Chapters (76)
- Title Page
- Copyright Notice
- Dedication
- PROLOGUE
- PART I
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- PART II
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- PART III
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- INTERLUDE
- PART IV
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- INTERLUDE
- PART V
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- PART VI
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- INTERLUDE
- PART VII
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- PART VIII
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- EPILOGUE
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- Newsletter Sign-up
By the time they passed the spear of St. Peter’s Church and were on the long wide lane that wove back to Nottingham Castle, the other ladies were laughing nervously and chatting of frivolous things again. Arable felt a curious pang of relief that the Guardsmen had been there, despite her usual anxiety in their presence. She said a silent prayer that whatever grudges they held for her had vanished along with Jon Bassett. Or at the very least, that she had become the least of their worries in a city gnashing at its own tail.
THAT NIGHT, SHE DRAGGED William out to the castle’s barbican at the eastern edge of the lowest bailey. They often walked out into the city if they had enough time, but the odd encounter at the market left her craving the safety of the castle. So they climbed up one of the squat, round towers to stand above the main gate, with nothing but a cloudless starry sky above them and the movement of people walking below. She recounted the day’s misadventure with the mewing ladies, and William laughed.
“At least someone is enjoying this.” His arms surrounded her from behind and she leaned into his warmth.
“I don’t know that Lady Oughtibridge enjoys it,” Arable considered, “she just wants people to talk about her. Which I am, so I suppose it worked.”
“Oh, I was talking about Robin.” William chuckled. “Sounds like he’s having a delightful time out there. To think, I was worried he had the harder task of the two of us.”
There was complaint in his voice. “Still struggling with Roger?”
“Mhm.” He brushed her hair aside to place a small kiss at the base of her neck. “He won’t talk with the outlaws because it would be too nice, and he won’t stop them because it would be too mean. So instead I’ve been focusing on ways to secure just the supply caravans, but he won’t assign any manpower to it. The city’s still recovering from Gisbourne’s shutdown of the fishmarket, and every single Guardsman is apparently required here. He won’t take my advice on anything, though he wants me present for every meeting he holds. I don’t know…”
He went quiet, and she squeezed his elbow. “What?”
“The strange thing is, he might be right. These last two weeks, things have been getting better. No fighting, no arrests, and these stories of Robin Hood seem to be entertaining most people.”
She smiled and pushed into him. “Are you jealous?”
“No, I’m useless,” he scoffed. “I think Robin’s fixed it all on his own, while I have been completely ineffective.”
“Well, you gave yourself an impossible task, of course you were going to fail. Nobody changes Roger’s mind but Roger. But if what he’s doing is working, as you say it is, then what’s wrong with that?”