Page 56 of Dancing On Air

Chapter12

By the time it had stopped raining and they had finished eating, it was nearly nightfall.

“Eleanor, as much as I enjoyed this, I really need to get home to my family,” said Connor.

“Yes, I agree. Rose, are you ready to go?” asked Eleanor.

“I am,” said Rose, saying her goodbyes to the family.

“I’m tired,” said little Lena with a big yawn.

“Can’t our sisters live here with us too?” asked Hamlin.

“They’re not our sisters, you idiot,” said Bertram.

“But you’re our brothers,” Margaret told them. “And I like it here better than at the abbey.”

“Can we stay with you, Mrs. Woods?” Lena clung to the woman’s leg.

“Oh, I wish you girls could stay with us,” said Edna.

“I can barely feed the two boys now,” grumbled Albert, sitting at the table in the cottage with his hurt foot wrapped and propped up on a chair. “The boys are really too young to be of much help. I’m afraid Lord Sampson will run us out of here if he finds out that I’m hurt and can’t work for a while. We will never be able to keep up with the chores.”

“What are we going to do?” asked Edna, wiping away a tear.

“I’ll return to help you until you’re back on your feet,” said Connor, not liking to see Edna and Albert in trouble.

“You can’t be doing our work for us. It’s not right,” said Albert.

“I have a brother that I’ll bring with me. Between the two of us, we’ll get a lot of work done.”

“But aren’t you forgetting you have another job?” asked Rook.

Connor’s head snapped around. “There are no executions planned for any time soon, if that is what you’re asking.”

“We appreciate your offer, but we can’t pay you,” said Edna. “All we can do is give you food for your family.”

“Fair enough,” said Connor with a nod. “Thank you, but I must be on my way now.” He pulled his cloak on and covered his head with the hood.

“Eleanor, we really should get the girls back to the abbey before dark,” said Lark.

“I agree,” said Raven. “Lark and I will take them back in the wagon. Eleanor, you need to go with the others to help Connor’s father.”

“I won’t let women and girls travel alone. I’m coming with you,” said Rook. “Afterwards, I will escort Rose and Eleanor to the hangman’s house.”

“Nay, it’ll be dark by then,” said Eleanor. “And we’ve already waited too long. His father needs our help now. You go back to the abbey with the others. Connor will be with us to protect us.”

Rook didn’t like that idea, but Rose told him he was being too overprotective and sent him and the others on their way.

“I brought my horse. You’ll have to ride with me,” Eleanor told Connor.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, sweetheart.”

She mounted the horse and nodded to him. “Come on, Connor. We’re in a hurry. This is no time to be shy. Let’s get to your father and help him. We can’t wait for you to walk while we ride.”

“That’s right,” agreed Rose. “This will be faster.”

“I’ve never been calledshy, and I never will be again.” Connor pulled himself up into the saddle behind Eleanor, wrapping his arms around her. They rode back to his cottage with their bodies pressed together. It was only making him feel aroused, and he wondered if he’d made a mistake by picking up the gauntlet when Eleanor so boldly threw it down at his feet, accusing him of being shy. Perhaps this was her intention all along.