Raised By Wolves 3 - Treasure by W A Hoffman Read Free Book Online Page B

several hours discussing the things they had seen with the telescope and the other lenses Agnes had received. Pete was apparently now quite convinced all water should be boiled. In addition to viewing the things only a lens could see in water, Agnes had taken to examining all manner of things, and Gaston was became quite distracted from his troubles while questioning Pete on what had been observed.
    When at last Gaston and I curled together to sleep, he seemed relaxed and much more himself. I rubbed his back and wondered how we would keep him in this state.
    In the darkest hours before dawn, Bella proved her loyalty – or perhaps that of the Gods – by beginning to give birth. Gaston happily immersed himself in ministering to Bella’ s needs as best he could – not that she needed much, as she was a dog and well versed at this activity.
    Nothing else existed for him. I thought even I was a phantom at the edge of his memory. When at last Bella had finished delivering six blind and mewling pups the size of my two fists held together, I crawled to her and kissed her nose in thanks.
    The following morning, Gaston and Pete took great care and delight in fashioning a sling so one of them could carry the pups once we arrived in port.
    “I suppose they can stay in the stable,” Striker said as he watched them from the tiller.
    “Stable?” I asked. “You have horses in town?”
    He shook his head quickly. “Nay, it is more a shed. There is talk of buying a jackass or pony for a small cart, and to help with the water wheel.”
    At this, Gaston looked up from his work to regard Striker as quizzically as I.
    Striker sighed and smiled. “Sarah had Fletcher come to town and construct a water wheel and buckets and troughs to lift water to a high cistern.” He held up a hand to stave off the obvious question. “It’s for the bathing room. I’ve not been to Bath, but Rucker claims he has, and that it is a thing similar to what the Romans had. Apparently they were as fond of bathing as the two of you. So there’s a room with a great raised tub and tile all about. It can be filled from a pipe from the cistern that sits well above it, and heated by coals in a tray underneath, and emptied with a spigot.”
    Gaston and I exchanged a look of happy surprise and grinned like thieves.
    “Sarah felt you would be pleased,” Striker said with a grin of his own. “It’s nice. Pete and I’ve made use of it, and Agnes and Rucker – though I felt he did it more to see what it was like than out of need or enjoyment – but alas, Sarah was too big with child by the time it was completed to get over the edge, and the midwife said bathing isn’t healthy for a pregnant woman anyway.”
    Striker looked to Gaston for confirmation of that, and my matelot shrugged.
    “I would think it would be a poor thing to do in dirty water,” Gaston said thoughtfully. “But perhaps the midwife knows a thing I do not. My knowledge of the anatomy of women is lacking. I have never dissected one.”
    Theodore and I grimaced.
    “They Got The Same Organs?” Pete asked.
    Gaston snorted disparagingly, but awarded Pete an indulgent smile.
    “Aye, they are much the same as men in all respects save their sex, and that is the part I know little of. For instance, I do not know if they have muscles within their sex to keep themselves closed, such as a man’s anus possesses.”
    Theodore colored a little at this, and Striker grimaced in thought.
    I sighed. “They have muscles in their sex. A woman can close up around a man if she chooses, not like an arse can, but similarly.
    Whether it could keep water from entering her, I do not know.”
    “Truly?” Striker asked with interest. “Is it a thing they just do, or must they learn it?”
    “I feel all of them have the ability, but the skill of pleasing a man with it is rather a thing they must be taught.” Then I realized we discussed my sister. “So there is a bathing room, what other wonders does this house