A Thief Before Christmas by Jennifer McGowan Read Free Book Online

the screams of the other patients . . . night after night, month after month, never knowing when I’d be set free, when I’d be saved!”
    â€œYou told me you were cured, William,” I said severely, my voice as fell as the march of doom. “You told me you were cured and Father spoke with the doctor. He paid all your fines. And now—what? You have shamed us again? Bothered this poor honest man who did nothing at all wrong but flash something lovely in front of your eyes?”
    I turned with supplicating hands held wide and accosted the brutish lord, who was looking more and more uncomfortable. “Sir, I cannot apologize enough. If you could just describe the item my cousin stole, I’ll return it to you and then back to Bedlam he must go.”
    â€œBack to—” came the first gasp.
    â€œOh, surely not—”
    â€œIt’s Christmastime!”
    The mutterings of the crowd swelled and surged around me, but I held firm. “We are a God-fearing and law-abiding family, and while we love cousin William dearly, we cannot allow him to cause harm to another soul, even for such a short time, and even if his crime was committed without dark intent.” I snapped my fingers, startling the fat lord, who looked up at me with growing concern. “You cannot be held accountable for my cousin’s feeble mind, sir. What did he steal from you? How has he damaged your health and holdings? I’ll need the full details to explain to the doctors, before we lock him up with the insane once more.”
    Theodore moaned desperately. I think he was half beginning to believe me too.
    â€œWell, now,” garbled the lord, holding his hands out. “All I want is my property back, that which is mine. The stone was a unique one, and when I saw it in his ’ands, I knew right away ’twas mine.”
    I grimaced. “You have suffered much, my lord.” And so had I. God save me from ever again nicking the one precious stone in a hundred that could be recognized on sight.
    The fat brute saw my face and mistook its meaning. “No, no!” he insisted. “Justice will be served with the jewel’s return, I swear it!”
    â€œWell, that is the least. . . .” I held out my hand imperiously. “William,” I demanded. “The jewel!”
    For a second nothing happened, and I scowled as I turned to Theodore, caught up short as I saw real panic in the dealer’s eyes. What the . . . ?
    And then I got it. Theodore had likely been handling more than one jewel as the burly lord had approached him. Which meant he didn’t know! He didn’t know which jewel belonged to the lord—and he couldn’t very well hand him the wrong stone, or we’d have a real mess on our hands.
    As it was, Theodore’s fingers were now trembling uncontrollably. He patted his doublet and slashed breeches, his face ashen with fear. With a warm and gracious smile, I leaped to his aid, hoping his mind was tracking me as quickly as needed. “Now, William, square yourself and hold your nerves together. You’re purple with panic right now, and that’s not going to do any of us any good!”
    Instantly Theodore’s eyes cleared, and he lifted his hand to his collar and pulled out a large stone the size of a goose egg. I felt a twinge of despair as I watched Theodore’s credibly shaking hand stretch toward the burly lord. The man closed the gap between him and the cringing Theodore, who was looking more and more the lunatic as the play progressed. The lord almost gently recovered his own bauble, then—wonder of wonders—actually patted poor Theodore on the shoulders.
    â€œAll is well, laddie,” he said, gruffly. “You go on now with your cousin. She’ll take care of you.” And as the townspeople paused as one, their hearts in their eyes, he turned to fix me with a steady gaze. “Return him to