Chapter Seven
I closed me eyes and leaned gently against the tree trunk, sighing. 'I don't know,' I muttered to myself.
'Pardon?' Will asked.
I shook my head, eyes still closed. 'Nothing,' I said. To myself, I added, 'just wondering if getting mixed up with this gang might be the worst mistake I've ever made in my entire life.'
'When Allan left...' His voice was tentative, as though he wasn't quite sure if he should be asking whatever he was planning on asking. He cleared his throat, and started again. 'When Allan left, what did your parents do?'
I opened my eyes and stared into his face. Even though I put no malice or irritation into my gaze, he seemed to shrink away from me slightly.
'If you don't want to say...'
I interrupted him. 'Pappa swore that, with God as his witness, he'd kill both my brothers for deserting their family in such hard times. He left the house in a rage, dagger in hand. My mother just sat in the darkest corner of the house and wept as he strode out from under our roof for the last time. A year later, she was dead. And six months after that, I got the news that Pappa had been arrested and hanged. That's when I left the house.' I remembered the feeling of utter loneliness as I reflected that I could be the last member of my previously happy family left in this world.
'So, you left and were employed by Sir Edward?' he pressed.
I nodded. 'But first, just so I'd never have to be reminded of the life we'd all lost, I set fire to what used to be a cozy place to call home, and left it to burn.'
Will dropped his plate, scattering the remains of his stew all over the ground. I tutted jokingly at him. 'What a mess,' I commented lightly.
'That was a rash thing to do,' he said.
I shrugged. 'It was, but it made perfect sense to me at the time.' I closed my eyes again, sighing. 'I kept to the shadows and waited. The other villagers put out the fire within half an hour. I left no trace, so they all assumed I had been killed in the blaze. So I stole away and began my life as a ghost.'
'Well...' he said, his voice small and soft. 'You're perfect for the gang. We're all dead as well.'
There it was again. 'So, I'm accepted?' I asked, trying to keep my voice light.
He looked deeply into my eyes and I saw a mix of amusement and pride there. 'I'd say so.'
I smiled in spite of myself. At his words, I'd felt a warm glow of happiness spread all over me. I nodded, still smiling. 'I'm glad.'
'You are?'
I shrugged. 'I figure I'd best try and improve my relations with the only family member I've got left,' I said, gesturing at Allan, who was talking to Djaq with a huge smile on his face as she laughed. Smiling softly, I turned my head back to Will, who stood.
'Well, you've got-' he quickly counted- 'a family of six now.' He walked away, towards the others, only after giving me a warm smile.
I smiled lazily back and closed my eyes yet again. I believed him. I didn't quite know why, but I believed him. After all, they'd taken in Allan, didn't they? And if they could civilize anyone as wild and rebellious as Allan, they wouldn't just disappear- they were of strong stock.
A faint clatter roused me the next morning. I opened my eyes slowly, shaking my head to clear it. Standing, I chaffed my hands together to get the blood flowing again, and looked around.
The scene before me was much like it had been the morning before. I smiled, noting that I would have to get used to routines such as this. Yawning dramatically, I tapped Allan on the shoulder as he sat talking to Much.
'Oh dear,' I said, drawing out the words. 'I am so dreadfully bored, whatever shall I do with myself?'
He laughed and turned to me. 'If that's a roundabout way of asking, "what chore is mine this morning?", nothing. We don't take much housekeeping here.'
I sat down between him and Much and sighed. 'What do you lot to for excitement around here?'
Allan glanced at Much, and they exchanged an evilly conspiratorial look.
'Well...' started Allan in a lazy drawl. 'You can always make the deliveries in Nottingham...'
'Allan-' started Will in a sharp voice. I glanced up at him across the remains of the fire. He was looking at Allan as if to say, 'don't you dare'.
I looked back at my brother, and a grin spread over my face. 'Oh!' I began in a voice alive with enthusiasm. 'I'd love to! But I'd need an expert like you to guide me in my first foray into the city.'
The glint fell out of his eyes as his mouth fell open. The smile on my face widened as he spluttered.
'Erm, well... uh...' he mumbled.
