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Chapter 17
Conrad placed the stolen items on the table in the house, with Hazel, Sister Adeline, and Willow watching.
“Hazel, what do you have to say about this?” he asked his sister.
The girl looked at the items, and slowly lowered herself atop a chair. “All right, so I took them,” she admitted.
“Why?” asked Conrad.
“I – I don’t know why I did it.” Her body began to tremble.
“Hazel, don’t you realize what you’ve done?” asked Conrad in a firm voice. “Stealing from nobles is a crime that is not taken lightly. You could be sentenced to death for this.”
“Nay!” she screamed, her eyes opening wide in fear. “I don’t want to die! Please, don’t let them kill me.”
“Well, mayhap you should have thought of that before you stole all these things.” Conrad paced the floor, not knowing what to do. Hazel started crying hysterically.
“Now, now, dear. Don’t cry.” Sister Adeline sat next to Hazel, putting her arm around the girl, trying to calm her.
“I think I know why you did it,” said Willow.
“No one knows why my addled sister does things. Not even her,” said Conrad, throwing his hands in the air.
Hazel wept bitterly.
“Conrad, stop it,” commanded Willow, putting her crown and the ruby on the table. “Your sister told me when she first arrived that she was tired of never being noticed. Hazel, did you think this would make people notice you?”
“I guess so,” said Hazel, wiping a tear from her eye. “But then I got scared and didn’t know what to do. That’s when I buried the items, thinking no one would find them here.”
“But we did find them,” said Conrad. “And now that I know about this, I have no choice but to return the items and apologize to the earl and the others.”
“Nay, that’s no good,” said Adeline. “If you do that, what is to say they won’t think you were the one to steal them to begin with? Or perhaps that you knew about it all along and were working with your sister.”
“That’s absurd,” answered Conrad. “No one would think that.”
“She’s right,” said Willow. “We can’t let anyone know that Hazel stole the items. It would ruin your reputation, Conrad. Even if they didn’t blame you, she is still your sister. Plus, it would put everyone in an awkward situation. Lord Beaufort, being the host, would not be able to let this go without punishing someone for the act. It would hurt his reputation as well, and that’s not fair.”
“I didn’t think of that,” said Conrad, pacing and thinking and finally stopping in his tracks. “I’ve got it. I’ll return the items without anyone knowing from where they came.”
“Aye, we’re the only ones who know the truth,” said Adeline, rubbing Hazel’s back. “And I won’t tell a soul.”
“Nay, it’s not right,” said Willow.
“Willow, please, don’t be stubborn at a time like this.” Conrad didn’t want Willow objecting when they had no other options. “If you have a better idea, I’d like to hear it.”
“Hazel will return the items in secret,” Willow told them. “After all, she’s the one who stole them and needs to redeem herself and make good on her choices and actions.”
“Me?” Hazel looked up in surprise. “I don’t know how to do that. I can’t!”
“Aye, you can,” said Willow. “And while you are returning the items one by one, the rest of us will cause a distraction, so no one will see you doing it. This is your chance to do something important. We’re counting on you.”
“Willow, nay,” said Conrad with a shake of his head. “It’s too dangerous. Hazel is not going to do it.”
“Yes, I am.” Hazel stood up and wiped away one last tear. “Willow is right, Conrad. I am the one who got us into this situation, and I should be the one responsible for making things right.”
“Hazel, I won’t hear of it,” said Conrad.
“I agree with Willow and Hazel.” Adeline stood up, and all three women stared a hole through him. “I am willing to help.”
