The Thief Lord

Scipio keeps his distance in the kitchen as the others gather around the wing. Ida says it’s a lion’s wing as she makes coffee and fetches juice for the children. She then lights a cigarette and tells the story of the merry-go-round of the Merciful Sisters. 150 years ago, a merchant built a merry-go-round featuring a unicorn, sea horse, merman, mermaid, and winged lion in the courtyard of the Merciful Sisters orphanage. Rumor spread throughout Venice that the merry-go-round was magical and turned adults into children and vice versa. After a few weeks, the merry-go-round was stolen and never seen again, but the thieves left behind one of the lion’s wings. It ended up in the loft of the orphanage, where Ida—a child who was an orphan at the establishment—found it many years later. One of the nuns gave it to Ida because she loved the story.

Hornet shows Ida the photograph of the wing and horse. Ida concludes that the Conte must have the merry-go-round, which won’t work without the lion’s wing. Ida offers a deal: The children can have the wing if she can follow the Conte to discover the merry-go-round’s location. The children are hesitant, but Scipio accepts. Mosca yells at Scipio, and Ida wonders what’s going on. Scipio doesn’t want to go back home and announces that he’ll get on the merry-go-round and become an adult so no one can treat him like a “pet animal.” Hornet accepts Ida’s offer and agrees to make peace with Scipio until they give the wing to the Conte.

The children leave the wing at Ida’s house. Scipio walks back to the Stella with the others as they glare at him. Bo takes the pigeon to the canal, where she takes flight to return to the Conte; the Conte has assured them that when he receives word of their success, he will confirm when to rendezvous with him via Barbarossa. Riccio tells Scipio to leave. Hornet agrees that they don’t need Scipio’s father sending police to the Stella looking for him. Scipio gets angry; they won’t throw Prosper and Bo out after they led Victor to the theater, but they would throw Scipio out after everything he has done for them. Mosca retorts that it was easy for Scipio to steal from his parents because they would simply blame a servant. Scipio inadvertently reveals that they fired his child caretaker because of it. Riccio shoves Scipio and they get into a fight. Mosca separates them as Bo cries. Hornet tells Scipio to go home until Barbarossa’s reply comes. Riccio argues with Hornet about involving Scipio in the exchange, but Prosper defends Scipio after seeing his father. Scipio leaves, wishing the others would call him back.

Prosper, Bo, and Hornet go to Barbarossa’s shop the next morning. He invites them into his office but is disappointed they don’t have more valuables to sell. They ask for the Conte’s letter, which Barbarossa confirms the Contessa, the Conte’s sister, dropped off the day before. Barbarossa holds the letter out of the way and asks what they stole. Prosper grabs the letter, angering Barbarossa. He asks if the stolen item is made of silver or gold. Before Hornet pushes Bo outside, Bo tells Barbarossa it’s made of huge diamonds and pearls.

The children are mesmerized to find it snowing outside. Prosper fondly remembers his mom in the snow. Hornet asks Prosper to open the letter, and they realize Barbarossa already opened it. The message tells them to go to the prearranged place on Tuesday night at one o’clock. Prosper congratulates Bo for fooling Barbarossa about the value of the item. Hornet is worried about meeting on water because she can’t swim. Bo darts ahead, and Prosper tells Hornet he doesn’t want Bo to come. Hornet gets an idea.

Victor is late for his meeting with the Hartliebs at their hotel because he’s been sick. Victor lies that Prosper and Bo aren’t in the city anymore. He says he was close to catching them when he sent the photo, but the boys joined a gang of thieves who recognized Victor; spooked, Prosper and Bo got on a ferry to Corfu. Esther doesn’t believe Victor, knowing that Venice reminds the boys of their mother. Esther used the photo Victor sent to make posters offering a substantial reward for the boys’ return. Victor tells Esther the boys ran away because she was trying to separate them. Esther is offended, and Max offers to get Bo a dog to replace Prosper. Victor wonders if Max likes children, and he says he does not. Victor leaves, deciding to warn the boys in the morning.

Hornet gives Bo hot milk and honey after dinner and reads his favorite book to lull him to sleep. She stays with Bo at the theater while Mosca, Riccio, and Prosper wait in Mosca’s boat at the Sacca della Misericordia. Ida’s boat pulls up: Scipio and Giaco, the housekeeper’s husband, are also aboard. Ida hands the wing to Prosper. Mosca tells Ida to wait in the bay so the Conte doesn’t see her, and Ida shows off the binoculars she will use to watch them. Ida wants to use her motorboat to follow the Conte after the exchange, and Mosca agrees. Ida is excited about the adventure. Prosper tells Scipio to come aboard the children’s since he negotiated with the Conte the first time. Riccio remains angry at Scipio as Mosca rows them toward the meeting point.

The Conte is waiting in a sailing boat. Prosper hands Scipio the wing, and Scipio gives it to the Conte. The Contessa hands Scipio a bag of money and tells him to stop stealing while he’s still young. Scipio assures her he can be grown-up, and the woman finds his desire to be an adult strange. Scipio counts the money before the children’s boat pulls away from the Conte’s. The Conte heads out of the lagoon. The children return to Ida’s boat quickly and climb aboard. Giaco then gives chase.

They follow as the Conte sails toward an island. Ida tells Giaco to stop: She recognizes Isola Segreta, the Secret Isle where the Valaressos, one of the oldest Venetian families, had an estate. Ida thought it was deserted but now knows it’s where the merry-go-round is. They hear dogs as Ida watches the Conte go ashore through her binoculars. The dogs start barking at them, startling Ida, who drops her binoculars in the water with a splash. The Contessa shoots at them from the shore, so Ida tells Giaco to turn around. Scipio wants to go to the merry-go-round, but Ida refuses. When they are far away, Ida apologizes for putting them in danger. Scipio looks morose as Mosca and Riccio count the money.

Back in the bay, Ida plans to drop the children off at their boat, but Riccio tells her to take Scipio somewhere else. Scipio is sad but agrees. Prosper, Riccio, and Mosca board their boat, and Ida tells them to come to her if they need help. Prosper tells Scipio he can pick his share up anytime. Scipio agrees and sends greetings to Bo and Hornet.