Miach was sitting at one of the low tables and motioned for her to join him. She sat down and accepted a cup of ale gladly.
"How was the garrison?" he asked.
"Much as I expected,Buck. How did your labors go? "
He smiled a small smile. "Exhausting. I told you Hearn was a ferocious bargainer. He is taxing the very limits of what I can do."
"Magic," she said, shaking her head. "A most unmanly pursuit. What else is it you do, by the way? "
"I farm," he said. "Grow things. Do good. That sort of rot."
"And your brother." she asked. "Does he do anything useful? He is certainly full of tales of glory, though I don't know how they are possible given his lack of skill."
Miach smiled. "He is not completely useless."
"Nay," she conceded, "but he always seems to think he has more skill at his command than he really does. It is as if he counts on something else that is simply not there. He would do better to rely only on his strength of arm. Now, what does he do to earn his bread?"
Miach paused for a moment or two. "He has a landhold," he said finally.
"I am surprised he is not wed if that is the case."
"So is he," Miach said dryly, "though it is not for a lack of opportunities."
"Perhaps he frightens the wenches off when he opens his mouth," Morgan mused. "Does he travel often?"
"When pressed."
"Why did he go to Melksham?" she asked. "Did he hope to find a willing wench there?"
Miach shifted. Morgan frowned to herself. He was not a good liar and she was fairly certain he was preparing to lie now.
"The question is not difficult," she said, fingering her knife.
"It is when you have a blade in your hand." He drained his cup, then answered. "Something was stolen from him and I'm not free to say what. He set oft in the fall to search for it. When he did not return when I thought he should, I set out to look for him. And now here we are at Angesand's table working off the price of several of his finest horses. Quite a journey, isn't it?"
"Hmmm," she said skeptically. There was more to the tale than he was telling. Perhaps she would take him out to the lists on the morrow and see if she couldn't wring a few answers from him then. "You have a reprieve now, but I will have my answers yet," she warned him.
He only smiled. "Indeed."
Aye, an early morning in the lists at her first opportunity. She nodded knowingly at him, then turned back to her supper.
She finished her meal eventually, then looked over the occupants of the great hall. Hearn's men, for the most part. The only guests, actually, were Miach and her. She looked at him.
"A close-knit group."
"Hearn does not care for strangers. One of them might say a cross word to one of his horses."
She nodded. "I daresay." She fingered her dagger for a moment or two, then looked at him. "I am not usually given to worry, but I do here. It is obvious to me that the situation here was as von said. Hearn is very fond of his horses. "
"No reason to worry yet. You seem to have intimidated the garrison. Perhaps you can intimidate Hearn tomorrow."
"That won't win us any horses," she said with a snort. "I can't even imagine flattery serving us."
"Nay," he agreed. "Skill and skill alone will win the day." He smiled briefly. "I suppose then, that 'tis up to you to see to it."
She pursed her lips, then turned back to her contemplation of the great hall. It was a fine place indeed, but the stables even from the outside appeared finer. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised.
After supper was finished, they were offered beds in the hayloft.
