Chapter 13: Subterfuge Begins

Pēteris and Miriam rode back into town, intending to stay the night. Convincing Maggie and Les to stay behind wasn’t an easy proposition, but Pēteris managed.

Upon his return to the inn, Bart gave them their former room, but apologized that he would need to charge them. “Even in the short time you’ve been gone, traffic has dropped a lot, and I can’t afford not to charge.”

“That isn’t a problem,” answered Pēteris. Then, he asked Bart if he knew any reliable farmers who might like to work on his new holdings. “There’s good land and about every tool needed - including weapons. All it needs is an experienced hand.”

“I might know someone,” Bart hedged. “Is that widow, Rosie, going to be there?”

“That’s the plan right now,” Pēteris replied. “I suppose it will eventually depend upon if she finds herself a new man, and what he wants. I told her she could stay as long as she wishes.”

Bart looked at Pēteris with a question and said, “She’s a fine looking woman, and she took hold here really quick once you gave her a chance. Do you think she might be interested in me? If she is, I might be interested in moving out to your farm.”

Pēteris was pleased with that response. He liked Bart, so he answered, “I suspect you would have a chance with her, but why the interest in leaving your inn?”

Bart explained that he had grown up on a farm, but moved away when slavers burned out his family. He and his brother had escaped, and they had ended up with the inn when its former owner tried to rob them while they slept in the stable loft. His brother found a widow to make his wife, and the brothers happily employed Bart’s newly acquired niece and nephew in the inn and stable. Bart’s brother had developed a liking for running the inn, though he might need a partner. Bart really wanted to return to farming, but could not afford to just give up his share of the inn without a place to go himself.

“Think about this,” Pēteris told him. “What if I bought your share of the inn? Then, you move to the farm and run it as my foreman. You’d have some money of your own, so that you could be independent of me if things change. I’d let your brother or his potential partner buy my share back over time.” He paused and asked, “What do you think?”

“I think that I’d like that, especially if I can get the widow Rosie to marry me. And she has a fine son to make it an even better deal.” Bart exclaimed, “Let’s do it!”

Pēteris and Miriam went to the bank to deposit much of the money garnered from the loot hidden around the farm. The sums were divided among the various accounts, and the purchase price of the inn was deposited into a new account that Bart would set to his finger later. At some point, Pēteris and Bart would need to establish a joint account for the funds to be used to manage the farm. The Hero’s finances were becoming complicated and entangling.

As they exited the bank, both Pēteris and Miriam noted three scruffy individuals approaching. They were notable because none had ever entered the inn during their prior stay, and because they stared fixedly at Miriam.

“Damn!” she exclaimed. “They think I’m a cock-burner. Flattering, but a real nuisance. I’m left,” she claimed the individual across Pēteris’ body, making her moves more likely a surprise.

As the three approached, they drew swords. Before the sword cleared the scabbard of Miriam’s claim, a knife pierced his Adam’s apple, and the surprised remainder found themselves facing two opponents rather than one and a victim. In less than a minute, three bodies lay in the filth of the street.

The trio must have been desperate, as a search of the ambushers turned up fewer pinches than needed to have their carcasses hauled to the midden. Their weapons were of minimal value as well.

Miriam and Pēteris dragged the three out of the street and entered the inn where they offered the boots and clothes to anyone who would haul the bodies to the midden. Two men put down their drinks and rushed to the door.

That evening, after an excellent dinner, Pēteris and Miriam took to their room quite early. While they had a few hours alone between night watches, this was their first entire night together in a bed without company. They loved Robyn, but the novelty of each other alone added spice to their loving. After relieving Miriam’s usual after-violence-hornies, they cuddled close and decided that Pēteris should instigate more ‘alone time’ with each of his loves. They slept very little that night and took a vacation from their usual morning exercises, but they definitely needed their baths.

Over breakfast, they took Bart deeper into their confidence. “Bart, in addition to healing,” Pēteris began quietly, “we are out to trap some very bad men, and you can help us in our plans. When we come to town - probably next week - we are going to pretend to have a big fight and split up. I’ll yell because my ladies have a cure for the pain caused by cock-burners and won’t share the secret with me.”