Out of the City

"I've got friends who we can go to, but they live the best part of two days journey out of the city. That's if we can travel by coach. Or can hire horses." (Don taught me to ride, though I didn't have the chance to become all that proficient. [2720] Of course, I'm not ideally dressed for riding, and the last time that I rode was about a year ago, but I hope that it's something that one doesn't forget how to do.)

"Do you have any money?"

I shake my head. "I was never given any money by Gustav. I'd have had nothing to spend it on, so there would have been no point. In any case, one doesn't pay a slave. How about you?"

"I've a little, but not much. Pay day would have been tomorrow. I'm afraid that hiring a coach or horses is beyond our means. Doing the trip on foot will increase the time about three-fold - say six days. Unless where your friends live is on a scheduled coach route? We could afford that."

"Not that I know of."

"We'll have to do it the hard way, then. I should have just about enough to pay for food and a room at an inn each night."

In case of pursuit, we want to put distance between ourselves and the mansion as quickly as possible, so we walk till almost midnight. The lateness of the hour is no problem; both of us are used to late nights in our respective lines of work, and we don't feel sleepy. However my flimsy slippers give little protection to my feet, which are aching. The slippers themselves are on the verge of disintegrating. I am also forcibly reminded of just how out of condition I am. My opportunities for exercise over the last year - other than of the horizontal variety - have been very limited. My muscles are beginning to ache and I am breathing heavily.

So when, about seven or eight miles outside the city, we come to an inn, I am relieved when Baras suggests that it should be safe to stay the night there.

Though it's late, they manage to rustle up some supper for us. Then we go to bed. We have to economise by sharing a room. Though it has a double bed, we are both too tired to do anything other than go straight to sleep.

1. In the morning, we have breakfast and then go on our way.
2. In the middle of the night, we are woken by loud banging on the door of our room.
3. When I wake up in the morning, there is no sign of Baras.

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