Page 75 of The Piper's Pursuit

“I certainly am. Just as soon as the Duke of Hagenheim gets here.”

The boy whooped and jumped up. Then he grabbed Steffan’s arm. “Come and tell the others.”

“I can’t stay long,” Steffan said, “but I’ll be back.” But his last few words were drowned out by children’s squeals and yells when the rest of the children saw him and came running. They jumped on him, some clasping him around the ankles and knees, until he collapsed on the floor and started tickling them.

Much laughter and squealing ensued, until Frau Goschen and another woman started clapping their hands to get the children’s attention. They quickly quieted so that Frau Goschen’s voice could be heard.

“Our friend has returned, I see.” Frau Goschen affected a serious, scolding expression, but her eyes were twinkling.

“Were you afraid I’d leave you with these little rapscallions forever?” Steffan chucked a little girl under the chin and ruffled a little boy’s hair. His heart expanded and filled his chest at seeing them so lively and happy. When had these children become so dear to him?

“All right, children. It’s time for your midday meal. Anka will take you to the table.” She clapped and shooed them off down the corridor with the woman who had been waiting behind her. When Steffan stood up, she said in a low voice, “I suppose this means the Duke of Hagenheim is nearby?”

“Yes.”

In a whisper, she added, “Your Bürgermeister, Hennek Grymmelin, has been asking all around Keiterhafen about a large group of children who ran away from Hamlin.”

Steffan’s blood quickened. “He is here, then?”

“He and his men. I regret that I do not know any of our town’s officials well enough to go to them and explain the whole story. I was afraid, lest whomever I told be corrupt. They might betray us and hand the children over to Hennek Grymmelin.”

“That is wise.” He had to find Hennek quickly, before he discovered the children. No doubt he’d be surrounded by his men, but perhaps...

“Frau Goschen, do you have something I could use to disguise myself? Perhaps some padding to make me look different? A walking stick and a large cape?”

“You should not be thinking of trying to find that bad man.” The plump woman shook her finger at him. “You are far too handsome and distinct for anyone to mistake you for someone else.”

“Handsome?” That made him smile. Did Katerina think him handsome? Distinct? What did she mean by that? “Do you not think I could disguise myself?”

“How will you cover up that scar over your eye? You have one under your eye as well. You’re taller than most, and your hair is unusual as well. You will need to cut it.”

“Will you do the honors, Frau Goschen?”

“I do not approve of you going after this bad man without the duke and his soldiers.”

“I will be careful. I need to at least locate Hennek before Duke Wilhelm and all his men scare him away, so we can capture him. Can you cut my hair?” Katerina wouldn’t mind him with shorter hair, would she? “Can you make it not look bad?”

“I have been cutting hair since I was a girl. I will make it look good.” She gave him a knowing smile.

Soon he was sitting on a stool next to a window in the main room of the house. Using shears and a razor, she began cutting the hair he’d been growing for the last year. He knew it had gotten long, but he’d seen no reason to cut it. He’d had so very little money, he’d thought a haircut was an unnecessary expense. And he was too vain to just chop it off himself.

“How much are you cutting?” he asked as hunks of his light-colored hair landed on the floor around him.

“About a hand’s length. You do want to look different, do you not?”

He grunted.

“Worry not. That pretty maiden, Katerina, will still think you very handsome. I daresay she will think you even more handsome with a nice haircut.”

He grunted again. Was he so easy to read?

When she was finished, she handed him a looking glass. He did look better, less ragged and unkempt. “You did well, Frau Goschen.”

“I know. Now come and let me find you some clothing to cover that handsome frame.”

She found him a walking stick that had belonged to her father, she said. He practiced leaning on it, making himself look shorter.

“Now, keep this hood over your head and pulled low so people cannot see your eyes. And I see you have a week or two of beard. That is good. But we’ll need to make it look gray so you don’t look so young.”