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Fergal finally returned with Sunny, to Karigan’s relief, and started to untack her

Good, she thought He took tis over She patted Condor, and without a word to Fergal, left the stable for the inn

Stepping up into the kitchen she found “busy” to be an understate ladles and servants bearing platters of roast beef and boats of gravy, flagons of wine, and boards of cheese She ducked and danced and back-hopped her way out of the kitchen and into the foyer

“Whew,” sheher hand across her brow She would see about getting her dinner later when the chaos died down For now she’d retreat to her roohter, and clinking of tableware coht it could be a party at any grand house, but it was not, for this was a house of a different sort

The bell jangled at the door and Rona hurried to answer it Karigan bounded up the stairs two at a tienerally known that Green Riders were staying at the Golden Rudder, though she suspected it was likewise true for most patrons of any brothel Her father had kept his secret well enough

When she reached the landing, she careened into the arms of a man who reeked of whiskey

“Well, my lovely!” he said “Come to entertain me instead of Loni?”

Karigan tried to extract herself frohtened it “I’m not your lovely,” she protested

He puckered his lips to smooch her, but she twisted her face away “I don’t work here”

“I won’t tell anyone if you don’t,” the man said

Karigan was ready to put into use some of the defensive moves she learned fro down the corridor at a great clip, skirts swishing and ar at her sides

“Master Welles!” she chided “You uest”

“But I like her,” the man said

Karigan grimaced as his whiskey-laden breath flowed into her face