Page 74 of Dancing On Air

Chapter17

Eleanor screamed when she realized what she was witnessing, not able to believe that Lord Sampson had just pulled the lever to send Connor’s brother to his death.

She expected to see the poor boy’s body dangling from the gallows, but instead, in one motion, Connor grabbed his brother with one arm, pulling his sword from his side and chopping the rope that held the noose. They both lost their balance and Eleanor screamed again as Connor and Leoric fell through the floor, landing with a loud thump under the gallows.

She stepped on one guard’s toe and kneed another in the groin, breaking free and running over to Connor and his brother. She heard a commotion behind her and realized that Rook had also broken free and was fighting off several guards at once with his sword.

“Connor! Leoric! Are you all right?” Eleanor threw herself to the ground, hoping they were not dead.

“A little bruised but no worse for wear.” Connor used his dagger to cut the ropes binding Leoric’s hands. “Are you all right, Brother?”

“Aye,” said Leoric, rubbing his wrists. “That was a little close. And now I know what it feels like to be on the other end of the noose. I don’t like it and never want to experience that again.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t have to because we are no longer going to be executioners,” Connor told him.

“We’re not?” asked Leoric in confusion. “Connor, Rook and I didn’t have a chance to dig up the goblet before Sampson stopped us. We have no proof that our father was murdered.”

“Are you coming out of there anytime soon?” asked Rook, looking over his shoulder as he continued to fight the guards. “I could use a little help out here.”

“Let’s go,” said Connor, helping his brother to his feet.

“Don’t try to leave because there is no escaping this,” Sampson called down to them from up above, looking through the open floor.

“That’s where you’re wrong, Lord Sampson,” came a deep voice from the courtyard. “Everyone, quiet down. Quiet, I say.”

“Put down your weapons,” came another man’s voice. “There will be no more fighting here today.”

Eleanor looked up to see her father, as well as her Uncle Corbett. They each had a small entourage of their own soldiers with them.

“What is the meaning of this?” screamed Sampson, still standing on the gallows.

The crowd moved to the sides, allowing the Lord Warden and his men, as well as Lord Corbett and his men, to rule the courtyard.

“Are you all right, Eleanor?” asked Connor, putting his arm around her.

“Yes. Yes, I’m not hurt,” she told him, wondering what was going to happen now.

“You have no right to barge into my courtyard as if you owned it, and order my guards to drop their weapons,” yelled Sampson.

“The Lord Warden has every right, and by permission granted to him by the King himself, he can do whatever the hell he wants here,” said Lord Corbett.

“Well, what is it you want?” asked Sampson.

“Father,” said Eleanor, breaking away from Connor and running over to him. “Lord Sampson has murdered Connor’s father.”

“That is a lie,” snapped Sampson, speaking loudly and holding out his arms, still standing atop the gallows as if he were in a play. “You have no proof to back up these accusations.”

“Actually, we do,” said a woman. Raven walked out of the crowd with Rose. They were still dressed as nuns.

“What? Two nuns are going to speak against me? This is ridiculous,” said Sampson.

“Who said we were nuns?” Rose lowered her hood and held up a dirty metal goblet. “This is the goblet he used to poison Wensel Wyland, the last hangman. Lord Sampson tried to stop my husband and Connor’s brother from digging it up, but Raven and I had the pleasure of carrying out the task ourselves.”

The crowd talked to each other in soft voices.

“You have a goblet? So what? That proves nothing,” said Sampson, still laughing.

“This is the goblet you used to poison Connor’s father. Admit it,” said Raven.