For the time being—at least for the first day—they hung a large piece of cloth over the doorway to replace the broken front door.
Edmond spent the whole day cleaning the old house from top to bottom, while Rose went out to get to know the women in the village and make a good first impression.
It wasn't because she didn't want to help him. But every time she offered, Edmond would gently tell her to sit down and rest instead. Since she didn't want to spend the whole day doing nothing, she decided to use the chance to make friends with the women who lived nearby.
"It must have been difficult to leave your homeland," a young woman said, her voice full of sympathy. "I can't imagine having to leave everything behind."
Rose gave her a gentle smile.
"It was," she lied. "But..."
She turned her head and watched Edmond carrying a wooden bucket filled with water as he headed back into the house to mop the floor.
