章 12: Chapter 12

Miri only peered at him, her kind eyes assessing. Still smiling, she let the paddle rest against the side of the cauldron and told Tom, "Lend an eye for a moment, won't you? Don't let it scald the bottom." She turned toward the bathhouse and gestured for Wil to follow. With one last glance at Tom, Wil did.

"That's Tom's place over there." Miri pointed out a neat little shack past the small paddock and next the stables as they walked. She'd set rather a brisk pace, and Wil had to pay attention to his footing so he wouldn't trip in the dark. "It'll be ours once we're bound." Wil smiled at the proprietary glint in her girlish grin. "'Tenny rate, Tom doubles as hostler, so there's no one as would know if someone were to make a quiet nest in the stables in the night." She winked over her shoulder at Wil; he gave her a quick grin in return. "Here we are, then," Miri said cheerfully, swung the door of the bathhouse open, and gestured him through.