"How did you getBedelia?"
"I couldn't sleep, so Ifound out from the desk clerk where the Sahib Reilly's bungalow was located androde Nugget over to fetch her. By the way, that dog you have at the stable isless than useless. The only threat he could pose is if he licked you to death."
"I know, I tried to teachSam to be a guard dog, but he's not too bright and much too friendly. I keephim in the stable only because Patrick won't have him in the bungalow."She spoke absently as she stroked Bedelia's nose. "But how did you knowwhich horse was mine?"
For an instant an indefinableexpression flickered over Ruel's face. "It wasn't difficult. There wereonly two horses in the stable and the other one was larger, not in goodcondition, and showed a lack of exercise. I thought you'd probably work yourhorse as hard as you do yourself. I'm glad I chose correctly." He moved tothe mare's left side. "We'd better get on our way. Let me help youup."
She hesitated before allowinghim to boost her onto the mare. She couldn't remember the last time she hadbeen given this courtesy, and it felt odd and vaguely pleasant. She watched himmount. "Why couldn't you sleep?"
"It was a stimulatingevening." He smiled sardonically as he turned his horse, Nugget, andkicked him into a fast trot. "I trust you had no problem sleeping."
"None at all. I couldn'tallow myself to do anything else." She looked away from him. "I'mmuch better this morning. You needn't go with me."
"We had this discussionlast night."
"You didn't listen to melast night."
"And I'm not listeningthis morning. How far away is this site?"
"About five miles. Westarted the track in Narinth and worked our way back to a point twenty milesout of Kasanpore while the bridges were being built."
"Bridges?"
"There are two deepgorges about ten miles apart that had to be bridged. The Zastu River flows fromthe north and then splits into two tributaries that join together about a milebefore it reaches Kasanpore. We had to build a bridge before we could lay thetrack."
"And that'sfinished?"
"The track across SikorGorge has been completed, but we've got another seven miles before we come tothe bridge across Lanpur Gorge."
A silence fell between themthat lasted until they were a few miles outside the town following the railroadtrack toward Sikor Gorge.
"What's a runningpatterer?" Jane asked suddenly. At Ruel's blank look she added, "Yousaid you became one because you weren't good as an acrobat."
"Oh, a running pattereris a street seller who peddles stories. He stands on the street corner andtries to make the stories in the papers he's selling more exciting than theones the other running patterers are hawking."
"And you were good atthat?"
"Not at first, but Ilearned fast. An empty belly can lend the melody of a nightingale to the voiceof a crow."
"Why were you hungry ifyour brother is an earl?"
His expression becameshuttered. "Because I'm not Ian."
Clearly questions on thisparticular subject were not welcome. "What other work did you do inLondon?"
"Rat catching." Heglanced slyly at her from under his lashes. "Shall I describe myadventures in the sewers?"
She made a face. "Thatwon't be necessary. I had no idea such things went on in London. Not that Iknow much about it. I was there only a few days before we went to Salisbury,and it seemed a crowded, confusing place."
"Aye, it's that allright. You must just sort out the confusion and make it your own. So you neverwent back to London?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"There was the railroadto build."
"Apparently there'salways a railroad to build."
