[Child of the 7th Age]

Bella had spent most of the day quietly reading and napping in Cook's parlor. By evening her strength had returned, and she was ready to look at the rooms that Cook had mentioned. She had gone downstairs and found Ruby, who had escorted her over to a small suite of rooms located in a hallway off the back of the Inn. Thanks to Cook's instructions, the smallest of the rooms had already been tidied up for her use. It had a bed, a wardrobe, a table, and two chairs along with a shelf nailed onto the wall that would be excellent for storing her personal books and slates.

An adjoining room was large enough for a group of six or seven children to gather, sitting at tables and studying . Ruby explained that this particular chamber had not been used for some time. She removed the key from her belt and unlocked the door so that Bella could have a look. The schoolroom was a jumble of old furniture. Large dustballs rolled across the floor, and odds and ends were strewn everywhere. Still, Bella could see that it was a good size chamber. Best of all there was a large window that faced the garden and even a little door that opened to the outside. Along one wall were a series of cupboards and a small hearth where a fire could be lit on chilly days.

Bella looked about and smiled, "Yes, I believe this will do very well. Would you be kind enough to tell Cook that I plan to take her up on her offer? And please ask if she could use a bit of the money I gave her to assign a sturdy young lad or lass to help me haul out the furniture we don't need and get the schoolroom in shape. Meanwhile, I'll be working on a notice that I plan to post in the Common Room.

Tearing out one of the sheets from the back of her journal, Bella sat at the little table in the bedroom and began to write.