Welcome Refreshment

"As to your second question, you are rather overdressed for manual labour in those robes. You would be much cooler if you wore no more than I."

"Perhaps, but somehow I don't think that I shall do that. Apart from the most obvious objection, I don't have your dark complexion and would be liable to sunburn."

Sabok grinned at her. "Well it was worth a try, Gal. Look over there, where I've taken up the old tiles but not yet laid the new ones, and the roof beams are exposed. You can see that one of the beams has a rope tied round it. At the other end of the rope is a large earthernware pitcher full of water. It keeps cooler in the shade of the attic below than it would up here on the roof. Help yourself."

"Thank you. Very ingenious."

She went over and pulled up the pitcher, which held about a gallon. She removed the stopper and took a long drink. "Ah, that's much better! Would you like some?"

"No thank you. I had a drink just before you arrived."

So Astra carefully replaced the stopper and then let the rope down again.

"We'll swap jobs if you like and you can place the tiles," Sabok offered. "That way you would keep cooler."

"Thank you, but I'm fine as I am. I don't think that I would have your skill in placing the tiles, and I'd hate to spoil the effect."

So they resumed work, with Astra continuing to wield the hammer. They were becoming used to working together by now, and the work was progressing rapidly, certainly much faster than Sabok had managed on his own.

1. In another thirty minutes or so, it was time for lunch.
2. After a while, Astra realised that she had drunk too much water and needed to relieve herself. Having to descend from the roof now would mean losing face in front of Sabok, she felt, but it seemed that it couldn't be helped.

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