“We are partway from Chaya to the new port,” Lady Tolmaric said. “I thought—I thought travelers would want somewhere to stop on the way. Some, anyway. It isn’t finished…” She looked at him again, clearly worried that he might disapprove. “And right now, Jermys’s cows are in what will be the stableyard…”

“It’s—it’s remarkable,” Kieri said. Most remarkable that she had thought of it and had gained confidence to do it without asking permission. “You’re absolutely right: when the ships come, and merchants are busy on this road, they will need a place to stop overnight. An excellent idea.”

“Then … would the king consider … staying here this night instead of at the old place? No one has slept inside yet, and it would be an honor…” She bowed; the farmer and his family all bowed.

“Of course I will,” Kieri said. “But you must also come inside and rest there as well. How did you manage to clear the land and build all this in so short a time?”

“I brought both families here,” Lady Tolmaric said, following Kieri into the building. The flush of embarrassment faded from her face, and her voice steadied. “They had been neighbors before; they did not mind settling together.”

“So … this will be the common room,” Kieri said, looking at the large room. It was bare, just a big empty space, but well lit with its large windows. Doors opened from it—one, no doubt, to the kitchen; something there smelled delicious.

“Yes, sir king,” Lady Tolmaric said. “The kitchen is in use already … the two families together number three full hands. The rest of the furniture will be made by the time there’s traffic on the road. Will you come upstairs to see the chamber we prepared for you?”

“Gladly,” Kieri said. He wondered who had designed this building. He had not suspected Lady Tolmaric of such talent—nor the Tolmaric farmers, either.

“You may remember,” Lady Tolmaric said, “that while we were in Chaya, before … before my husband died, we were living in a house we rented. But my husband bade me visit several inns, just to see how they were made. He had already thought of building an inn along the road in case of travelers, if you granted him the right to take new forest land. ‘See what they’ve got,’ he told me. ‘Especially the kitchen and suchlike, and the stabling, too.’ So I did.” She was breathless, climbing the stairs. “And then we built it.”