TO CATCH A WOLF By Susan Krinard

Curious despite herself, Athena looked for anything unusual. The carriage made a turn down a dirt track, and there, spread across a field of autumn grasses, was her surprise.

A circus. She recognized the tents, the colorful wagons, the peculiar folk moving about with their animals and bright costumes. Niall smiled, pleased at her confusion.

“You wonder why I bring you to a circus?” he asked. “Before I left, you chided me about my failure to help those in need. You will be pleased to know that I have listened. I have not only assisted these people in their time of need, but I have engaged them to perform for your orphanage at my expense.”

Athena stared at him and realized her mouth was agape. “Niall… I am… I could never have imagined—”

He signaled Romero to stop at the edge of the lot. “I wanted you to see this for yourself, and meet those I’ve hired to entertain your children.”

“Oh, Niall. The children will be so delighted, I know it.”

He reached across the seats to press her hand. “So long as it delights you, Athena. Shall we?”

He and Romero helped her down, and her chair was taken from its special rack in the boot. Athena was too busy absorbing the view to notice the bumpy, uncomfortable ride over the rough ground as Niall pushed her chair toward the tents.

A fat, jolly-looking man with white whiskers came to meet them as they approached the largest tent, the one she supposed must house the main performances. He was eccentrically dressed, but quite normal in contrast to a few of the people she had glimpsed at work or practice on the lot.

“My dear, dear Mr. Munroe!” the stout man said effusively. He pumped Niall’s hand and looked down at Athena. “And this must be your lovely sister!”

“Athena,” Niall said, “may I present Mr. Harry French, the manager and owner of French’s Fantastic Family Circus. Mr. French, Miss Athena Munroe.”

“Delighted, delighted beyond words.” French beamed at her. “May I say how very charmed I am to make your acquaintance?”

Athena liked Harry French instantly. She returned his smile and pressed his hand.

“I am glad to meet you, Mr. French. My brother tells me that you have come to Denver to entertain the children of our orphanage. I know they will consider it the experience of a lifetime.”

Harry blushed, his skin contrasting even more vividly with the white of his moustache. “We shall do our best, indeed we shall. Your brother has done us a great favor. You see, we had suffered a number of misfortunes, and he offered a solution to our difficulties. He is most generous. Oh, yes, most generous.”

Niall looked away. “I hope that you will not find it inconvenient to show my sister something of your establishment, Mr. French,” he said gruffly.

“My pleasure. Oh, yes. We are still setting up, but I am sure—ah, there are a few of my troupers, if you would care to follow—”

He set off at a waddling trot. Niall sighed and steered Athena after him.

“Do you think this is the right circumstance for introductions?” Athena asked. “Perhaps it would be better to invite them to our home instead.”

“You astonish me, Athena,” Niall said. “One doesn’t invite such people to one’s home.”

She could not argue. From all she had heard, circus folk were deemed little better than vagrants, dirty and ignorant. They were not the sort of people she usually dealt with—neither needy and dependent, nor wealthy and cultured.

But surely it was a matter of finding the right way to speak to them. The troupers Harry French had mentioned were standing in a group looking at the large tent, talking amongst themselves. Athena noticed the new look of the canvas, without so much as a scuff or tear. Many of the other tents had a worn appearance, as did the wagons.

“Miss Munroe,” Harry said, waving her and Niall forward, “I am pleased to present to you my troupers, whom I feel I may boast are among the finest in our nation.” He rocked back on his heels and swept out his arm in a grand gesture. “Caitlin Hughes, our graceful Lady Principal or equestrienne; Ulysses Marcus Aurelius Wakefield, also known as the Little Professor, genius and prognosticator; Tamar the Queen of the Snakes, and Morgan, our—”

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