The Inspector actually cracked a smile.
“I don’t suppose you gentlemen get any fine wine here at your posting,” Luke said. “Harley, grab a cask for our friends here.”
Cade shouldered a cask he’d placed by his feet just for this purpose, and climbed off the wagon. Bribes were common enough, and the Inspectors made no protest. Cade set the cask down on the road and returned to his place on the wagon. The first Inspector handed the papers back to Luke and waved them through the gate. Cade snapped the reins, and Ned and Ted came once more to life and plodded forward. When they were through the gate, Cade almost wilted in relief. They had overcome their first major obstacle. He tried not to think of those that lay ahead.
Nor did he look over his shoulder even now, to see Mill City one last time. It was no longer home, and one way or another, he would not be returning.
• • •
“Wake up, Tam Ryder,” Cade said, shaking Karigan’s shoulder. She slept as one dead, and it was unnerving. He shook her again. This time she mumbled something at him and pulled the blanket over her head.
They were stopped at an inn along the East-West Highway. They’d only traveled for a few hours, since they had started late in the day. Cade had already parked the wagon beside those belonging to other travelers in the secure, walled courtyard of the inn. It would be guarded through the night. If the innkeeper could not ensure the security of his guests’ goods, he would lose custom fast, especially among the long-haulers who would spread word to their brethren. Even worse, the empire would expel him from his position and keep him from any other with like responsibility. The roadside inns were operated by the empire, which governed the management of each one. The empire did not like to lose money.
Cade had also stabled the mules and horses while Luke negotiated for rooms. There had been some question of exactly what they were going to do with Karigan, since servants generally shared bunkhouses with other servants. It was unlikely her disguise would pass for an entire night in a bunkhouse full of men.
Cade watched Luke step into the courtyard and saunter between wagons with his hat cocked at a jaunty angle, his stylish walking cane swinging at his side. He was certainly playing his role to the hilt.
When he reached their wagons, he peered down at Karigan. “Can’t wake up our Tam?”
“Not yet. What of our arrangements?”
“Well, I have a very nicely appointed room in the inn proper—feather bed, plumbing, all the luxuries. You and Tam will retire to bunkhouse three.”
“But—” Cade began.
“Not to worry. Once I informed the manager of Tam’s fever, he booked the bunkhouse for just you two. He’d rather avoid allowing the contagion to spread to the servants of other guests. I gather it does not make for good advertising for guests to come down sick at one’s inn. Also, he accepted an additional fee, of course, for the inconvenience.”
“Additional fee? How much?”
“Not to worry, dear fellow.” Luke patted Cade’s shoulder. Then whispered, “We are well off. The professor kept an emergency stash of funds behind a wall board in the stable. I snuck back for it.”
Cade shook his head in disbelief—not at the idea of the hidden funds, but at the fact that, to retrieve them, Luke had managed to sneak behind the backs of the Inspectors keeping watch on the house.
“Bunkhouse three,” Luke reminded him. “There’ll be food waiting for you. I shall see you in the morning.”
Still incredulous, Cade watched after Luke, fully immersed in his role, casually strolling between wagons back toward the inn. He sighed and then turned back to the problem at hand.
“Tam, Tam Ryder.” He shook Karigan once more.
She stared at him through squinted eyes. “You’ve only got one face and a half this time,” she said.
“Is that an improvement?”
“Yes.”
“Good. We are stopped for the night, and if you don’t want me to carry you to our lodging, you need to—”
“No, no carrying.” She pushed herself up and paused for a moment with eyes closed. She did allow him to help her off the wagon. She swayed and leaned against it.
“Your cap,” Cade said. “You need to fix it.”
She patted her head, turned the cap around, and stuffed her braid back beneath it. Cade grabbed a duffle and slung it over his shoulder.
“Can you walk?”
It turned out she needed assistance, so he held on to her arm as she staggered beside him. Others on the inn’s grounds gave them a wide berth—Luke’s story about his fevered servant must have circulated to the other guests. It was a clever ploy, really. No one would want to get too close to them and ask questions.
When they reached the bunkhouse, a pair of lamps were already lit for them, and a couple bowls of soup and a hard-crusted loaf of bread sat atop the long table. There were six bunks in the little rough-hewn building. Not luxurious by any means, but adequate.
“Are you hungry?” Cade asked.
Karigan frowned. “Are you kidding? Where’s the privy?”
He steered her toward the door that led to the closetlike room, and she gained momentum as she went, as though the floor were tilted toward it.
“Do you need—?” Cade began, but she was through the door in an instant, and he heard the sound of retching.
He waited anxiously until the door opened and she stood there wiping her mouth with her sleeve. He stepped forward to help her.