Nat looked around the dim light.  It was not the worst she had been, but not the best either.  However, it was dry, seemly warm, and private.  Those were good points.  She would need to have a lamp of some sort, though with the hay she would have to be careful.  Then she heard Jimmy speak about the drinking and beatings.  That made her take a strong pause.

"Beatings?  For no reason?  Real reason, I mean?  Or just drunk reasons?"  That did not sound good at all.  If he was going to beat her, she wasn't going to be staying around.