"There, there," Mary said, patting his hand. "We'll not speak of it then. You were saying?"

Caleb looked relieved, "I was telling of Mahala. The Baron . . ."

Again Mary interrupted, "Why has my husband not come with you?"

"What? Oh, the fault is mine. One of us needed to remain and I pleaded to be let go."

"What at Mahala cannot be left unattended?"

Caleb lifted his hat and scratched his head. "My dear sister-in-law, are you to allow me to explain or not?"

"Please."

"Very well then. Mahala is not in the best of conditions. It is in need of a few repairs."

"What sort of repairs?" asked Elizabeth.

"Well, proper glass is not easily obtained in the Colonies. We must send to England for it."

"Are all the windows broken?" Mary asked.

"Not all the windows and Uriah has boarded up the ones that are."

Mary giggled, "Uriah -- with a hammer and nails? Oh, do go on."

Elizabeth had begun to view her husband with a hint of suspicion." Are there more repairs?"

"A few, but Matthew has kindly arranged our credit in Richmond and restoration has already begun in earnest. We need only . . ."

This time it was Elizabeth who interrupted, "My dear, are there proper beds to sleep in?"