"At least I know I won't starve," Darlington says, with a wry half-smile of his own in answer. "He's mentioned the breakfast, the saloon, and the diner about three times already."

The advice to just take it is reasonable, under the circumstances, but as Darlington reaches over to lift a folded map from the stack at the other side of the reception desk, he has to tamp down the urge to apologize. There isn't much to the map that he hadn't already gleaned from a look outside, either, making the whole matter feel like a wasted effort anyway. With a sigh, he folds it back up and slips it into his coat pocket. "Thanks for the advice."