Back in the clearing, a great celebration feast was being prepared. Several of the lads had returned with a deer carcass slung over their horse's rump, and the smell of roasting venison reeked through the clearing.

Marian kept her distance from Robin, leaving him to his men, who were delighted to have him back and installed as their leader once more. Many of them were shocked at his revelation of his nobility, but none of them showed that it changed the way they felt about him, or showed that they were any less willing to do his bidding.

Someone struck up a tune on a small flute, and they all began dancing. Harry snatched up Marian's hand and led her in a lively jig, and she whirled and twirled, round and round, faster and faster, until she tripped and fell forwards, but suddenly, strong arms caught her and saved her from sprawling to the ground.

She cleared her golden hair out of her eyes to see who her saviour was. It was Robin, smiling gently down at her, his arms wrapped round her waist. In spite of herself, Marian found she returned his smile as she looked up into his hazel eyes.

'There now.' He said, setting her back upon the ground. 'We can't have you taking a tumble.'

Marian smiled at him, and found that she was blushing, and looked after him as he walked away to dance, beckoning her to follow.

Marian awoke the next morning to find the rest of the outlaws sluggish and clutching their sore heads, groaning.

Marian laughed to see them so. She shot a glance over at Robin, who was still sleeping next to the cold ashes of the fire.

Last night they had danced and danced together, and he had rarely left her side. She could not help thinking about the moment he had caught her, how he had looked at her, and she at him. Something had stirred inside her at that moment, and she was not sure if she liked what she felt.

Robin seemed to have changed. Not once had he winked at her, or bragged or boasted or shown off. It was if he had been humbled since his rescue. Marian knew that she liked that, at least.

At last he rose, groggily, and stumbled round the clearing for a while.

'What are we to do?' Much asked him. Marian listened intently, eavesdropping to hear his reply.

'We carry on fighting.' He said loudly, addressing all the men. 'Make the Sheriff fear my name, and all this band of outlaws!' he cried this aloud, and the men cheered.

'But how do we do that?' Alan cried above the din.

'We steal his fortune.' Marian said, and the camp quietened, and every face turned to look at her.

'By doing that, it shows we mean business.' She told them. 'Take it from him, and give it to the people who really need it.'

Robin looked thoughtful.

'If we succeed, he will have be humiliated sorely.' He said. 'It will show that we are not to be taken lightly.' He was silent for a few minutes.

'We need to know where the money has been moved to.' Marian told him. 'After Harry was caught, he will have moved it, no doubt of it.'

'We'll need someone to go in disguise to find out where it is now.' He said, more to her than anyone else.

'I'll go.' She volunteered, but Robin shook his head.

'You don't know the castle well enough.' His tone was not insulting, but practical. 'I'll go instead.'

'Robin,' Much put in. 'You can't go. Everyone will be on the lookout for you. No disguise will work this soon after you escaped from the Sheriff's gallows and openly declared him your enemy!'

'I'll go.' It was Will who volunteered. 'My cousin is one of the Sheriff's guards. I can bribe him to tell me what he knows.'

For a moment, Robin looked as if he did not want this important mission to be undertook by anyone other than himself, Marian could see that he wanted the glory and the danger and the rewards, but he recollected himself, and agreed.

Will set off soon after, escorted to Nottingham by Much and Alan, who were to help him establish his disguise.

By the evening, Much and Alan returned with news that Will was installed in his post as a guard, alongside his less than willing cousin, whom they ad bribed with coins.

The week that past was a tense one. Several times, Marian had to persuade Robin not to go to town to see how Will fared, to assure him that he would perform the task to the very best of his abilities.

It was sunset on the seventh day, when Will came riding back into the clearing.

White faced, Robin rushed over to him before he even had a chance to dismount from is horse.

'Well?'

'The money is hidden in a vault deep within the castle.' He said, grimly. 'Protected by a door two foot thick and five armed guards patrol the corridor. It is located within the heart of the castle, you have to pass through a lot of security to get to it.'

Robin looked darkly down at the ground as Will dismounted.

Marian was about to interrupt him, when Harry nudged her.

'Do not disturb him.' He warned her. 'He is formulating a plan.'

And sure enough, after a few minutes Robin spoke up.

'This will be very difficult, but I do have a plan.' He told them. 'We will be the five guards patrolling the door to the vault.'

Will shook his head. 'The guards are specially appointed. You cannot just waltz up and tell them to go and do something else.'

'Well, we'll tell them we were ordered here, and they are to do something else. Something more important.' He said. 'We'll think of something.'

'How will we get through the door?' Alan asked.

'I know!' Marian exclaimed, suddenly. 'A carpenter who lives in my father's village used to do work for the castle. He is very skilled. If I talk to him I am sure he would be willing to help us!'

Robin looked like he would kiss her.

'Brilliant!' he exclaimed. 'If we disguise ourselves as guards, we can patrol the vault, and allow the carpenter to get us in, we steal the money and escape!'

'How will we persuade the guards already at the door that they are to go elsewhere?' Much asked.

'We make them lose consciousness?' Will suggested.

Harry gave a cry, and dashed to where Marian's elaborate gown hung upon a branch, forgotten since she had flung it there, the day she had rescued him.

'I don't think it will fit you.' Robin smirked.

'No!' he cried. 'Marian! She could dress as an important Lady and persuade them that she wanted only the very best guards to accompany her!'

'Surely the Sheriff would be the only person to order them away from such an important job?' Alan asked.

'The Sheriff's sister!' Robin cried.

'Does the Sheriff have a sister?'

'It does not matter whether he does or not. He does for that day. They would not dare disobey someone as high as that, or who claimed to be.' Robin told them. 'Marian can lead us down to the vault, order the guards already there to follow her, and leave us there! Do we have a plan?'

There was a great cry of agreement, as everyone declared themselves game.