“Castles.” Olga looked wistful for a moment. “You’d build a house like your own near Niejwein? Bandits, the southern kingdoms—”

“No bandits,” said Miriam, firmly. “First, we need to improve the efficiency of farming. What I saw looked—no offense—like the way things were done five or six hundred years ago in Europe. Strip cultivation, communal grazing, no reaping or sowing machines. By making farming more efficient, we can free up hands for industry. By providing jobs, we can begin to produce more goods—fabric, fuel, housing, ships—and see to the policing of the roads and waterways along which trade flows. By making trade safer we make it cheaper, and increase the profits, and by increasing the profits we can free up money to invest in education and production.”

Olga shook her head. “I’m dizzy! I’m dizzy!”

“That’s how it happened in England around the industrial revolution,” Miriam emphasized. “That’s how it happened here, from 1890 onwards, a century later than in my world. The interesting thing is that it didn’t happen in the Gruinmarkt, or in Europe, over there. I’ve got this nagging feeling that knowing why it failed is important…still. Given half a chance we’ll make it happen.” She leaned toward Olga. “Roland tried to run away and they dragged him back.” She took a deep breath. “If they’re going to try to drag me away from civilization, I’m going to try to bring civilization with me, middle class morality and all. And then they’ll be sorry.”

The train began to slow its headlong charge between rows of red-brick houses.

“If you go down this path, you’ll make enemies,” Olga predicted.

“Some of them close to home, but others…Do you really think the outer families will accept an erosion of their relative status? Or the king? Or the court? Or the council of lords? Someone will think they can only lose by it, and they’ll fight you for it.”

“They’ll accept it if it makes them rich,” Miriam said. She glanced at the window, sniffed, and buttoned her jacket up. “Damn, it’s cold out there.” A thought struck her. “Will we be alright on the other side?”

“We’re always at risk,” Olga remarked. She paused for a moment.

“But, on second thoughts, I think we are at no more risk than usual.” She nudged the bag at her feet. “As long as we don’t linger.”

The train sneaked along a suburban platform and stopped with a hissing of steam; doors slammed and people shouted, distant whistles shrilling counterpoint. “Next stop?” Miriam suggested tensely. She pulled out a strip of tablets, took one, and offered another to Olga.

“Thanking you—yes.”