‘Too early?’ I said, finding myself strangely intrigued by their scientific foray. ‘How long have you been doing this?’

‘Five years, two months,’ Victor said.

I looked at them both, seeking any sign they were jesting with me but found them utterly sincere. ‘Impressive,’ I said.

Victor waved a hand dismissively. ‘It’s only one of our experiments.’

‘There’s one special—’

‘Julia!’ Victor silenced his sister.

I decided not to press the matter, but made a mental note of their secret, special experiment. Victor’s raised voice also appeared to summon their father from across the common room. A large man, finely clothed and immaculately groomed, put a hand on each of his children.

‘Come now, I think you’ve bothered this good man long enough,’ he said. That he’d waited until the children had cleared my plate was fairly obvious. With mumbled goodbyes, the children left with their father.

After, I found the atmosphere of the common room changed. Suddenly those at nearby tables were purposefully looking anywhere but at me, and those further away stared in open curiosity. I should have sent the children away the moment they joined me. Tired though I was, the night still had many hours to it and the thought of pacing my room in useless agitation did not appeal, so I gathered my cloak and left the inn.

*

It was a mild night and I wandered among the market stalls, browsing the local wares under amber candlelight. The crowd wasn’t so thick as to make my passage difficult, and those people that did stand beside me to examine cheeses, breads, and crafted goods were all of a jovial disposition. Of the cheeses there appeared to be a great number of goat’s milk varieties, and the goods were largely carved from pine. Candles were also popular and made from the wax of local hives. Perhaps the only part of the whole market to come from farther afield was the coinage that paid for it all; kreers passed from hand-to-hand with customary disregard for the King’s likeness pressed into the copper and silver.

I stopped at one stall and allowed myself to be talked into the purchase of some spiced cider. A small cup, little more than a taste, which was heavy but pleasant. I raised the cup in a kind of greeting to those I saw who had made a similar choice, and my earlier feelings in the common room now seemed like unfounded paranoia. I moved easily among the smiling, chattering people.

Beyond, in the square proper, the older citizens of Drekenford sat on the benches and took turns to play and sing songs I didn’t recognise. Clearly they were village favourites and everyone knew the words, even if they lacked the confidence to sing along. A battered old accordion was passed around, though the lone fiddle never left the capable hands of one particular woman. One or two of the men enjoyed the opportunity of performance, dancing and clapping in a very measured manner that I assumed was a custom here. I stayed to listen for a good while, applauding each song and mouthing along the more repetitive refrains. I caught a glimpse of the children, Victor and Julia, hurrying off to some experiment, no doubt.