Nice to see others getting involved as well, feel free to ask or comment on the story. To clarify:
What I got out of this line here is that this particular event is not especially uncommon at this inn.
1) Since the Lock and Feather is a a higher-middle-class establishment, rats are actually very uncommon; the owners take a lot of care not have any varmints scurrying around.
2) Even if they were common, at least 9 out of every 10 rats showing themselves would be brown, not black. Hugo won't know this, and owners probably can't be bothered to tell the difference, but Josie
will know.
As for joining in: since bfg9001 hasn't shown himself ever since volunteering, and a certain someone seems to have nerfed himself out of the playing field, I'll be glad to take on an extra....