Tobin barked a laugh. “What sorta gurt fool’d hide a treasure inna dairy?”

“The kind of fool that doesn’t want it to be found?” countered Abi. She was getting very tired of this contrary fellow. He might be loyal to Sussena, but that didn’t excuse his constant rudeness.

“An’ why wouldna it be found?” Tobin shot back.

“Because people like you think a dairy’s no place to hide a treasure!” Abi replied sharply.

“Tha’s cause on’y a gurt fool’d hide it there!” cried Tobin.

“Shut up yer face, old man,” his wife snapped. “An’ stop connerdictin’ yer betters.”

He turned on her and wagged his spoon at her. “An’ wut makes a slip of a fool gurr-ell me better, I’d like t’know!” he demanded.

“The fact thet th’ King sent ’er an’ she’s got more sense inner liddle finger than you has in yer entire body!” said his wife. She turned to Abi. “Don’t pay ’im no mind. Cause ’e ain’t got one t’speak of.” And she laughed heartily at her own joke.

You could have baked bread on poor Sussena’s cheeks. Tobin’s children were evidently used to this; they paid no attention to either their father or their mother, but gulped down their food, took their bowls and mugs to the stone sink, and went outside, presumably to finish their evening chores.

Tobin finished his meal, grumbling under his breath the entire time, and went out to do the same. Hansa gathered up the remaining dishes and took them to the sink. “M’lady Sussena sleeps wi’ us, so if she needs anything i’ night, one on us is there t’help. We keeps country hours ’ere.”

“I’m afraid that’s true,” Sussena confirmed. “We keep candles and rushlights for emergencies and go to bed with the sun.”

“Then we’d better do the same,” Perry offered. “Goodnight!”

Abi followed him out into the “dining hall,” and looked around for a place to change. “I’ll just slip into the antechamber,” she said, finally, getting her nightclothes from her pack.

“Seems as good a place as any,” Perry replied. And by the time she was back, he was already on one of the cots, buried under the blankets they’d brought with them. She’d thought bringing bedrolls had been a silly idea, but it turned out Perry was right to have insisted. The thin blanket already on the cot was fit only to be folded several times and used as a pillow.

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