“I have reason to believe,” Guy paced his words, “that one of my best men is being held captive by the outlaws in the forest.”

William de Wendenal spoke up. “My friend Robin is still with those outlaws. He would not allow that to happen. I could have told you as much.”

“And as you say, he is one of your men,” de Lacy added. “One. There are many more of them that needed your leadership here. And you are one of my men. Your duty is to me. If I decide to waste my captain’s time searching for a lost dog, you will permit me to make that decision for myself.”

The Earl of Warwick seemed concerned. “Your man,” he asked, “has he been found?”

Guy answered reluctantly. “No.”

“If Warwick can be of any assistance, you have our support.”

“Take that offer back,” de Lacy interrupted. “Tell me Gisbourne, do you have any evidence that these outlaws took him prisoner?”

“He was left behind with them—”

“It was a yes or no question. Did you have evidence?”

Guy fumed, but swallowed his pride. “No.”

“No?” De Lacy feigned surprise. “But we sent our captain and his best men out to the Sherwood to look for them. Surely there was some proof? No evidence to justify using our best resources?”

Only common sense, and the lies of the coward knight FitzOdo. “No.”

“No. There has been no body, no ransom, no demand. So instead you return to the city and take your failures out on the river gangs, I am told. You’ve conducted these mass arrests. Were they productive? Did you find your man held captive in a shack by the Trent?”

“No.” Guy’s lips moved, but his teeth did not. “But I have rea—”

“That’s the third ‘no’ you’ve told me today. I trust it is the last of its kind.”

“Yes, Baron.”

“‘Yes, Baron,’” de Lacy mocked his tone. “Always ‘Sheriff’ when you agree with me, but ‘Baron’ when you do not.”

“The city has been in an uproar,” the earl muttered. “I cannot imagine the difficulty of containing it. What was the Guardsman’s name?”

“Jon Bassett,” Guy answered with precision, only to the earl. “He was also a friend.”

“I can’t listen to this,” Wendenal scoffed. “Your friend, one of your best men? Jon Bassett is a monster. Do you know about what he did? Have you even seen Arable since you’ve returned?”

“Arable?” That name took Guy by surprise. The handmaiden who had alerted him about Bassett’s abuse of power months ago. He had no idea how she was involved.

“He cut her up,” Wendenal spat it out. “He dragged a knife across both sides of her face and you have the audacity to defend him.”