Chapter 10:
Long before nightfall, they reached a roadhouse. Thaddeus reckoned they were over half the distance to Udine and the convent. He was, however, not prepared to ride through the night to reach their destination. With little rest over the past forty-eight hours, his mind screamed for sleep, and his body was weary of the saddle.
The inn they chose was typical for the region. A wall taller than two men would protect them through the night. Their animals safe in a stable, a single door would be barred for the night. After two rooms were secured at the inn for the civil servants and a full belly of mutton stew, Thaddeus lay his body down on the straw mattress.
Sleep came quickly, the troubling thoughts from the previous two days forgotten once his head hit the pillow. He slept the
