"You could have just told them everything." He said after a moment, looking at her thoughtfully. She appraised him. Beneath his constant shadow of a beard he actually had a rather pleasant face, perhaps in his early forties, and his rather penetrating grey eyes were softer than normal, the faint lines around his eyes crinkling with amusement.
"They would have stoned me. Did you hear their reaction?"
"Yes."
"Well?"
"Perhaps."
"Absolutely. Women are vicious protectors of the status quo."
"I've never heard it put that way before. I always just think, judging bitches." She half choked on her food, and let out a coughing laugh.
"That too. Listen, do you have any brushes for cleaning? "He pointed to a set of shelves behind him,
"Yeah, why?"
"It was also messy." He winced and she shrugge
