already and filed the information away. The barn was nearby and Tanyth turned her steps in that direction. She really wanted to see what kind of stockpiles were there and it appeared to be the center of the hamlet’s effort, judging from the number of people who’d directed her there in the last couple of days.
The big doors hung on heavy iron hinges and stood wide as she approached. The building wasn’t tall but it was much larger than she’d thought, its bulk masked by the huts and trees. The oxcart and lorry wagon stood tucked under a shed roof to one side and inside she could see box stalls with horses peeking out. She stepped into the open door and smelled the musky aromas of animal dung and sweet hay, along with an underlying tang of harness oil. The horses whickered softly and she could make out the pale shape of the ox in the stall closest to the door. She heard voices coming from inside and followed them back between the stalls to the far end of the barn. William and the older man she’d seen driving the lorry wagon were standing in a large store room at the back. There were barrels and baskets, tools, and piles of cloth. Cupboards with latched doors hung on the walls. The two men turned at the sound of her footsteps and William smiled.
“Good evening, mum.”
“Hello, William.” She smiled back and nodded to the new face. “I take it you’re Frank?”
He nodded with a shy smile of his own. “Yes’m. Frank Crane. I saw you earlier by Mother Alderton’s hut, didn’t I, mum?”
“You did.” Tanyth inclined her head in acknowledgment.
William spoke up. “Tanyth Fairport, this here is the man we were so concerned about. Seems the wagon gave him some trouble. Frank? Tanyth here will be wintering over with us in Mother Alderton’s hut. She’s the one that helped Sadie over the flux.”
Frank nodded and smiled more warmly. “Welcome to the village, mum.”
“Thank you.”
“Is there something we can help you with, mum?” William waved a hand. “I think there’s about anything you might need in here.”
She turned to scan all the things and her eyes kept skittering over shapes in the dim light without actually snagging on them. “So I see. I just came to see what was here, but now that I’m here, I do have need of a second cooking pot and maybe an extra plate.” She looked around at the wealth of goods stashed in the barn. “You’ve enough to open a small store in here!”
William beamed with pride. “Perhaps not a store just yet, but we have most things folks need and extras of stuff that wears out.”
A thought struck her. “When I first arrived the other day, Amber said that you weave the grass mats and make extras to sell in town?”
He nodded. “We do.”
“Well, I need to make some baskets for gathering nuts and such. Is there a workroom here somewhere?”
Frank chuckled a bit and William beamed more broadly. “This way, mum.” He led the way through a side door and out to a fairly large workshop tucked up under another shed roof on the backside of the barn. It was a relatively spacious room, with shutters–closed against the elements at the moment–and workbenches arrayed along the inner wall. A large hearth took up one end of the room while a wide door hung on the far end. Tools hung from pegs on the wall, and racks of raw materials sat wherever there was room. The place looked big enough for several people to work without crowding.
“This must be cozy in winter.” Tanyth looked around admiringly.
Frank nodded. “We get a lot done here.”
William pointed out a bin tucked under the work bench. “There’s grasses and reeds under here, mum, if you’re thinking of weaving a basket.” He pointed to a stack of empty wooden tubs beside the door. “There’s some retting vats. Just get a bucket or two of water from the pump when you’re ready.” He looked around. “Is there a particular kind of basket you need for collecting?”
She shook her head. “Not
The big doors hung on heavy iron hinges and stood wide as she approached. The building wasn’t tall but it was much larger than she’d thought, its bulk masked by the huts and trees. The oxcart and lorry wagon stood tucked under a shed roof to one side and inside she could see box stalls with horses peeking out. She stepped into the open door and smelled the musky aromas of animal dung and sweet hay, along with an underlying tang of harness oil. The horses whickered softly and she could make out the pale shape of the ox in the stall closest to the door. She heard voices coming from inside and followed them back between the stalls to the far end of the barn. William and the older man she’d seen driving the lorry wagon were standing in a large store room at the back. There were barrels and baskets, tools, and piles of cloth. Cupboards with latched doors hung on the walls. The two men turned at the sound of her footsteps and William smiled.
“Good evening, mum.”
“Hello, William.” She smiled back and nodded to the new face. “I take it you’re Frank?”
He nodded with a shy smile of his own. “Yes’m. Frank Crane. I saw you earlier by Mother Alderton’s hut, didn’t I, mum?”
“You did.” Tanyth inclined her head in acknowledgment.
William spoke up. “Tanyth Fairport, this here is the man we were so concerned about. Seems the wagon gave him some trouble. Frank? Tanyth here will be wintering over with us in Mother Alderton’s hut. She’s the one that helped Sadie over the flux.”
Frank nodded and smiled more warmly. “Welcome to the village, mum.”
“Thank you.”
“Is there something we can help you with, mum?” William waved a hand. “I think there’s about anything you might need in here.”
She turned to scan all the things and her eyes kept skittering over shapes in the dim light without actually snagging on them. “So I see. I just came to see what was here, but now that I’m here, I do have need of a second cooking pot and maybe an extra plate.” She looked around at the wealth of goods stashed in the barn. “You’ve enough to open a small store in here!”
William beamed with pride. “Perhaps not a store just yet, but we have most things folks need and extras of stuff that wears out.”
A thought struck her. “When I first arrived the other day, Amber said that you weave the grass mats and make extras to sell in town?”
He nodded. “We do.”
“Well, I need to make some baskets for gathering nuts and such. Is there a workroom here somewhere?”
Frank chuckled a bit and William beamed more broadly. “This way, mum.” He led the way through a side door and out to a fairly large workshop tucked up under another shed roof on the backside of the barn. It was a relatively spacious room, with shutters–closed against the elements at the moment–and workbenches arrayed along the inner wall. A large hearth took up one end of the room while a wide door hung on the far end. Tools hung from pegs on the wall, and racks of raw materials sat wherever there was room. The place looked big enough for several people to work without crowding.
“This must be cozy in winter.” Tanyth looked around admiringly.
Frank nodded. “We get a lot done here.”
William pointed out a bin tucked under the work bench. “There’s grasses and reeds under here, mum, if you’re thinking of weaving a basket.” He pointed to a stack of empty wooden tubs beside the door. “There’s some retting vats. Just get a bucket or two of water from the pump when you’re ready.” He looked around. “Is there a particular kind of basket you need for collecting?”
She shook her head. “Not
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