Chapter 49: Riverboat Construction
TODAY, Bertine was visiting the workshop of the shipbuilder Cecilio had introduced her to. Of the several on his list, which included both imperial and Federation businesses, she had ultimately gone with a Federation carpenter. “The little things help a nation flourish.” It was her own personal creed to live by.
The current riverboats had been designed without factoring in women as passengers and she thought that unacceptable. Surely, there would come a day when women wanted to travel the country by boat just like she had. Bertine certainly didn’t want to dash any feminine dreams just because of the way a boat was built. After all, not all women in the world could be as brazen as her.
If her first hotel proved profitable, it would create the possibility to open more. So one riverboat might not be enough. Then she would have to make sure the carpenter became comfortable with building a boat that was accessible to nobles and women, in case she needed to order more in the future.
The men at the workshop dedicated themselves to their tasks, sweat pouring down their bodies. One of them, who appeared to be the master carpenter, approached the table. His torso was bare as he used a cloth to wipe off the sweat clinging to him. He picked up her list of requirements for the boat. The expression on his face turned to one of dismay while he read through it.
“A boat aristos will use? And you want me to make it? Impossible. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
“I’ll instruct you. Please peruse this document. It notes the necessary features to attract the nobility.”
The man in his forties introduced himself as Chuy and took the papers from her. He looked increasingly perplexed as he read through the list. Stroking his beard, he spoke, “Will you really need this many private rooms? They’ll be narrow and cramped. What’s more, this design won’t allow many passengers to board at once.”
“That is precisely the point. It will be large enough to host the boat’s crew and a few aristocrats plus their servants. This boat won’t be a regular ferry.”
“What do you mean then? An exclusive charter service? Sounds luxurious.”
“Luxury is part of the pleasure of a journey.”
“Then how ’bout a double-decker? The aristos can stay on the second floor with their servants on the first. That should make the rooms bigger and well-ventilated for everyone. ’Cause depending on the season, these southlands can get murderously hot.”
“What a wonderful idea! A two-story riverboat would be perfect. Let’s proceed with this then,” Bertine approved.
“What about the interior?”
“I’ll contact you again once I decide what to do with it. When I do, I’ll be sure to have the furnishings and such ready by then to outfit the boat.”
“Roger that. Nothing to do but try my hand at it.”
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PROGRESS was being made at a steady pace. Bertine received letters often from Eckhart. In one, he wrote that the ground for the hotel’s planned site was firm and stable. In another, he talked about how delicious emu stew was. A third detailed his bewilderment over why Evance’s parents were so overprotective of a large man like Evance. That last one made her laugh.
In one of her replies, she had asked Eckhart about the hotel’s exterior appearance. He wrote back that Evance wanted to surprise her, so she would just have to wait and see. How can a hotel’s construction continue if the owner doesn’t know what it looks like? Immediately after, she had a rejoinder for her own thought. I guess it’s fine since Eckhart is overseeing it and he is an expert, after all. Besides, Bertine loved all of Evance’s designs.