The Republic of Thieves Read Online Free Page B

ignoring Locke. “You
will
clutch something, or work a tease so someone else can clutch. I’ll not give you another choice—”
    “Excuse me,” said Locke, hesitantly.
    “What do you want?”
    “They can each have one of mine,” said Locke.
    “What?” Beth turned to him. “What are you talking about?”
    From under his tunic, Locke produced two leather purses and a fine silk handkerchief, only mildly stained.
    “Three pieces,” he said. “Three of us. Just say we all clutched one and we can go home now.”
    “Where in all the
hells
did you—”
    “In the crowd,” said Locke. “You had No-Teeth … you were paying so much attention to him, you must not have seen.”
    “I didn’t tell you to lift anything yet!”
    “Well, you didn’t tell me not to.”
    “But that’s—”
    “I can’t put them back,” said Locke, far more petulantly than he’d intended.
    “Don’t snap at me! Oh, for the gods’ sake, don’t sulk,” said Beth. She knelt and put her hands on Locke’s shoulders, and at her touch and close regard he found himself suddenly trembling uncontrollably. “What is it? What’s the matter?”
    “Nothing,” said Locke. “Nothing.”
    “Gods, what a strange little boy you are.” She glanced again at Tam and No-Teeth. “A pack of disasters, the three of you. Two that won’t work. One that works without orders. I suppose we’ve got no choice.”
    Beth took the purses and the handkerchief from Locke. Her fingers brushed his, and he trembled. Beth’s eyes narrowed.
    “Hit your head earlier?”
    “Yes.”
    “Who pushed you?”
    “I just fell.”
    “Of
course
you did.”
    “Honest!”
    “Seems to be troubling you. Or maybe you’re ill. You’re shaking.”
    “I’m … I’m fine.”
    “Have it your way.” Beth closed her eyes and massaged them with her fingertips. “I guess you’ve saved me a hell of a lot of trouble. Do you want me to … look, is there someone bothering you that you want to stop?”
    Locke was startled. An older child,
this
older child, of all people, and a member of Windows, was offering him protection? Could she do that? Could she put Veslin and Gregor in their place?
    No. Locke forced his eyes away from Beth’s utterly fascinating face to bring himself back down to earth. There would always be other Veslins, other Gregors. And what if they resented him all the more for her interference? She was Windows; he was Streets. Their days and nights were reversed. He’d never seen her before today; what sort of protection could he possibly get from her? He would keep playing dead. Avoid calling attention to himself. Rule one, and rule two. As always.
    “I just fell,” he said. “I’m fine.”
    “Well,” she replied, a little coldly. “As you wish.”
    Locke opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying desperately to imagine something he might say to charm this alien creature. Too late. She turned away and heaved Tam and No-Teeth to their feet.
    “I don’t believe it,” she said, “but you two idiots owe your supper to the arsonist of the Narrows here. Do you understand just how much hell we’ll all catch if you ever breathe a word of this to anyone?”
    “I do,” said Tam.
    “I’d be very put out to catch any at all,” Beth continued. “Any at all! You hear me, No-Teeth?”
    The poor wretch nodded, then sucked his knuckles again.
    “Back to the Hill, then.” Beth tugged at her kerchief and adjusted her cap. “I’ll keep the things and pass them to the master myself. Not a word about this. To
anyone
.”
    She kept her now-customary grip on No-Teeth all the way back to the graveyard. Tam dogged her heels, looking exhausted but relieved. Locke followed at the rear, scheming to the fullest extent of his totally inadequate experience. What had he said or done wrong? What had he misjudged? Why wasn’t she delighted with him for saving her so much trouble?
    She said nothing to him for the rest of the trip home. Then, before he could find