Page 57 of The Piper's Pursuit

“Eat your bread,” Steffan told him, but in a kind tone. “We have to get to the town and to safety. Be brave. That’s good.”

Kat followed his example, waking the girls and insisting they eat their bread. “When you finish, drink some more water.” The water was cold and would help them wake up.

Finally, they were all awake and began climbing back up the stream bank. Once they were all on the road and walking, Kat fell in beside Steffan.

“Did you have any trouble finding bread?”

“I bought some from five different bakeries, so as not to look suspicious. But at the last shop, the woman had such a kind face—she reminded me of my mother—I asked her if she might have room for some orphans I’d found on my travels.”

“What did she say?”

“She said yes. Her children are all grown and she would be happy to look after them. Also she said she has a stable where I could sleep. She even showed me where it was. I told her I would go fetch the five orphans and come back. I was afraid if I told her I had forty-seven more, she would become suspicious of me. But when we go back, I’ll show her the others and explain. I’m sure she’ll let us all stay in her stable, at least for now.”

Kat’s heart soared, then caught in her throat, keeping her from speaking. She had to swallow before saying, “That is wonderful.”

“Yes, I charmed her with my smile.”

And your kind blue eyes and handsome face and perfect manners.“No doubt she also was impressed by the silver coin you used to pay for your bread.”

“Perhaps.”

“But I’m very happy you found a place we can hide. It was very resourceful of you.”

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and found him looking at her the same way.

“Are you complimenting me? Commenting on one of my many good qualities?”

Kat shook her head. “You are resourceful, that’s all I said.” She was too afraid to admit that she did indeed see other good qualities in him. He would gloat too much if he knew. Besides, she was already trusting him more than she was comfortable with.

But barring any sudden changes, he had shown himself to be determined, brave, noble, kind, protective, and sacrificial, concerned more about these children who were no relation to him than about his own gain. He could easily have taken those bags of silver coins and left her and the children to fend for themselves.

The children kept walking, and soon travelers became more frequent. They’d already met three or four more on the road, all of whom had raised their brows at so many children and asked about them. Steffan successfully deflected the questions, but...

“Should we try to get off the road when people come?”

Steffan’s mouth was more tense than usual. “I wondered the same thing. But it’s probably too late now. Hennek will eventually discover that we came this way. We just have to have the children well-hidden before he reaches us.”

They would need a lot of God’s favor for that to happen.

Eighteen

When the town wall was in view, Steffan motioned for Katerina to help him herd the children off the road. A small copse of trees would help hide them.

“We’re almost there, children,” he said, then lowered his voice as he leaned closer to Katerina. “We should go in a few at a time. Do you think Albrecht and Verena can take care of some of the children while we take others into town?”

“We can,” Albrecht said, chiming in from just behind Katerina.

“Very well. Here is the plan. Katerina and I will take about ten of the youngest children, and I’ll show her where the stable is. Albrecht, you and Verena watch over the rest. Then I’ll come back here and take another group until we’re all inside the stable. Then I’ll take the five youngest to Frau Goschen and they can stay with her.”

Albrecht nodded, then went to relay the plan to Verena.

Steffan and Katerina gathered the children who looked the most tired and got back on the road. They would surely be noticed with so many children, and he would also surely be noticed coming back in with even more children. But just then, a crowd of travelers came along. Steffan hurried through the gate in the middle of the crowd. The guards didn’t seem to even notice them.

They walked down several streets to the small bread shop. Behind it and down a tiny alley, they came to the stable. No one was around, so he ushered Katerina and the children inside.

In the dim light, they directed the children to the clean stalls. They lay down on the hay and seemed to fall asleep immediately. His own eyes burned from lack of sleep, but he’d gone without sleep many times during battles and when he had been traveling with the Teutonic Knights. He could go as long as he needed to.

“Lie down and sleep with the children,” he said to Katerina. “I’ll go and fetch the rest.”