Page 35 of Dancing On Air

Lark’s husband was once her four-year-old daughter’s tutor, and also the castle scribe. Florie was sired by another man, but Dustin was now her father.

“Why didn’t you bring Florie with you?” asked Eleanor. “She would have liked playing with Margaret and Lena.”

“I suppose that would have been a good idea. Mayhap they can still meet someday.”

“If I’m out with the children I usually take an escort, but since you are here, Raven, we won’t need one. Let’s go.” Eleanor headed for the door. “I want to put a few bushels of pears into the back of the wagon before we leave.”

After visiting at the farm of Mr. and Mrs. Woods, Margaret and Lena were having so much fun playing with the boys and the dog that they didn’t want to leave.

“Come along girls, we have another stop to make in town yet,” said Eleanor.

“Can’t we stay here a little longer?” asked Margaret.

“Please?” begged little Lena, hugging the dog. “I want to throw the ball for Roger. I didn’t get my turn yet.”

“We want the girls to stay, too,” said Bertram. “We missed them.”

The orphans were like siblings, and Eleanor felt bad making them leave since they wanted to stay together.

“Why don’t you go to town and come back later for the girls?” asked Edna, holding a bowl of warm pears she had just taken from the fire. “I am going to serve these pears over a slice of fresh rye bread. I think the children will enjoy it.” She made the treat from the bushel of pears Eleanor gave the family. “Albert is finishing up the chores for the day, and he’d like to see the children playing together too, I’m sure.”

“Well, I suppose that would be all right,” said Eleanor. “I will return soon with my cousins. Thank you, Edna. And tell Albert thanks as well.”

The women got back on the front seat of the wagon and headed for town. They had just entered the outskirts of town when they spotted some sort of commotion up ahead. A small congregation of people were huddled out in front of the cordwainer’s shop. There was a lot of shouting and swearing going on. It seemed like trouble was at hand.

“I think we’d better go,” said Lark. “It looks like trouble brewin’.”

“Mayhap it would be a good idea to leave,” agreed Raven. “We can come back at a later time.”

Eleanor was about to agree when she heard someone mention the name Finnian. Then she saw Tom, the butcher, in the center of the crowd waving his hands in the air.

“They’re talking about Finnian,” said Eleanor.

“Who?” asked Lark.

“Finnian wasone of my orphans. I think something must have happened. We’d better go find out what is going on,” Eleanor told the others. “I can’t leave until I know.”

They had just approached the group as everyone left, going their own ways.

“Tom, Tom!” called out Eleanor, making her way toward the man.

“Lady Eleanor? What are you doing here?” asked the butcher.

“I was coming to buy a few things for the abbey when I heard the commotion. What is going on?”

“Oh, there have been a few more thefts in town and everyone is accusing Finnian of being the thief.”

“Oh, no,” said Eleanor. “Did Finnian do it?”

Tom looked one way and then the other before answering softly. “I’m afraid it’s true. I found a few of the stolen items in his room. I returned them and even bribed the owners with free meat, begging them not to say anything. I’m giving away more than I’m selling lately, I swear. Eleanor, I think it was a mistake for my wife and me to take in Finnian. All he’s been is trouble.”

“Tom, these are my cousins, Lark and Raven,” said Eleanor, introducing the other women.

“Ladies,” said the butcher, with a nod and a slight bow. “Town is nowhere for unescorted noblewomen to loiter.”

“Don’t worry. I have my sword and know how to use it if we encounter any trouble,” Raven told him.

“Finnian is the twelve-year-old orphan that Tom and his wife took in a few years ago,” explained Eleanor.