Most of the next day was spent varnishing the floors. Thankfully, the varnish was water-based, at the suggestion of the supplier, which meant very little odor. It also dried much faster than oil-based, a definite plus in Neil’s opinion since it meant he wouldn’t have to spend a day either upstairs or out of the house again.
Matou, once he understood from Neil’s sharp commands that he wasn’t to come into the room, watched with interest while his owner worked, as did Pattie when she showed up around noon to check on how things were going.
“Where’s your partner in crime?” she asked when he let her in.
Neil pointed to Matou, who was now sitting on the fourth step up on the stairs. “There and supervising. Are you going to supervise, too?” he asked as he went back to the job. He had to keep g
