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Back Nottingham
Chapters (76)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. PART I
  6. ONE
  7. TWO
  8. THREE
  9. FOUR
  10. FIVE
  11. SIX
  12. SEVEN
  13. EIGHT
  14. NINE
  15. PART II
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. PART III
  27. TWENTY
  28. TWENTY-ONE
  29. TWENTY-TWO
  30. TWENTY-THREE
  31. TWENTY-FOUR
  32. TWENTY-FIVE
  33. TWENTY-SIX
  34. INTERLUDE
  35. PART IV
  36. TWENTY-SEVEN
  37. TWENTY-EIGHT
  38. TWENTY-NINE
  39. THIRTY
  40. THIRTY-ONE
  41. THIRTY-TWO
  42. THIRTY-THREE
  43. THIRTY-FOUR
  44. INTERLUDE
  45. PART V
  46. THIRTY-FIVE
  47. THIRTY-SIX
  48. THIRTY-SEVEN
  49. THIRTY-EIGHT
  50. PART VI
  51. THIRTY-NINE
  52. FORTY
  53. FORTY-ONE
  54. FORTY-TWO
  55. FORTY-THREE
  56. FORTY-FOUR
  57. FORTY-FIVE
  58. INTERLUDE
  59. PART VII
  60. FORTY-SIX
  61. FORTY-SEVEN
  62. FORTY-EIGHT
  63. FORTY-NINE
  64. FIFTY
  65. FIFTY-ONE
  66. FIFTY-TWO
  67. PART VIII
  68. FIFTY-THREE
  69. FIFTY-FOUR
  70. FIFTY-FIVE
  71. FIFTY-SIX
  72. EPILOGUE
  73. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  74. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  75. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  76. Newsletter Sign-up

“I heard it was many,” Will Scarlet said in a dramatically raspy voice. “I heard he only takes his glove off when he kills someone. You ever notice how he don’t use it when he eats? He saves that hand for death. It’s stained deep with the blood of his victims, and he never washes it. Killin’ is sacred to him, and he won’t let his hand do anything else, to keep his act pure. Nobody’s ever seen him take the glove off…” Will snarled, “… except for those that are about to die!”

He jumped out and grabbed Elena, who shrieked and slapped him on the chest. The story upset Much, who stood and ran from the fire in a pout, forcing Will and Elena to chase after him with apologies.

“It’s just a story,” Arthur complained, as if Much had no reason to leave.

Marion eyed the fire. “Stories have power.” She was counting on it. There was more at play than survival now, a goal greater than simply weathering the storm. She had seen hope become as infectious as fear. They had started a ripple that was building in strength, though she knew not what they were destined to crash into. “Haven’t you heard the story about the Robin Hood?”

Robin laughed. “I’m willing to bet that one will come back to bite me.”

“How so?” asked the friar. “Robin Hood’s become something for the people to believe in. Good for the people, good for the heart. Those are the best types of stories.”

“Even if they’re false?” Robin asked glibly.

“Especially if they’re false,” Tuck hit back, a smug charm in his eye. “I know that better than most people.”

“Ah,” Robin rolled the sound around his mouth. “That’s been something I’ve meant to ask you. What exactly does the Church think of what you’re doing here?”

“The Church?” Friar Tuck threw his hands up in disgust. “Honestly, I haven’t the faintest. I’m sure they’d say any number of things about it, and some would be true, and some wouldn’t, and all of it would mean we hadn’t given them enough tithe last week. If I cared what the Church said about the things we do, I wouldn’t be out here doing them.” He chuckled, massaging the snags of his beard. “I suppose the Church would have us stay true to the laws of the land, but the Lord would have us stay true to our hearts. In better times, aye, those would be the same. Our job is to do our best to keep the two in harmony.”

“Try to find a middle ground?” Marion suggested.