“Where’s the tree?” Little John asked, smirking slightly at my bruised face.
“I beg your pardon?” I replied.
“The one you walked into. Looks like you took a nasty shot. Was it courtesy of your friend?”
“Yes,” I said with a sigh. “I heard him leaving the house early this morning. I worried he was on his way to Nottingham. Tried to stop him, but he sneaked up on me and knocked me out. I don’t know how long he’s been gone.”
“What a fool. When I get my hands on him. .” Maryam stopped, her cheeks coloring, remembering Robard’s mother.
“No worries, lass. He takes after his father, he does. Stubborn as a stump he was, and Rob is a bit of the bark off the same tree. .” Mistress Hode shook her head and clasped her hands together in worry. “He can’t stand against the Shire Reeve, foolish boy. He has fifty bailiffs if he has one. What am I going to do?” Tears formed in her eyes, and my heart melted in my chest. In just the short time I’d known her, I’d seen her love and kindness go out to everyone she knew and met. Her son’s homecoming had brought her great joy after what must have been horrible months of loneliness and sorrow. Robard was my friend in fact and brother in spirit, if not in blood. Right then I decided I would bring him back to her. Alive.
“Don’t you worry, Mistress Hode. We’ll go fetch him.”
I reached out to put my hand on her shoulder and she instead took me in a fierce embrace, her small head buried in my chest. The thick wool of my cloak muffled her sobs. “Dear God in heaven, thank you, boy. Please do. Bring him back to me.”
“Will, we’ll need you to lead us there, if you agree.” I looked at him. From what I’d seen of him in our short time together, he’d be someone I’d want on my side in a fight. This was his territory, and Allan and the others would look to him before they ever followed me.
“Aye, lad. I know the way. And if you’re willing to lead, I’m with you. Allan and the rest of the thane’s men will follow too, once I tell ’em ’tis so. We’ll fight for Robard and Mistress Hode and any other of our folk. Me and the boys, we did all right floatin’ through Sherwood and pinchin’ a purse or two. But you’re a soldier, and if we face the Shire Reeve, then I beg you to do the thinkin’.”
“All right then,” I said. “Thank you, Will. If you’ll see to your men? The rest of us will make ready.” Will left the barn on the run.
“Little John, I know you and Robard had your differences and this certainly isn’t your fight. But if you’re willing, we sure could use your help.”
Little John stroked his thick beard, his staff held in one giant hand. For a moment, I thought he would beg off and take to the road again, which would certainly be his right. But then he smiled. “Why not? I’m already a wanted man. What’s a few more laws broken?” With a twinkle in his eye, he patted Robard’s mother gently on the head. “Besides, don’t tell him, but I’ve taken a liking to young Robard. He’s got spunk, he does. Might get all riled up now and then, but he’s a fighter. I’m in.”
“Excellent. Let’s get the horses saddled and be on our way. Mistress Hode, would you be kind enough to fetch Brother Tuck? I’ll want him along with us.”
In a few minutes we had the horses fed and watered and saddled. While we waited for Will’s return, Maryam took time to sharpen her daggers on a whetstone in the barn. Robard had left Sir Thomas’ battle sword behind and I lent it to John. He drew it from the scabbard and swung it once or twice, and it looked like a toy in his hand. Angel paced back and forth nervously in the yard, as if she knew Robard was missing. Tuck came to the barn with Mistress Hode and we walked our horses out to the yard, waiting for Will and the others. They arrived a few moments later.
“Tristan,” Mistress Hode said to me as we all mounted up and prepared to ride. “You be right careful. Robard’s father ran afoul of this man the first day he met him. He’s vain, vicious and evil, he is. His name is William Wendenal and you will find no viler a creature on God’s earth. Watch your step, young squire, we’re about to run out of men here in Sherwood. Take care, now, and bring my Robard home.”
“We’ll be careful,” I said, telling her not to worry as we rode away.
After all, I thought as the faces of Sir Hugh, the Queen Mother, Richard the Lionheart and the High Counsel of Languedoc crossed my thoughts, standing against the vain and evil was apparently my specialty.
21
Nottingham was a smaller, more compact version of Dover. The difference was accentuated by Nottingham’s location here in the dense, wooded north country, whereas Dover lay by the coast, making it appear even larger with the sea as a backdrop. Nottingham still had a good-size marketplace and lots of shops and other buildings clustered together in a center square. But as we had seen in other towns and villages along our journey north, hard times had come here as well, and there wasn’t the level of activity and commerce you might expect. It was quiet, with only a few vendors visible in the square and small groups of people milling about.
“What day is it, Will?” I asked.
“I don’t rightly know, my lord. We tend to lose track of ’em out here in the woods. We’ve no priest at Sherwood now, and we can’t even keep track of the Holy Days, may the saints forgive us,” he said.
“I’m sure they have already, Will. I just wondered if it might be Sunday. And please stop calling me ‘lord.’ I’m most definitely not a noble.” He smiled and shrugged and stared down at the town. We would draw unneeded attention if we rode into town on the Sabbath carrying weapons and bristling for a fight. But there appeared to be enough people about to indicate it was not a Sunday.
“Where will we find the Shire Reeve?” I asked. “And is there anything else you can tell me about him?”
“He keeps at the constabulary. It’s here in the tall tower near the center of town and the jail is next to it. He came here straight from Prince John’s court, ’tis told,” Will said, pointing out the building. “Like the mistress said, he’s a vile man, vain and pompous when you meet him. That’s all I can tell you, sire. Except if he catches any one of me or the boys, we’ll dangle from the rope for certain.”
“Let’s try not to let that happen then. Something tells me we’ll find Robard at the constabulary,” I said. “Onward.”
We cantered down the rise and into the village. The few people on the streets paid us little mind, and we stopped and dismounted outside a small inn about fifty yards away from the jail. Sure enough, Robard’s horse was tied to a hitching post right outside the building.
“How many bailiffs does the Shire Reeve have available to him, Will?” I asked.
“I don’t rightly know, lad. ’Tis many more of ’em than us,” he said. “I expect with times as hard as they are, a lot of men are signin’ on, working for food and board.”
Another ideal situation, I thought. We were outnumbered and I was in unfamiliar territory. Straightening my tunic, I reached into my satchel, removing Sir Thomas’ ring and slipping it onto my finger. I stomped what mud I could from my boots and pulled my sword forward on my belt, trying to make myself presentable.
“What are you going to do?” Maryam asked.
“I’m not sure yet,” I said. “You wait here. Try to draw as little attention as possible. Little John, if you would, position the men across the street from the jail and keep a sharp eye. Will, it’s best if you and your men look disinterested. Don’t string any bows or nock any arrows yet, but be ready. Robard has probably been thrown in jail already, and I’m going to have to get him out-one way or another. Maryam, you stay with John and watch the door. If I’m not out in a reasonable amount of time, the two of you had best enter the constabulary and. . help. Come on, Angel,” I said. She sat up and, although tired from her long and vigorous trek, eagerly loped along beside me.
Walking down the street, I attempted to appear important and determined, in case anyone was observing my approach. The front door of the constabulary was unguarded, and I entered without knocking. Inside I found a dim room, with meager light coming from two windows on either side of the door. The walls held oil lamps, but the plank wood floor and lack of any furniture or decorations gave the room a dismal, fearful quality.
“Hello!” I shouted out.
A hallway led away from the main room, and the sound of footsteps echoed on the wooden floor. A few seconds later, a tall, thin man entered. He was splendidly dressed, with a purple velvet tunic, immaculate white
