Chapter Eight
Robin was sitting high up in one of the gaps between the castle battlements, reading a book. That morning Richard and David had disappeared off somewhere leaving him with only Henry for company and Robin had soon tired of him. Henry wasn't particularly bright, you see. When they were younger all Robin had to do was suggest a game of hide-and-seek, Henry would run to hide somewhere and Robin wouldn't even bother searching for him, thus being finally be rid of him. On one especially memorable occasion, Robin had completely forgotten about the game and only remembered when Henry came trudging into the hall at suppertime having spent all day hiding up a tree in the forest. Robin had felt a little guilty then and quickly declared the other boy the winner and congratulated him on his superior hiding skills. Now though, childish games of hide-and-seek were out of the question so Robin had sent Henry to the kitchens to fetch some food for them, then he had slipped quietly away to hide somewhere himself.
"Robin! Robin!" Henry appeared, running about the courtyard below and calling his name. He stopped to talk to one of the guards who turned and pointed straight up to where Robin was sitting. Robin tutted to himself in annoyance as Henry sprinted towards him, taking the stone steps two at a time.
"Robin! You'll never believe it!" Henry panted when he was finally standing before him.
"Oh, do tell me, Henry. I'm simply dying to know." Robin said sarcastically, turning his attention back to Doctor Faustus.
"Richard and David. They went out with Dulac and captured the Merryweather girl!"
"What!?"
"Dulac is approaching the castle with her now." The words had barely left Henry's mouth when Dulac's horse trotted through the gates below. Robin snapped the book shut and started down the steps, stopping halfway to stare at the scene unfolding before him.
The Merryweather girl was lying on her stomach across Dulac's horse with a black sack over her head. Dulac dismounted like a conquering hero as the guards flocked around to offer their congratulations and call some insults at the motionless young woman. Robin couldn't help but chuckle when, upon being pulled down from the horse, the girl merely flopped straight the floor, landing on her backside. After sparing a moment to laugh at her, one of the guards pulled her to her feet by the front of her blouse and, gripping her arm tightly, began to drag her inside the castle. Robin guessed that he would be taking her to the dungeons. Richard and David strolled through the gates a moment later and he ran the rest of the way down the steps to meet them.
"What do you think you're doing? Going off and doing your own thing like that?" he hissed at them furiously.
"Jealous are we, Robin?" Richard smirked.
"I assume Dulac did all the work?"
"Not bloody likely! We were the ones who grabbed her and carried her to where Dulac was waiting on the horse. And let me tell you, she may look graceful, but that girl is not easy to carry!"
"You never were very strong." David muttered. Richard shot him a dark look.
"The point is you should never have done anything of the sort without my knowledge or permission." Robin spoke through gritted teeth.
Richard glowered, "You aren't Coeur yet, Robin." he said coldly, brushing past him and stalking away.
"So what now?" Henry asked, breaking a rather awkward silence.
"Dulac said that Coeur de Noir will see her tomorrow morning. Apparently, a taste of De Noir hospitality will surely loosen her tongue." David responded before walking away after Richard.
"I knew it! I knew this whole thing would be your idea!" Catherine cried accusingly.
"Actually it wasn't. I had no idea Richard and David were planning on capturing you." The masked boy replied, wandering over to lean on the metal gate which, for some strange reason, had a heart-shaped window.
"You're lying."
The boy glared at her, "I saw you fall off the horse and flat on your arse. Not very lady-like is it?" he said with the intention of embarrassing her.
"And it isn't very gentlemanly to keep a lady locked in a cell." Catherine retorted tartly.
"When I see one locked up, I'll be sure to free her."
"So how long do you intend on keeping me locked in a dungeon, may I ask?"
"It's not up to me. I think my father intends to leave you here overnight."
"Your father?"
"Coeur de Noir. He is leader of the De Noir clan and I am his heir, Robin de Noir." the boy explained with a mocking bow.
"If I were heir to a castle and a clan then I would try to act with more maturity." Catherine muttered to herself.
"I heard that!"
"I won't stand for being locked in a cell! I am not some wild beast in a circus!"
"Really? That's funny because you remind me awfully of a tiger: pretty to look at but vicious if one were to get too close."
"You can tell Coeur de Noir that I do not appreciate his hospitality and if he had any honour then he would not keep a lady in a dungeon!" Catherine raised her voice as she said this so that the echoes travelled down the draughty stone corridors of the fortress. She hoped that if Coeur de Noir heard this then he would feel obliged to see her immediately and perhaps decide not to keep her in the dungeon.
"For God's sake be quiet, kitten!" the masked boy groaned.
"No! I demand that you release me, you...you half-wit!"
Robin de Noir fixed her with a frosty glare, "You know what, kitty? I think I like the look of you in there." he gestured to the heart-shaped window which framed her face, "I think you should stay there." And with that, he turned on his heel and strode out the dungeon.
In the corner of the cell there was a low wooden bed, Catherine sat down upon it and suppressed the urge to cry. Crying never helped anyone, she told herself. The walls of her prison were of rough stone and damp, only the occasional sound of a droplet of water dripping to the floor broke the eerie silence. She had never felt so afraid before in her entire life. It was getting dark outside, surely Benjamin would have realised by now that something was amiss? Would he ever be able to find her? Would she make it out of this horrible place alive?
