip over. I tell Helen to move to the center so its balanced. When she has moved he tries again, picking it and her up and moves off. He moves up the path at a fast walk, with us following behind. When we get to the front door, he is assisting Helen off, saying that he has delivered a heavy load, which earns him a swat from her. I ask him if he had ever carry a load that size so easily. He said that was a easiest he had carried a load of any size. I thank him for the delivery, of both the wheelbarrow and the friend.

After we dismount I ask Kalvin to find Tobias after he has taken care of the horses. I take the handles of the barrow and push it around to the garden gate. While we are waiting for Tobias I check the bricks, they are drying well. Tobias comes around the corner carrying a large basket of muck for the garden, stopping when he sees us. "Good afternoon, Tobias, did Kalvin find you?"

"No, your majesty. I haven't seen him. Did you want to see me?"

"Yes, I have something for you." I show him the wheel barrow. "This is used to carry heavy loads. Place that basket of muck here," pointing at the deck of the wheelbarrow, "then take hold of the handles." I have Emi hold the gate open as Tobias pushes the barrow thought the gate into the garden, he pushes it all the way to where he is going to put the muck, then lowers the handles. He has a smile on his face,"That is so much lighter to carry. "Thank you, your majesty."

"You are welcome, Tobias. I may wish to borrow it sometime, If you don't mind."

"Any time, your majesty."

Emi, Helen and I go to the patio to remove our footwear. As we do that I ask Helen if she brought a change of under garments, as our swimsuits will need to be rinsed and dried because of the salt. Salt? she asks. Yes, the salt water dries and leaves salt on the cloth of the swimsuit and it can get itchy if not rinsed out. We go to my rooms to change clothes. Once we are changed I rinse out the suits, triple rinsing them it make sure the salt is gone, I have Emi hang them in the pergola to dry. I will have to tell Kalvin about the salt. Taking Helen we go down to supper.

Kalvin and Aden are waiting for us, Tilly has the table set. We sit to wait for Emi, talking to the guys. I tell Kalvin to make sure rinse his suit and hang it to dry. I asked Aden about his day. Everything is going smoothly, no major problems. I tell him that the liner mix has been determined but I will need some straw, could I get a couple of cart loads sent to the inlet late tomorrow. That is no problem.

Emi and Tilly come out bearing trays, Tilly's has a large covered platter while Emi's has several bowls of something and plates of buttered bread. When everything is on the table and Tilly and Emi are seated I uncover the platter. It's a roasted fish, a big fish which smell heavenly. The fish is served, the bowls of vegetables and the bread are passed around. As we eat we chat, Helen and Kalvin talking about the swimming lesson, Aden tells a tale of something that happened during harvest. I tell the other two that Helen is in on the secret now. Emi, Aden and Tilly recount the dream we share. When we finish everyone helps clean up.

Then we played rummy, until well past sunset. Tilly was fading fast when we stopped playing. She , Aden and Kalvin leave, Emi and I escorted Helen up to her room. Bid her goodnight we went to my rooms, where we do our now nightly routine of bathing each other then lay on the bed talking. I remember to tell her what I had smiled about at the carpenter shop. She didn't get it at first, not understanding the idiom but after explaining it, she thought it was funny too. Soon after we were softly snoring together.