"Yup," he said. "I wander and do this and that-caravan guard, peace officer, some cowboying, or any honest work-I'm a passable carpenter and blacksmith, and I can handle horses."

He touched the side of his duster, where it covered an inner pocket. "I can pay an entry tax, if you have one."

"No need," the woman said. "All honest travelers and traders are welcome here, but we have a short way with thieves or outland bandits-scourge for the back or Lochaber ax for the neck, as needed-so take warning."

The hulking redhead with the gruesome bladed weapon grinned through his thatch of beard and hefted it, so that must be a Lochaber ax; he looked cheerful rather than menacing, though.

"Fair enough." Ingolf nodded. It was what he'd heard about these Mackenzies along the way. "I'm a peaceable man, when I'm let be."

Her voice took on a formal note as she continued: "Enter then and be welcome, guest within our walls, with the blessing of the Lady and the Lord, who hold dominion here in Sutterdown as the Foam-born Aphrodite and Apollo of the Unconquered Sun."

Wow, he thought. The names were vaguely familiar, but… They are strange here!

Aloud: "Anywhere I can get food and lodging for my self and my beasts? And I could use a hot bath, by God! I was in Bend four days ago."

The big man with the ax whistled; that was a hundred miles, a lot of it very cold this time of year and very steep in any season.

"You've good horses, then, Ingolf the Wanderer! And weather luck in plenty."

"Take my word for it and don't try going back east that way until spring, unless you've got skis."

Just then a voice shouted down from above, where the wild music had been. "Hey, will you be talking through till dawn, then? We can't go home until you close the gate!"