The borrowed beam went home with its name still on it.
Iven watched from the ridge approach while Bey’s crew lowered the second main timber onto its carrying sled. The last heavy freight had passed. Temporary decking lay stacked on dry battens. The old walking slab remained across the cleft, with a plain warning at each end that the wider wheel route had closed again.
A bridge could be useful without becoming permanent merely because someone preferred not to take it apart.
Serr checked the carrying straps, then led the first team toward the household shed. Its owner went with her, holding the basket of old joint pegs he had kept through the work.
Nella’s westbound wagons waited beyond the broad turn with the seed load already secured.
Tavin stood beside her, reading the final local account.
“Labor paid,” she said. “Timber inspected. One scar on the lower face, made good under the agreed allowance.”
“Seed first dry halt, then west.”
