"Aye.  It might be," she nodded concurrence with his own admission, that recuperating for several days would be the prudent thing to do.<br/><br/>"You are quite free to leave whenever you wish, understand.  I will not seek to stop you.   But, sometimes mere flesh and bone conspire to thwart our supreme will."   She underscored the point with a sleight, wry smile.<br/><br/>Regarding him for a moment, she had to acknowledge that, beyond the sake of his health, she did not want him walking out of here today, anyway.  No...she desired a little more time, to try and understand better this man whom the goddess had gone out of her way to spare...<br/><br/>As to the matter of the criminal, she shook her head.   "No. I've had no word of him personally.  And saw no signs of him at the river. Albeit my attention was on other matters. I ask because I must alert our rangers and warders, to address any threat he might pose.    A thief is less danger than a killer.  But a thief might resort to killing, if he becomes desperate enough.   We cannot wait for your own to find him.   Too much risk, in that.  We will turn him over to the proper authority, if we do apprehend him.   Rest assured of that."<br/><br/>Then she answered his query regarding this being her residence, and other things.   She nodded to the first part.<br/><br/>"More or less.  It is a room built adjacent to my dwelling, where I do my work."   And then she bridled a little at the more personal part of it:<br/><br/>"No...my husband will be no issue, sir.    For I am unwed.  Not because no one will have me, you understand...but because our culture here is a little different than your own.  When I do wed, it will be a pairing of mutual choice, and of mutual love.   Not because my father has found some match he deems suitable.  Were he even still alive."<br/><br/>Morveya caught herself, then, realizing she sounded defensive.<span style="font-style: italic">Was</span>being defensive, in truth.    What had provoked that from her?  Why need she care what he thought?     She couldn't afford to speak like that, in any event.  If Eadric of Anson was out lawfully chasing criminals, then he reported to the kind of people that could cause trouble here, if there suspicion was sufficiently aroused.   She didn't think this was enough to do that --  but it was a bad idea to rub her "pagan ways" in his face.   Having helped him or no.<br/><br/>"What of yourself?"  she asked in return, to shift the focus of the talk.   "Surely you must have a woman -- a wife, and other family, who will be concerned when you do not return on schedule.  To say nothing of your superiors.  Once you have had a little more rest, it might be well for you to write a message in your own hand, which we may send to them?"