"Do mind who you're calling old, dear," he said almost absently, but he was smiling as he stroked her cherry-red hair with one hand. "It's good to see you, Rayna... you've been missed. And thirty-seven hours of labor... your constitution is quite admirable," he remarked, raising his brows.
"Things here have been well. There are a great many faces around here that you'll see for a first time as you make your rounds, love. The word of the carnival is spreading... new people arrive at my door seeking sanctuary or employment almost daily."