Astrid drifts along in Vanya’s wake, stealing the opportunity to apprise the animals and the garden and the thatched roof and the stone walls of this cottage; usually they conduct their business at market and in town itself, there’s not much call to make house calls, and so she hasn’t gotten this up-close look at the ranch before. She finds herself fascinated. It’s not what her own home is like, but there’s something toothlessly unobjectionably cozy about it.

“Just recently,” she says, vaguely, and tries to remember specifically how long it’s been. After a moment, delivered with more confidence: “Getting ready for next week’s market day. You got any plans for it?”