He refuses

"No." There was no indecision in the man's tone. To be fair, Christine could hardly blame the man. If the Verderer told the sharif what he knew about her and her plans, Merthin would be visited by representatives of the court within the next few hours and perhaps by Henry's Black Crows as well. As much as she had hoped for a miraculous salvation from this wealthy notary, she knew that it was too much of a risk for a man in his position.

Christine handed over her own letter from her father, "Very well, I will take what is mine and will leave you be." She watched as Merthin broke the seal on the letter, and felt her stomach tighten when she saw his eyes narrow.

"How am I supposed to read this?" Merthin lifted his eyes to scan the petite young women standing before him.

"What?" Christine tried to keep her voice steady and calm.

"The ink has run. Not a single legible word." Merthin handed her the letter smeared with a blur of ink. It was true. The impromptu swim in the moat had proved fatal for the letter.

"But you still have my father's money."

"Your father's money belongs to the crown."

Christine didn't believe Merthin. "You're a charlatan."

The notary's shrug as he reached for another pastry spoke louder than any words.

"What am I and Erik to do now? Father said you would look after us."

Merthin stood his ground. "Stay away from me. Just having you here is enough to have me hanged. As a model citizen I must refuse you help."

"Please, I'm ****." Christine's calm demeanor was rapidly starting to fracture. "We're innocent and homeless through no fault of our own." She blinked back the tears she could feel forming in her eyes, but Merthin was not moved by her plight.

"Jacob. See these two treacherous youngsters out."

Christine pleaded, "You can't do this. We're children with nowhere to go. With no means or no idea on how to look after ourselves."

"It is your father who has let you down. Not I."

"Father said you had agreed to support our family in our time of need. He gave you the money to do so."

"That agreement was voided as soon as he went against the Crown. He is a traitor. It is simple as that.' Merthin gestured angrily to the guard. "Get them out. If they cause a scene send them to the goaler."

"Yes, sir."

The guard picked up Erik and lifted him off his feet with one strong fistful of his shirt. Erik's kicking and screaming didn't make a difference. With his other hand, the guard grabbed Christine by her hair.

"You despicable dog!" She screamed at Merthin as she was dragged away. "You dastardly, dastardly dog. You'll burn in Hell for this."

Within a minute, she and Erik were unceremoniously dumped onto the street outside the wealthy notary's gates.