he’d been immediately enveloped in their warmth and camaraderie. They plied him with baked goods and enveloped him in chatter and laughter. He’d found their strength and spirituality contagious, which had made him even more aware of the masculine, rough and gruff existence of the mining camp.
Anyone who applied to work at the Batchwell Bottoms Mine did so knowing that it was an all-male environment. Before being hired, a man had to promise to adhere to a strict set of rules. He promised to forgo drinking, gambling, cussing and the company of women.
Many of the men who worked at the mine had been here for years. They’d grown accustomed to hard work and spartan living conditions. But there was no denying that things were beginning to change. The men were congregating in the cook shack and lingering at the Devotionals. They soaked up the softer atmosphere the women inspired whenever they were present.
Then, when they returned to the Dovecote, the camp felt...empty again. The miners congregated in the Hall to play darts or checkers, but their efforts to enjoy themselves seemed forced. Even worse, because Charles had permission to spend time with the women, he’d grown aware of a certain...separation between him and the other men. As if they felt slightly resentful of the way he was able to enjoy something that they’d been forbidden.
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