After everyone else in Bonchurch was asleep, Robin headed toward Locksley on a secret mission to take back some of his belongings.
Since Marian's failed attempt to steal back her jewels, Robin decided he would gather some back for her, not to sell as she'd intended, but a few pieces of sentimental value she was especially fond of to have, such as the hairpins he'd given her after Ellen was born, and a necklace for this year's wedding anniversary. He also intended to bring back a few of his daughters' toys, and most important, money from his coffers so that his family and Much's could survive, as well as any family from his village who was struggling.
His village was quiet, the homes of his people occupied now by sleeping nuns or monks. His house, however, was alight from within by candles, as if a party was ongoing. A small squadron of Prince John's soldiers in the yard indicated Isabella was entertaining the prince tonight in Robin's house.
He realized that sneaking into his house would not be as easy as he'd anticipated, but he was undeterred. In fact, he welcomed the challenge, confident of his success.
He knew of a way in through the cellar, and he evaded the guards' notice and entered. Making his way silently up the stairs, he met a very tired looking Thornton, who was on an errand to fetch more wine for Isabella and Prince John.
"Master Robin!"
"Shh! You haven't seen me. Is everyone alright?"
"Lady Isabella, or should I say Sister Marian Isabella, is not her brother, thankfully. She delights in acting the benevolent mistress, so long as we do not displease her. But if any of us do...!"
"Be careful," Robin warned, "especially what you eat or drink. If anyone falls ill, fetch Matilda immediately. She can deduce whatever poison Isabella administers, and counter it...I think."
"We are doing everything we can to stay on the lady's good side. And how is Lady Locksley, and their little ladyships?"
"Well. Thornton, let me take the wine to the prince."
"You, Master Robin? But...His Highness will recognize you, and-"
"He won't see me, only his soldiers, and they won't know me beneath my hood."
"Robin Hood again?"
"Always Robin Hood, just as I'm always Robin of Locksley, whether I hold my lands or not. Will you help me?"
"Of course, Master Robin! What else do you want me to do?"
Robin grinned while explaining his plan. "Tomorrow, I need you to limp. You've had a fall down the cellar stairs, which accounts for you assigning another servant, myself, to deliver the wine, as well as its delay."
"Very good, master."
"And one other thing. Give me five minutes, and then I need you to bang on the walls, unseen of course, and make a ruckus."
"A ruckus," Thornton repeated, not understanding. "May I ask why?"
Robin's eyes twinkled. "The Locksley Ghost, of course!"
"Locksley Ghost? Master Robin, you know as well as I, Locksley Manor is not haunted!"
"It is tonight," Robin told him, chuckling.
...
Robin's plan worked like a charm. With his hood hiding his face, he disguised his posture and movements and delivered a bottle of wine to Prince John's soldiers guarding his bedroom, where Isabella was entertaining the prince. Then, pretending to leave, he darted unseen down the hallway to his daughters' nursery, where he gathered a few beloved playthings to take back to them. After that, he ducked into Marian's dressing chamber and pocketed the pieces of her jewelry he'd come after. He knew he would need to gather his money from his office downstairs, but he remained in his wife's dressing chamber because he could hear, by pressing his ear to the wall, what Prince John and Isabella were saying in the adjoining room.
"This wine is divine, my dear," Prince John declared, "even if it took your bumbling old codger servant forever to bring it. If I'm not mistaken, it's from my mother's very own vineyards in Aquitaine!"
"Speaking of your mother, Sire..." Isabella began, and Robin strained to listen.
"Another old codger, well past her usefulness," Prince John pouted, snippily. His voice began to whine, before turning savage. "Do you know, she never loved me? Me! The baby of the family! The one who ought to have been treasured far above the rest! But no. She favored my brother Richard! She named him after a lover of hers from her past, did you know that? A lover she'd taken before her marriage to Louis of France, and afterwards my father, the saggy old whore."
Robin heard a loud clattering sound, and he knew Prince John had hurled his silver wine goblet, one belonging to Robin, against the wall.
"She deserves her imprisonment!" Prince John furiously continued. "May she rot in Pontefract Castle, for all I care!"
All became clear to Robin...the Queen Mother's delay in answering his letter...McClellan's mockery of his mention of her...everything. Prince John had imprisoned her and taken over as regent, unknown to the king. Robin felt God had led him tonight to Locksley so that he could discover Queen Eleanor's distress and gather his men to rescue her. At first light tomorrow, he would ask for their help, and journey north to Pontefract.
It was then Thornton's banging on the walls began.
"What's that noise?" Prince John demanded.
"I have no idea," Isabella answered.
Robin left his wife's dressing chamber and stepped into the hallway, making certain he remained in the shadows. The door to his bedroom flew open, and Prince John poked out his head. "Guards!" the prince ordered. "See to that noise!"
"It's only the Locksley Ghost, Your Highness," Robin said, disguising his voice. "No need to fret."
"GHOST?" Prince John screamed. Turning furiously on Isabella, he accused, "You never told me Locksley had a ghost!"
"It doesn't, Sire," Isabella tried to explain, panicking at the prince's displeasure. "I lived here once before, briefly, and there was never any ghost."
"It only comes out when there's royalty about," Robin clarified. "Hates them, and wants revenge. Ghost of one of his lordship's ancestors, what was unjustly executed by Your Highness's great grandfather, King Henry I."
Robin, of course, had concocted the story, never having had a relative executed, though he'd come close himself. But Prince John believed him.
"Guards!" the prince screamed, terrified. "Get me out of here!"
In no time, Prince John and his soldiers had fled Locksley, and were returning to Nottingham Castle. Pleased with the success of his plan, Robin disappeared from the upstairs hallway and swaggered boldly down the staircase to his office, to unlock a chest and take the money he needed for his rescue mission of the Queen.
He was just about to close the chest and depart, when he heard Isabella's voice behind him.
"Well," she said, her voice smooth as liquid, "if it isn't the Locksley Ghost! I always knew you could walk through walls! You look surprisingly like the current displaced lord...sexy and handsome. Tell me, disembodied spirit, may I at least try to rekindle the fire you once felt in a real woman's arms? It would be exciting, surely, to have me in your bed, wouldn't it, Robin, without your wife knowing? Or would you prefer to take me here, in your office?"
Robin spun around and faced her. "You're wearing my wife's nightdress," he snarled.
"Shall I take it off, or do you want to remove it yourself?"