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hinting at it. He was worried about it and so, probably, were the other three.
    It was something and nothing and it all started at the river. During their Work Experience with the Labourers, there had been an incident. The girls had fallen in the river and Unt had rescued them. Afterwards, the incident had to be reported but Unt hadn’t wanted the attention that went with it. They’d all agreed to say that Bull had made the rescue and that was the story they told.
    It was just a white lie; one that should have ended there, but the rescue went on Bull’s record and that record could alter the post he was awarded in the Fall. The fact that the incident should have gone on Unt’s record meant that his award would be altered too.
    This was a very big deal. To carry out fraud in the Fall was as serious a crime as was possible. There were no witnesses, so no-one could ever dispute their words but if they were found out, they would all be in real trouble and that made them wary.
    It was a relief when they finally reached the tables with the food. Some of it was cooking in a long, flaming pit and that was the source of the richest smells. There were sausages, patties and great slabs of meat, all mingled with the smell of frying onions. Ears of corn and bright red tomatoes cooked next to them, their colours intensifying as the flames did their work. Baked potatoes were lined up on skewers with crispy blackened skins. The food was definitely better than usual.
    Taking from the pile of waiting plates, Bull went first, making a small mountain as he piled his food high. It was a mini-marvel of engineering that it didn’t all fall off. If any aptitude assessors from the Engineers were watching they’d have marked him up for it.
    Unt was more conservative, settling for a steak and a couple of potatoes which he drowned in butter from the waiting churn. He grabbed a bread cake from the side to mop up the excess that oozed from the bottom then stepped away.
    The food was enough to dissipate the ill mood that had descended but the union was living on borrowed time. They were saved a few more minutes as they got out of the crowd while struggling to keep their plates intact.
    They found a quiet bench on the corner building where Gate Street met the Square. Bull planted himself in the middle between Unt and Mélie with Unt almost squeezed into Gate Street itself. Olissa stayed standing.
    Gate Street ran from the oldest entrance to the town. The Gate was no longer there but the name remained. It had the oldest residences in town and many of the oldest residents too. A lot of the old folk either chose not to go to Promenade or just couldn’t and the yellow torches lit a mostly empty street.
    “So, what we gonna do after this?” asked Olissa as she ate.
    “There’s a quiet little court up Gate Street there,” said Bull.
    “You really know how to treat a girl, don’t you?” said Olissa.
    “There’s always Unt’s house,” Bull offered up.
    “Hmm. Maybe.”
    Unt tried to hide his reaction to that. He stretched round to take a look up the roughly cobbled street, just as something clattered into the back of him. He turned and saw Crystal and Rob. They’d clearly been running with Crystal leading Rob by the hand and it was Crystal who ran into Unt. Only Rob’s hand stopped her from falling.
    Her smile stayed on her face as she fell but it faltered when she caught sight of the four of them. It was back instantly, the automatic reflex of a girl born with regal bearing. Unt was knocked back again at the sight of her, reminded of just how lovely she was. Impossibly white teeth gleamed at him from the dark.
    “Oh, I’m so sorry!” she said, raising a hand like she was almost going to touch him.
    “No, no. My fault,” he blundered. He chanced a look over her shoulder at Rob to see his reaction. Was he ok with Unt nearly tripping his girl? As ever, the man was unreadable. Unt got the feeling he didn’t make enough impression to merit