"I'm right behind you, my lady."
"Vayon, if you're not too busy, I'd like a moment of your time," I said as I swept into Vayon Poole's small office. As the steward, he had his own workspace inside the Great Keep.
"I am at your service, Lady Catelyn," he replied, calmly setting down the parchment he had been reading and giving me his undivided attention.
I shifted little Robb in my arms; I carried him more or less everywhere I went, if only so that I could make sure he was being properly cared for. My Lord husband had hired a wetnurse on my behalf, so if I absolutely had to, I could pass Robb off to her, but… well, I still wasn't quite as attached to the baby as I felt a new mother should be. I hoped that by putting more time and effort into his care, that bond would strengthen over time.
And even if it didn't, well… I would endeavor to be a dutiful mother nonetheless.
"I've recently acquired some tools for spinning and weaving wool," I informed him. "Since the price of raw wool is dropping, but the price of yarn and cloth is still high, I intend to begin producing yarn and cloth for export to the other Kingdoms, and perhaps also to Essos."
"I see," he replied, nodding along. "And how may I assist you in this endeavor?"
"As of this moment, I need a place to put these machines and the people to operate them," I replied. "I'm aware that the First Keep is currently unused, correct?"
"Aye, it is," he nodded.
"I would like it to be surveyed to see if it is structurally sound," I informed him. "If it is, I wanted to compare the costs of repairing and altering it to suit my needs against the cost of constructing a new building."
The hints of hesitation in Vayon's expression lessened, though I could still detect hints of trepidation. "I will see it done. Though, if you could explain what alterations may be necessary for this… workshop, I could calculate the expected costs for you."
I nodded. "The most important alteration would be fireplaces. Large ones," I added. "The raw wool that is brought in will need to be cleaned. Also, we will need a large area to dry the prepared wool prior to carding it. Aside from that, the building need only be spacious, dry, and warm enough that my workers will be comfortable even in winter."
"If I remember correctly, there are several large fireplaces in the main hall, and large ovens in the kitchens," he replied. "Would those not suffice?"
"I admit, I haven't explored the building myself, so I can't be sure," I replied. "The fireplaces would need to be large enough to fit cauldrons as large around as a barrel."
Vayon leaned back, tapping at his chin. Unlike most men of the North, Vayon elected to go clean shaven, a stylistic choice more common in Essos or the south.
"If I remember correctly, the fireplaces in the main hall should be more than adequate for your needs. The ovens in the kitchens would also suffice, but those may need some alteration," he concluded. "I know that at least the ground level and the first floor are structurally sound, but I admit I do not know the condition of the upper levels."
"The ground level alone will be sufficient for now," I replied. "Over time, should this venture prove profitable, I may need to expand to the upper levels of the tower. However, we can make alterations and repairs as the workshop expands; it need not all be done at once."
"Hmm. If that's the case, then it will almost certainly be less expensive to use the First Keep rather than constructing a new building," he replied. "Though, making alterations over time may prove more costly in the long run."
"Yet if the venture is profitable, I will be able to pay for those alterations myself, without having to use House Stark's coffers," I pointed out. "And, as I have been doing, I can pay for the initial costs out of the generous allowance my Lord husband has assigned to me."
According to Catelyn's memories, it was common for a Lord to bequeath an allowance to his wife for her personal use. Similar, though lesser amounts, were often given to older noble children as well, in part to teach them how to manage money. Hoster Tully, Catelyn's father, had granted her a very small allowance, starting at age 8, and increased it to a more substantial amount at age 12. Eddard Stark had done the same once he and Catelyn were married, though the amount he had given her was barely more than the allowance Catelyn had received at 12. The North had less wealth to throw around than the Riverlands, though, so I doubted this was intended as a slight, even if Catelyn had initially taken it as one. A quick glance at the North's tax record had quickly disabused her of that notion.
The steward nodded, relaxing a bit at my announcement. He had probably thought I would demand that the costs would come out of House Stark's coffers.
"In that case, I will have some men survey the building on the morrow," he replied with a decisive nod. "It should be done no later than tomorrow evening."
"Excellent!" I replied with a bright smile. "In that case, I will take my leave."
"As you wish, my lady," he replied with a small smile and a slight bow of the head.
The survey reports were, overall, positive. Some of the uppermost levels had some water damage from broken shutters and a leaky roof, but the structure was sound. The cellars of the tower would make adequate storehouses for both raw materials as well as finished goods, as they were dry, if a little dusty. Vayon's memory of the fireplaces was also correct; the ones in the main hall were large enough to roast a whole deer, and would be plenty large enough to fit cauldrons the size I envisioned.
Speaking of cauldrons, the steward had managed to find a couple of adequately sized ones in the Great Keep that were not regularly used. Appropriating a couple for my workshop would be no great bother, and it would save me the time and expense of having to have new ones cast by the blacksmith.
Over the week, I'd paid some of the household staff a silver stag each if they would assist me in cleaning out the cellars, the main hall, the kitchens, and the rooms on the first floor. At the promise of extra coin, they had worked enthusiastically, cleaning them as if they were expecting a king to visit. I was sure that, if I wanted to, I could comfortably live in one of the rooms on the first floor.
"A little to your left… a little more… there, that should do it," I ordered a quartet of strong young men as they moved the loom into place. Turning away, I called out, "Anna, a little tighter, if you please; the drying racks need to be firm."
"Yes, milady."
Since my operation was still so small, I'd elected to keep everything in the main hall for now. Eventually, the main hall would be reserved for cleaning the wool, drying, then carding it. I envisioned boxes of carded wool being carried up to the first floor to the spinners, who would turn it into yarn. A few of the rooms would also have looms, where weavers could turn some of the yarn into cloth. The looms were large enough that I could only fit one in each room, but I might be able to squeeze two spinning machines into each room.
'If my little workshop manages to grow that large,' I thought, my doubts tamping down my enthusiasm.
"It would seem that everything is coming along nicely, my lady," the steward commented as he observed the work.
"It is," I agreed. "Thanks to your help."
"It was no great trouble," he humbly deflected the compliment. Changing tack, he asked, "Have you already hired workers?"
"Tarla, a friend of Old Garalt's wife, is a widow with experience in spinning," I replied. "I've hired her, and she knows of a couple other widows who need the work. I'll be meeting with them here in the morning."
He nodded.