[color=f9ad81]"I might be able to answer more.."[/color] Robert offered.

The question had not been posed to him, but if the strange woman wanted to know more about what the inn served, he was at least in a position to somewhat answer.  He did not come often, and sometimes not at all, as sometimes the hired hands did the delivery without him.  The family business delivered firewood to those willing or capable of purchasing, and had a customer for fine rough timbers here as well.  Wood is a product that can keep nearly indefinitely if properly stored or handled, and smaller operations needed resupply much less often.  At most, the 'Second Chance timber and milling company' made deliveries here about 3 times per year. 

It took him an entire day's travel, one way, to merely get there, and another day's hard travel, to get back.

That meant staying at the inn.

Postal service this far out in the kingdom was a laughable prospect. In many ways, conveying the hearsays of one community to another along with the delivery of the wood products, was just as much how these remote towns stayed in touch as anything else. Sadly, that also meant that informing the inn of a visit without extensive pre-arrangements was simply not possible.  Some years back, he and his father had visited the town, looking for more customers to service.  It had taken quite awhile to settle into the now more or less routine scheduling their mill had with the nearby communities, with pre-arranged conditions for lodging, and expected products to be delivered.

It also meant a few years of time to have at least a passing resemblance of familiarity with the innkeeper, and his family, along with other customers.  Good customers are worth their weight in gold, and must always be treated well.  

[color=f9ad81]"Master Bayard is decent man. His son is a bit younger than I am, and settling in about as well as you'd expect. Still a bit timid though.  Their inn is clean, and they don't overcharge.  This far out, the food they serve is at the mercy of what's available. It's pretty much the same for my family back home. I understand that some people are accustomed to having more choices more towards the larger cities, but out here, seasonal dishes are the most common. Theo does a better job cooking than I ever will, at least... .. It wont get you a better price, but if you want to make his day, tell him he did a good job."[/color]

He made a pensive, and distant musing expression for a second before continuing.

[color=f9ad81]"This time of year, they might have mushrooms. If they do, consider yourself lucky. They don't keep long, and are only available for a short time every year. ...They tend to have that this run...  Probably soup. They have a decent enough sweet ale, but the beer tends to be a bit too heavy on the bitters. Not terrible though. I think it's a regional taste. That, or they need it to last longer. Hard to say, I never asked."[/color]