REDEMPTION (𝓒𝓞𝓜𝓟𝓛𝓔𝓣𝓔)

CHAPTER FOUR

"Well then, lad," said Niall in the same tone he had used on his students, "You had best come in and wait for her arrival." He stepped back and swung the door wide. Plainly nervous, the boy nevertheless stepped inside. Niall closed the door, then reached out and took the basket. "The kitchen is this way," he said, leading the way. Putting his meat in the cold room, he returned to the kitchen to find Torash standing uneasily just inside the doorway.

"So, do you have a name, boy?" Niall asked, stopping in front of the lad.

"Ash," blurted the boy, his gaze flicking up to Niall's face, then back to the floor. "M' name's Torash, but folks call me Ash."

"Well, Torash," said Niall, "What name do you prefer?"

"I like Ash, all right," replied the boy, edging further into the room and looking around, eyes wide.

"Ash it is, then," said Niall, gesturing to the small table. "Go ahead and sit down." Ash scuttled over and perched on the edge of a chair, poised as though for flight. Niall recognized that familiar pose from his past, and his tone softened. "I was about to have a snack." He took up the plate of tarts and sat them on the table. "Have some tarts, if you are hungry." He turned to put the kettle on the stove for his tea.

Watching out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ash looking hungrily at the tarts. It took a long minute of struggle before hunger won out over caution, and the boy reached for a tart. He nearly chuckled at the look on the lad's face at the first taste. Ash's surprise at the goodness of Niall's baked goods was obvious. Finishing the tart, the boy did not take another, although he gazed longingly at the plate.

"Do you want a cup of tea, Ash?" Niall asked. The boy started, but nodded.

"Yes, please," said Ash. "Sir."

"Have another tart, lad," said Niall, taking down another cup. "There is plenty." Watching the boy take another, and nibble it with obvious delight, Niall felt his sympathy stir. He had often lingered over his food in like manner, savoring the simple pleasure of having something to eat. Even so, Ash was more at ease than he had been as a lad. The relatively kind treatment he had received from the people of Heston had taken the edge off the boy's fear of strangers.  When the tea was ready, he poured two cups and carried them to the table.

"So, Ash," he said, setting one cup before the boy, then taking a seat on the other side of the table. "Was there a particular reason Miss Roisin sent you here ahead of her?" The lad looked at him for a moment as he finished chewing and swallowing the last bit of food, then seemed to come to a decision.

"Well, sir," Ash said, still a bit hesitant. He blew on his tea for a moment before he continued. "Miss Roisin thought it might be good fer me to git outta the village for a bit while Warton calmed down."

"And why was Warton upset?" Niall prompted, when no more information seemed to be forthcoming. He sipped his tea.

"Well, it was an accident," stammered the boy. "Truly it was."

"I do not doubt it," said Niall softly, wondering what mischief the lad had unwittingly caused. "But what happened, precisely?"

"I ..." Ash swallowed, hard. "I nearly set the store on fire," he finally said softly. "I din't mean to. It was just chilly and I was starting my fire and I got startled by Arnett's dog and my fire went on the wall instead of my wood." The lad hung his head. "An' I got so scared I cudn't think an' I took too long to get the water an' it scorched the wall an' smoked into the store an' Warton got upset."

"The fire went on the wall ..." repeated Niall, confused. Then understanding dawned. "You were using magic?"

"Yes, sir," said Ash softly, hanging his head. "Just a little sir, 'cause I was cold and it takes so long with rubbin' the sticks, sir." Tears sprang into the boy's eyes. "Arnett's dog has a loud bark an' he made me jump an' it spurted on the wall instead of my wood."