Your Guise Is Slipping, Miss Pearl

James didn't expect Finnegan's honesty, which made him go from looking calm to upset and a bit annoyed. "This isn't something you can joke about, Mister Finnegan." Finnegan wasn't scared, though. "If you think it's a joke, why are you so worried?"

Esther saw that the mood was turning bad, so she tried to calm things down. "Okay, okay. It's just a joke. Let's not fight over it, okay?"

James was mad at Finnegan and wanted to get back at him, but he decided to let it go because there were other people around. "Fine," he said, trying to hide his anger. Pearl nudged Esther. "You've been taking care of Finnegan for a while. James has spent a lot of time searching for you. Do you want to go home with him and rest?" Finnegan's fingers tensed up when he heard the word 'rest'.

"Sure." Esther quickly understood and left with James.

After they left, the mood lightened. Richard started a conversation with his old friend Finnegan.

"How did you end up being a secretary at the village?"

Richard remembered they had grown up together. Finnegan went abroad to study, worked at a publishing house when he got back, and then, for some reason, became a village secretary.

Finagle smiled. "Our publishing

had a series of novels

so laske

me get the

job."

was amused. "So your dad just sent

he didn't want to at first. But I convinced him. He said I have to come back after

about Finnegan's injuries. "Won't your dad

can't tell him I'm injured,

If he found out he was hurt, he'd want to avenge him and

say you didn't like it there and

Richard to keep his word and

for you? Will you go back