Page 28 of Dancing On Air

“Where will you find that?” scoffed Leoric. “No healer will come here and you know it.”

“I’ll be fine,” said their father, coughing even more.

“I’m taking the horse. It’ll be faster. I’ll do whatever I have to do to help you, Father,” said Connor, hurrying to the door. “Ginevra, pat down his body with a wet cloth to keep him cool. Leoric, watch over your siblings as well as our father. You’re in charge until I return.

“What about me?” Five-year-old Alaric, ran over and tugged on Connor’s cloak. “What should I do?”

“You watch over the pie,” said Connor, using his hand to ruffle the little boy’s hair.

Connor left the cottage, knowing there was only one person who would be willing to help an executioner and his family. Then again, he wasn’t sure getting Eleanor involved with his family and their problems was really the right thing to do.

* * *

“Eleanor, you have visitors,”Sister Barbara informed her, as Eleanor headed across the courtyard to the refectory the next morning, holding the hands of the little orphan girls, taking them for something to eat.

“Me? Who would be calling here for me?” asked Eleanor in surprise. She stopped and turned to face her good friend. “Is it a man or a woman?” she asked, suddenly wondering if Connor had called on her for some reason. Part of her almost wished he had, but another part of her feared the idea. After all, it could only mean trouble for both of them if he showed up here at the abbey.

“Your cousins, Lady Raven and Lady Lark, are at the gate,” announced Sister Barbara.

“Really?” Eleanor’s worried frown turned up into a smile. “Sister Barbara, will you take Margaret and Lena to the refectory for something to eat while I greet my cousins?”

“Of course,” said the nun, taking the girls and heading in the opposite direction.

Eleanor hurried to the front gate to find Raven and Lark, as well as one of the castle’s guards just inside the entrance of the abbey.

“Raven! Lark!” called out Eleanor, picking up the hem of her skirt and running to greet her cousins. “What are you two doing here?”

“We came for a visit,” said Raven. “I hope you don’t mind.”

Raven was a few years older than Eleanor and had a twin brother, Rook, as well as two younger brothers, Tolin and Daegel. Raven had long black hair and silver eyes. She was a lady who knew how to handle a weapon and wasn’t afraid to use one. She was the daughter of Lord Corbett Blake, the brother of Eleanor’s mother, Lady Echo.

“Mind? Of course not,” said Eleanor. “I love seeing both of you. You two can stay in the guest quarters, as well as your guard.”

“Oh, the guard is going back to the castle,” said Raven. “We’re going to be here for a while and I didn’t want to impose upon him.”

“Stay here for a while?” Eleanor became extremely suspicious.

“Aye, we thought ye might like a little company, or someone to talk to right now,” said her Scottish cousin, Lark. Lark was the same age as Raven, but was half Scottish, being the daughter of the famous laird, Storm MacKeefe, who married Wren, the sister of Echo and Corbett. She had long blonde hair and green eyes, and was the mother of a little girl named Florie. She had a brother named Hawke and a sister called Heather back in Scotland.

“Really. You just got married, Lark,” said Eleanor. “And Raven, you were complaining about not having enough time with your new husband. Yet, here you two are without your husbands, telling me you’re going to be here for a while? With me?”

“That’s right,” said Lark with a smile.

“Uh huh,” said Eleanor, crossing her arms over her chest. “Spill your secret. I know something else is really going on. Now tell me, what is it and why are you really here?”

“Och, all right,” said Lark, being the first to break. “We heard from one of the guards at the castle that ye were seen talkin’ with Connor right after the hangin’.”

“Lark!” scolded Raven. “You weren’t supposed to say that.”

“Well, she asked,” said Lark with a shrug. “I only answered honestly.”

“You never could keep a secret, could you?” scoffed Raven.

“I’m fine. Really,” said Eleanor. “You two don’t need to worry about me.”

“So, ye really did see the executioner, then? The man ye were goin’ to marry at one time?” asked Lark curiously.

Eleanor looked around, seeing that they were creating a stir and some of the nuns were close enough to hear their conversation. She didn’t need this information being part of tomorrow’s gossip.