Page 24 of Dancing On Air

“Excuse me, but may I see that?” asked Eleanor, approaching them.

Tom gave her the pouch with the shilling, and she could see that the ties were cut. “I think I know whose this is,” she told them. “Finnian, why did you steal this?”

“It’s just from that bloody hangman, so what does it matter?” the boy bit off. “If I had known he only had a damned shilling, I wouldn’t have bothered.”

“I will beat you for this,” snapped Tom, grabbing the boy by the tunic. Eleanor could see the fear in Finnian’s eyes.

“Wait, Tom,” she told the butcher. “I’ve seen the hangman in town. If I have Finnian give him back his pouch and money, will you promise not to hit him, but forgive him instead?”

“That’s not easy to do. The boy is nothing but trouble.”

“We can get through this together,” she told Tom. “Please, give him a chance to change.”

“Fine,” grunted Tom, releasing the boy. “But the next time he steals, he will get the beating he deserves.”

“Come along with me, Finnian,” said Eleanor, handing the pouch with the coin back to him. “We’ll find the executioner and you can give it back and apologize.”

“Me? Nay!” cried the boy. “He’ll hang me or chop off my head.”

“You should have thought of that before you decided to steal from him,” said Tom.

“I promise you, nothing like that will happen. Now come,” said Eleanor, holding out her hand.

“I don’t want to go,” protested Finnian.

“Lady Eleanor, do you think this is a wise idea?” asked Tom. “You are a lady. You shouldn’t purposely seek out the hangman.”

“I’m not worried in the least. It was I who brought Finnian to you, and I will be the one to make sure he returns what he stole and apologizes as well.”

“Well, go on then, Finnian,” said Tom with a jerk of his head. “Lady Eleanor doesn’t have all day.”

Finnian begrudgingly followed her out to the wagon, and they both climbed aboard.

“Why are you making me do this?” asked Finnian.

“Why are you turning into a thief, and it sounds like a drunk as well?”

“I’m thirteen. I can do what I want.”

“I promised the butcher and his wife a boy to help them out. Now, you need to change your ways before you ruin everything for them, as well as for yourself.”

* * *

Connor waitedat the edge of town for Eleanor, his stomach growling from hunger. He cursed the fact he wasn’t able to get food for his family. He also cursed his stupidity for not realizing a boy was stealing what little money he had.

The wagon pulled up, and Connor became even angrier when he saw that same thief riding along with Eleanor.

“You!” he shouted, darting out of the shadows. “You will pay for stealing from me.”

“Lady Eleanor, help me,” cried the boy, scooting closer to her on the bench seat. “That’s the executioner and he is going to kill me.”

“Connor, calm down,” said Eleanor as she and the boy climbed out of the wagon. “Finnian is here to talk to you. Go on, Finnian.”

“Talk? I have nothing to say to the swine. I ought to string him up for—”

“Connor, please. Give him a chance.”

“You know the hangman by name?” asked the boy, making Connor realize this could cause trouble for Eleanor.