The thought of never seeing Benjamin again, or anyone at all for that matter, made her succumb to her tears. Catherine wrapped her arms around her body and rocked back and forward as she sobbed. Not wishing any of her captors to see her crying, she lay on her side upon the wooden bed with her back to the gate, hugging her knees into her chest.
A sharp prod on her back woke her. It was pitch black in the cell and she wasn't sure how long she how long she had slept for, she wasn't even certain if it had been someone waking her or if she had just jolted herself awake. But when she felt another prod on her back and realised that there was someone there with her in the darkness, she was so startled that she immediately scrambled to her feet, ready to lash out. But whoever it was merely grabbed her wrist and swung her around sharply, causing her to stagger back against them.
"Stop it!" someone - a male – hissed, bending Catherine's arm painfully behind her back.
"Let go of me!" she cried, struggling to pull herself from his grasp.
"The more you struggle, the more painful it gets." he said. Catherine was rather put out to have to follow his advice when it turned out to be true.
"Good girl." he purred in her ear, making her shudder.
"I'm here to help you, but if you give me any trouble then I'll change my mind." he whispered. Long fingers coiled around her throat, almost caressing.
"Are you going to be a good girl?" he asked patronisingly. Catherine swallowed with difficulty and reluctantly nodded. Immediately, the hands were gone. Wincing, she straightened her arm and turned around. She could see nothing of the man except for a darker shape in the blackness in front of her. Without a word, he took her hand and tugged her along with him out the cell door which stood ajar.
It seemed that at night-time the entire De Noir castle descended into almost complete darkness, except for some of the main rooms which were lit with torches and lanterns. As they walked, Catherine tried to get a glimpse of her rescuer when they stepped into the patches of moonlight cast onto the floor from the high windows, but he hurried her straight through them and down the halls. Occasionally, they would hear someone approaching and he would push her into an alcove where they would wait silently until whoever it was had passed, his arm extended protectively across her body.
He guided her down a narrow spiral staircase until they emerged outside through a small door which had been built into the very rock at the foundation of the castle. She found herself stopping and looking up at the castle towering above them, silhouetted against the night sky until a sharp tug on her hand pulled her away. It was almost pitch black outside and a cold wind swept through the trees chilling Catherine, who hadn't bothered to put a coat on that morning. They walked in silence at a brisk pace and, rather oddly, she found herself admiring how soft and warm her rescuer's hand was as it clasped hers tightly.
Suddenly a cry came up from behind them.
"The sentries must have spotted us!" he gasped, breaking into a run. As they ran through the forest, ducking under branches and leaping like racehorses over obstacles, Catherine stumbled on a place where the ground fell away suddenly and lost her grip on his hand. As their hands came apart, she felt something metal slip into hers, but before she could look to see what it was, his hand had laced around her wrist and he was dragging her away again. She heard shouting and the sound of horses pounding along the ground behind them.
"Come on! Come on!" he urged her, pulling her so hard that she was sure that any moment now he would dislocate her arm.
"We're here." he said, the relief plain in his voice. The pair stepped out of the forest and Catherine found that they were standing on the Merryweather estate and that she could see the Manor not far away, he had led her to the place where she had entered the forest for the first time.
She turned to face her rescuer, now that they were clear of the trees the clear moonlight enabled her see his face finally. To her utter horror and amazement she found herself looking into the familiar, albeit masked face of Robin de Noir. His skin shone unearthly white in the moonlight and his eyes appeared especially dark; he pushed his hat onto the back of his head and scowled at her.
"You!" she exclaimed.
"Don't just stand there gawping you stupid girl! Go before they catch you!" he ordered.
"Why are you helping me? Is this a trick?"
"Just go!" he hissed, pushing her in the direction of the Manor.
"I...thank you." she blurted. Robin's expressing changed, he looked taken aback and a little uncertain. Catherine turned and began to run across the vast sprawl of grass towards the Manor.
The front door was unlocked and Benjamin was pacing in the Entrance Hall, waiting for her. As soon as she stepped through the door he crossed the room in three strides and pulled her to him, crushing her into his chest. His face was pale and his hair dishevelled as if he had been running his fingers through it in worry.
"Catherine, where the Devil have you been! It's ten o'clock at night for God's sake!" he scolded, "Oh, I do beg your pardon, Parson!" As Catherine stepped back and straightened herself out from the bone-crushing embrace, she realised that Old Parson was also there, sitting in Benjamin's usual chair.
"Your brother sent Digweed to fetch me when you didn't return." the old man said, answering her unspoken question.
"What on Earth happened?" Benjamin demanded.
Catherine glanced at Old Parson and knew she couldn't lie again. She took a deep breath then rushed it out, "I was kidnapped by the De Noirs."
"What?" Benjamin said tightly. His skin was ghastly white, but then Catherine watched as a furious red flush rose up from his neck and covered his entire face. He swung around and began pacing the room rapidly, his black coat billowing behind him.
Benjamin was furious. He was all for saddling up his horse that moment and going to confront the De Noirs and it took Catherine and Old Parson almost half an hour to calm him down and dissuade him from the idea. Finally, when he was calm, Old Parson announced that it was late and time for him to leave so Catherine volunteered to walk him down to the gate.
Catherine bade the Parson goodnight and closed the gate after him. As she watched him walk down the road, she looked across to where she had emerged from the forest and froze as she realised that Robin de Noir was still standing there, watching her, after a moment he retreated backwards and melted in amongst the trees.
