Cody patted her shoulder awkwardly. “’S’all right. I know how you feel. Hellfire, most’ve us thet’ve had t’spend a long winter ’lone know it ain’t somethin’ a human oughta do. I did thet once. I ain’t never doin’ it agin, if I kin help it.”

“Well, now that we have all of that neatly settled, I will do some investigation and see if I can’t persuade some dwarves in your part of the world to show off their skills.” Rosa laughed. “I suspect I can, if I start now. And if I can’t, Papa Gunther almost certainly can.”

And what would happen the winter after next, when the entire company would presumably be gone?

Perhaps I can persuade the Bruderschaft to establish a new Lodge in the abbey! she suddenly thought. I shall ask Rosa about that . . . later.

“Do you think you’ll be staying the winter too?” she asked Rosa instead.

“I can’t promise anything,” Rosa replied. “It will depend entirely on if the Graf wants and needs me for that season.” Giselle felt her heart drop a little. But then Rosa added “It’s as good a place to overwinter as the next, and the Graf does a great deal of the sort of entertaining in winter that I am not all that fond of.” Her voice took on a wry cast. “I do like luxury, and I do like the fine food and the lovely clothing he supplies me with, but I don’t much care for catering to the whims of a lot of inbred idiots whose pedigrees are as long as my arm, but who have more hair than brains. And last winter, persuading some of them that my favors were not part of the Graf’s hospitality cost me a great deal of my temper, and they are fortunate I have an even temper, or three of them would be missing hands!”

“Well then, I hope the Graf does not need you,” said Giselle, with a laugh.

“An’ on that cheerful thought, I’m sayin’ good night,” said Cody, parting from them as they reached his tent.

“As am I,” added Fox, heading across the campground to the Pawnee teepees.

Since Kellermann also was one of the few who had a vardo, he walked with the two of them to where the wagons were parked and paused at his. “I am grateful beyond words for all you have done for us, Giselle,” he said. “But the offer of a wintering spot . . . makes me very happy indeed. I cannot think of anything that would suit me more than to be able to spend Christmas in your company.”

With that, he took her hand, and squeezed it, and went to his wagon.

“Well!” said Rosa, after a moment. “I was going to give you a little warning about not getting attached to the Captain . . . but . . . I’m going to say no such thing about our friend Kellermann!”