Mercedes was right; the warning was unnecessary, as Augustin had loitered in areas far more decrepit than this. The glance he cast around their immediate surroundings travelled smoothly over the women, picking out instead inns and taverns, before returning to a rest on the figure of the captain. "There's a coach later today," he explained, "and as you can see, I did not bring very much with me. There's no need to send anything on; I'll take it myself." He smiled, as if to say, old habits die hard, keeping one step behind Mercedes as they avoided the working sailors.