'You see, he's never managed a delivery in Nottingham without either getting caught, chased or thrown out of the city,' Will explained.
I laughed loudly, bent double, with my head between my knees. I heard Allan groan. 'Will, you've done it now!'
'Done what?' asked Will, starting to smile.
'Made it so my little sister will never respect me again!'
I leapt to my feet, still giggling. 'Little?' I cried. 'Little?!'
'Oh, now you've done it!' chuckled Robin, appearing out of the trees. 'She'll never forgive you now.'
'But seriously,' I said, sobering immediately and sitting back down. 'I would like to help with... what are deliveries?'
'Well, I assume you remember the donations we received from the good Sheriff of Nottingham?' prodded Robin. I nodded, biting my lower lip thoughtfully. 'We need to give some of the profits to the struggling families of the city.'
I smiled. 'Good we're getting them delivered soon.'
'I'm glad you approve,' he said, gallantly. I blushed ever so slightly.
'Will?' Robin called. 'Would you escort our lovely lady into town?'
Will nodded. 'Of course.'
Laden with a bag of trinkets and coins each, Will and I stole through the gate of Nottingham. I slipped my hand into my pocket and fingered the handle of my dagger. 'Will,' I whispered. 'Where to first?'
'To the orphanage,' he replied quietly. 'The matron is ill, and funds are low.'
'Why wouldn't the Council do anything?' I asked.
He let out a bark of laughter. 'Gwen, really. Do you honestly think the nobles care a fig about an old lady and a bunch of orphans?'
'Well, they can't all be as awful as the Sheriff,' I said, defensively. A sudden thought made its way into my head. 'Sir Edward...'
'Is the only decent one on the council, now that Merton's dead.'
I stopped in my tracks, appalled. 'Merton? Dead?' I sputtered. 'But when?'
He let out a humorous laugh. 'Just two weeks ago.'
'Oh, dear Lord,' I said, the only way to express my astonishment.
'Turn right here,' he told me, accompanying the direction with a jerk of the head. I made my way into a dark, dingy alleyway.
'Here,' he said, laying a hand on my shoulder to stop me. I turned around to see a small door in the dirty stone wall. Will knocked gently on the wood and it opened immediately.
I squinted into the gloom to see a small boy, thin and soot-smeared. His large eyes focused on my own and looked slightly frightened.
I knelt down so I was looking into his face at his level. 'What is your name, dear?' I asked, softly.
'Cambin, miss,' he replied.
'Well, Cambin, is the matron in?'
He nodded.
'May we see her?' I asked.
He nodded again, and motioned for us to follow him inside. I stepped after him first, and had to stand still for a moment to let my eyes adjust to the gloom. As I regained my vision, I saw, with a pang, fifteen children, of ages ranged four to thirteen, gathered into the tiny space. Cambin led me and Will to the farthest corner, where a frail old lady sat on a pallet, looking decidedly ill. Will knelt beside her and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and clasped his hands warmly.
'Bless you, my son,' she said in a wheezy, feeble voice.
He left the bag beside her and stood to face me.
I smiled gently, receiving a smile back.
I turned to Cambin, and said, 'Thank you for bringing us in.'
He looked up at me shyly. 'Can... can you...' he trailed off.
'Yes?'
'Can you come back sometime?'
'Why?' I asked.
A girl by the back wall chimed in, 'We get so little company.'
I looked into her face, and could tell she was scared. What if the matron never recovered? Who would look after this lot?
I nodded. A smile split Cambin's young face. 'Thank you, my lady.'
Back in the weak sunlight of the main street, I asked, 'Where next?'
Will didn't answer, but looked at me intently. 'You like children?'
I cocked my head, staring at him curiously. 'Why?'
'Just wondering.'
'Of course. Why?'
'I told you, just wondering.'
'Don't you?'
'Yes. But there was something in the way that you looked down at Cambin... I couldn't help but...'
'But what?'
'I...'
'Oy! You two!' called a loud voice.
Will rolled his eyes heavenward. 'Oh no.'
We turned in unison to see a heavy-set guard, flanked by three others, drawing their swords.
