Venta heaved the stone upward and placed it on top of the wall where she had smoothed down the mortar. The wall was as high as her chin and surrounded the complex that Audrey Denning"s money had paid to have built. Audrey had arrived with the funds Bentz had to pay her at the Mech"s insistence. They would not just let him toss her out and lose her Bride"s Right and inheritance. The Mechs agreement with the BRs meant that they now exercised control over this area. The Greens were shut out except for small freighting trips.
Another women had joined Venta and Audrey at The Haven. She was an older woman by the name of Matilda. Venta had met Matilda on a supply trip to Beltran. Matilda had become destitute and had been begging for food or change outside the Sundries store. Venta had brought he
