Before Kijani could say that she appreciated Mr. Croil's offer of food, the Alderman and young Feather returned. “Thank you, Alderman, you've been an immense help to me. I promise I won't work Feather too hard.” He was off, and then Feather was so delighted about having a space of her own. She hadn't thought of things that way. Imagine sharing a bed! That must have been horrid... 

And then Feather's innocence nearly made her jaw drop open. Mr. Croil seemed to be choking to death in his chair, and she really could do absolutely nothing to aid him, as she was somewhere between hysterical laughter and utter pity. “Oh, dear Feather, you must show me our lodgings... A whole bed all to yourself, that does sound nice. I wouldn't want to share a thing with my grandmother, she's quite the bear and snores like my father.” She cast an apologetic, mildly worried at the still-coughing Croil, before she led Feather off.

“Ah, Feather... you don't know what... being in someone else's bed means, do you?” She didn't know why she was asking a question when the answer had already been made plain, so she continued on. “That means you are that person's wife.” She paused, trying to figure out how to explain a wife's duties in a non-scary way. She could feel the cold creeping into her chest already, but she wanted to make sure Feather understood what her mother wished of her. The sooner she dealt with the subject, the easier it wold be for all of them. “Er... that means you are expected to lie with the man and... make children.”