The room she and Sophie had been given was lovely. Some care had obviously gone into its arrangement; Albie wondered by whom as it certainly couldn't have been the Sheriff. Sophie had fallen asleep once again on the soft four poster bed that sat in the centre of the room. Albie perched beside her, stroking her hair. Brandon shut the chamber door. Albie glanced up at him.

"Why did you tell the Sheriff we were attacked by Robin Hood?" she asked.

Brandon strode towards her, took her by the arm and moved over to the corner of the room furthest from the door.

"Hood told me all about the Sheriff," he whispered, conscious of the castle guard that stood only a few metres away, on the other side of the wall.

"What did he tell you?"

"That we shouldn't trust him," Brandon replied, "and that it would be safer if I told him Robin Hood and his men attacked us."

"Why?" Albie pressed.

"Because he's a bad man."

Albie punched his arm.

"I'm not Sophie," she said angrily, after Brandon looked dejectedly at her, "tell me the truth."

He sighed and ran his hands through dark hair. Staring down at her, he remained silent.

"Why won't you tell me?" Albie asked, scared now.

Brandon gripped her by the shoulders and glared at her fiercely.

"If I tell you," he said, "if! You must promise never to speak of it, never. Don't tell Sophie, don't go running around Nottingham in uproar, don't do anything. There's nothing you can do about it Albie, do you understand?"

Albie nodded. Brandon stood up straight once more.

"The Sheriff is a traitor," he said.

"What?"

"He's a traitor," Brandon repeated, "He wants to kill the King."

Albie was quiet. Her hands were clammy, she felt hot all over.

"Albie," Brandon said quickly, "please, please. You promised."

"I know," she replied, flustered, "how does Hood know?" she added.

"Robin Hood used to be Lord Robin of Locksley, Earl of Huntingdon. He was in the Holy Land with the King but when he came back the Sheriff had given his lands to man we met before, Guy of Gisbourne. Gisbourne was sent by the Sheriff to kill the King, Robin saw him in the Holy Land."

"Is he sure it was Gisbourne?" Albie asked, her brow furrowed.

"He has a tattoo," Brandon replied, "On his arm; Robin said he saw the same tattoo on the man who attacked the King."

"And you believe him?" Albie tittered nervously, "you trust him above the Sheriff? A man put in authority by the King."

"Vaisey was appointed by Richard's brother, Prince John," Brandon said, "and why wouldn't I trust Robin Hood? He saved our lives and asked for nothing in return."

"He's an outlaw."

Albie moved back to the bed and sank down, clenching and unclenching sweaty fists. Brandon followed her curiously.

"Why are you reacting like this?" he asked, "a minute ago you were outraged I told the Sheriff that Hood attacked us."

"I'm sensing a common theme," Albie said tersely, looking up at him, "first my father, then the Sheriff. Not everyone I meet can be a traitor. And if they are then maybe that says something about King Richard – maybe he is a bad King."

"The Sheriff is nothing like your father," Brandon assured her.

"You've known him all of two minutes!" Albie cried, leaping to her feet, "my father was executed for speaking out against the King, for speaking out against authority – Robin Hood is an outlaw for the same crime, there is a scaffold in the courtyard with his name on it, the Sheriff said so himself!"

"Your father was speaking out against the injustice of the Crusade," Brandon replied, trying desperately to calm her, "and he was right was he not? The way they are treating the Ottomans is wrong."

"And now he's dead!"

"But he died for a good cause," Brandon appealed, "the Sheriff rebels for more power, more wealth."

"I don't care what he rebels for," Albie replied, her voice abrupt and calm, "I'm not going to die, Sophie's not going to die, you're not going to die. We're not going to cross the Sheriff, you said so yourself. We're going to forget we ever met Robin Hood."

Brandon crouched beside her. Albie refused to look at him.

"Albie," he began quietly, "when I said that we couldn't do anything, I meant only you. You can't do anything…but you can't expect me not to."

Albie turned to stare at him; she felt her eyes fill with tears. Brandon placed a hand on either side of her face soothingly.

"Listen, listen," he said, "Nothing's going to happen to me, I promise. But the King is my King; I couldn't stand by and let the Sheriff plot against him. It wouldn't be right. I'm going to help Robin Hood."

"Get out," