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he same time and waved a big spoon to emphasize her points。 They all glanced up as Rand and Mat came in； but it did not slow their conversation or stop their foot rubbing。
〃We ought to get out of here while we have the chance；〃 Rand said softly； but Mat shook his head； his eyes fixed on the two plates the cook was filling with beef and potatoes and peas。 She hardly looked at the two of them； keeping up her talk with the other women while she pushed things aside on the table with her elbows and set the plates down； adding forks。
〃After we eat is time enough。〃 Mat slid onto a bench and began using his fork as if it were a shovel。
Rand sighed； but he was right behind Mat。 He had had only a butt…end of bread to eat since the night before。 His belly felt as empty as a beggar's purse； and the cooking smells that filled the kitchen did not help。 He quickly had his mouth full； though Mat was getting his plate refilled by the cook before he had finished half of his。
He did not mean to eavesdrop on the women's talk； but some of the words reached out and grabbed him。
〃Sounds crazy to me。〃
〃Crazy or not； it's what I hear。 He went to half the inns in town before he came here。 Just walked in； looked around； and walked out without saying one word； even at the Royal Inn。 Like it wasn't raining at all。〃
〃Maybe he thought here was the most fortable。〃 That brought gales of laughter。
〃What I hear is he didn't even get to Four Kings till after nightfall； and his horses blowing like they'd been pushed hard。〃
〃Where'd he e from； to get caught out after dark？ Nobody but a fool or a madman travels anywhere and plans it that badly。〃
〃Well； maybe he's a fool； but he's a rich one。 I hear he even has another carriage for his servants and baggage。 There's money there； mark my words。 Did you see that cloak of his？ I wouldn't mind having that my ownself。 〃
〃He's a little plump for my taste； but I always say a man can't be too fat if enough gold es with it。〃 They all doubled over giggling； and the cook threw back her head and roared with laughter。
Rand dropped his fork on his plate。 A thought he did not like bubbled in his head。 〃I'll be back in a minute；〃 he said。 Mat barely nodded； stuffing a piece of potato into his mouth。
Rand picked up his sword belt along with his cloak as he stood； and buckled it around his waist on the way to the back door。 No one paid him any mind。
The rain was bucketing down。 He swung his cloak around his shoulders and pulled the hood over his head； holding the cloak closed as he trotted across the stableyard。 A curtain of water hid everything except when lightning flashed； but he found what he was hunting。 The horses had been taken into the stable； but the two black…lacquered carriages glistened wetly outside。 Thunder grumbled； and a bolt of lightning streaked above the inn。 In the brief burst of light he made out a name in gold script on the coach doors。 Howal Gode。
Unmindful of the rain beating at him； he stood staring at the name he could no longer see。 He remembered where he had last seen black…lacquered coaches with their owners' names on the door； and sleek； overfed men in silk…lined velvet cloaks and velvet slippers。 Whitebridge。 A Whitebridge merchant could have a perfectly legitimate reason to be on his way to Caemlyn。 A reason that sends him to half the inns in town before he chooses the one where you are？ A reason that makes him look at you as if he's found what he's searching for？
Rand shivered； and suddenly he was aware of rain trickling down his back。 His cloak was tightly woven； but it had never been meant to stand up to this kind of downpour。 He hurried back to the inn； splashing through deepening puddles。 Jak blocked the door as he started through。
〃Well； well； well。 Out here alone in the dark。 Dark's dangerous； boy。〃
Rain slicked Rand's hair down across his forehead。 The stableyard was empty except for them。 He wondered if Hake had decided he wanted the sword and the flute badly enough to forgo keeping the crowd in the mon room。
Brushing water out of his eyes with one hand； he put the other on his sword。 Even wet； the nobby leather made a sure grip for his fingers。 〃Has Hake decided all those men will stay just for his ale； instead of going where there's entertainment； too？ If he has； we'll call the meal even for what we've done so far and be on our way。〃
Dry in the doorway； the big man looked out at the rain and snorted。 〃In this？〃 His eyes slid down to Rand's hand on the sword。 〃You know； me and Strom got a bet。 He figures you stole that from your old grandmother。 Me； I figure your grandmother'd kick you round the pigpen and hang you out to dry。〃 He grinned。 His teeth were crooked and yellow； and the grin made him look even meaner。 〃Night's long yet； boy。〃
Rand brushed past him； and Jak let him by with an ugly chuckle。
Inside； he tossed off his cloak and dropped on the bench at the table he had left only minutes before。 Mat was done with his second plate and working on a third； eating more slowly now； but intently； as if he planned to finish every bite if it killed him。 Jak took up a place by the door to the stableyard； leaning against the wall and watching them。 Even the cook seemed to feel no urge to talk with him there。
〃He's from Whitebridge；〃 Rand said softly。 There was no need to say who 〃he〃 was。 Mat's head swiveled toward him； a piece of beef on the end of the fork suspended halfway to his mouth。 Conscious of Jak watching； Rand stirred the food on his plate。 He could not have gotten a mouthful down if he had been starving； but he tried to pretend an interest in the peas as he told Mat about the carriages； and what the women had said； in case Mat had not been listening。
Obviously he had not been。 Mat blinked in surprise and whistled between his teeth； then frowned at the meat on his fork and grunted as he tossed the fork onto his plate。 Rand wished he would make at least an effort to be circumspect。
〃After us；〃 Mat said when he finished。 The creases in Mat's forehead deepened。
〃A Darkfriend？〃
〃Maybe。 I don't know。〃 Rand glanced at Jak and the big man stretched elaborately； shrugging shoulders as big as any blacksmith's。 〃Do you think we can get past him？〃
〃Not without him making enough noise to bring Hake and the other one。 I knew we should never have stopped here。〃
Rand gaped； but before he could say anything Hake pushed through the door from the mon room。 Strom bulked large over his shoulder。 Jak stepped in front of the back door。 〃You going to eat all night？〃 Hake barked。 〃I didn't feed you so you could lie around out here。〃
Rand looked at his friend。 Later； Mat mouthed； and they gathered their things under the watchful eyes of Hake； Strom； and Jak。
In the mon room； cries for juggling and the names of tunes burst through the clamor as soon as Rand and Mat appeared。 The man in the velvet cloak … Howal Gode … still appeared to ignore everyone around him； but he was nonetheless seated on the edge of his chair。 At the sight of them he leaned back； the satisfied smile returning to his lips。
Rand took the first turn at the front of the dais； playing 〃Drawing Water From the Well〃 with only half his mind on it。 No one seemed to notice the few wrong notes。 He tried to think of how they were going to get away； and tried to avoid looking at Gode； too。 If he was after them； there was no point in letting him know they knew it。 As for getting away。。。
He had never realized before what a good trap an inn made。 Hake； Jak； and Strom did not even have to keep a close eye on them； the crowd would let them know if he or Mat left the dais。 As long as the mon room was full of people； Hake could not send Jak and Strom after them； but as long as the mon room was full of people they could not get away without Hake knowing。 And Gode was watching their every move； too。 It was so funny he would have laughed if he had not been on the point of throwing up。 They would just have to be wary and wait their chance。
When he changed places with Mat； Rand groaned to himself。 Mat glared at Hake； at Strom； at Jak； without a care to whether they noticed or wondered why。 When he was not actually handling the balls； his hand rested under his coat。 Rand hissed at him； but he paid no attention。 If Hake saw that ruby； he might not wait until they were alone。 If the men in the mon room saw it； half of them might join in with Hake。
Worst of all； Mat stared at the Whitebridge merchant … the Darkfriend？ … twice as hard as at anyone else； and Gode noticed。 There was no way he could avoid noticing。 But it did not disturb his aplomb is the least。 His smile deepened； if anything； and he nodded to Mat as if to an old acquaintance； then looked at Rand and raised a questioning eyebrow。 Rand did not want to know what the question was。 He tried to avoid looking at the man； but he knew it was too late for that。 Too late。 Too late again。
Only one thing seemed to shake the velvet…cloaked man's equilibrium。 Rand's sword。 He had left it on。 Two or three men staggered up to ask if he thought his playing was so bad that he needed protection； but none of them had noticed the heron on the hilt。 Gode noticed。 His pale hands clenched； and he frowned at the sword for a long time before his smile came back。 When it did； it was not as sure as before。
One good thing； at least； Rand thought。 If he believes I can live up to the heron…mark； maybe he'll leave us alone。 Then all we have to worry about is Hake and his bullies。 It was hardly a forting thought； and； sword or no sword； Gode kept watching。 And smiling。
To Rand the night seemed to last a year。 All those eyes looking at him： Hake and Jak and Strom like vultures watching a sheep caught in a bog； Gode waiting like something even worse。 He began to think that everybody in the room was watching with some hidden motive。 Sour wine fumes and the stench of dirty； sweating bodies made his head swim； and the din of voices beat at him till his eyes blurred and even the sound of his own flute scratched at his ears。 The crash of the thunder seemed to be inside his skull。 Weariness hung on him like an iron weight。
Eventually the need to be up with the dawn began to pull men reluctantly out into the dark。 A farmer had only himself to answer to； but merchants were notoriously unfeeling about hangovers when they were paying drivers' wages。 In the small hours the mon room slowly emptied as even those who had rooms abovestairs staggered off to find their beds。
Gode was the last patron。 When Rand reached for the leather flute case； yawning； Gode stood up and slung his cloak over his arm。 The serving maids were cleaning up； muttering among themselves about the mess of spilled wine and broken crockery。 Hake was locking the front door with a big key。 Gode cornered Hake for a moment； and Hake called one of the women to show him to a room。 The velvet…cloaked man gave Mat and Rand a knowing smile before he disappeared upstairs。
Hake was looking at Rand and Mat。 Jak and Strom stood at his shoulders。
Rand hastily finished hanging his things from his shoulders； holding them all awkwardly behind him with his left hand so he could reach his sword。 He made no move toward it； but he wanted to know it was ready。 He suppressed a yawn； how tired he was； was something they should not know。
Mat shouldered his bow and his few other belongings awkwardly； but he put his hand under his coat as he watched Hake and his toughs approach。
Hake was carrying an oil lamp； and to Rand's surprise he gave a little bow and gestured to a side door with it。 〃Your pallets are this way。〃 Only a slight twist of his lips spoiled his act。
Mat thrust his chin out at Jak and Strom。 〃You need those two to show us our beds？〃
〃I'm a man of property；〃 Hake said； smoothing the front of his soiled apron； 〃and men of property can't be too careful。〃 A crash of thunder rattled the windows； and he glanced significantly at the ceiling； then gave them a toothy grin。 〃You want to see your beds or not？〃
Rand wondered what would happen if he said they wanted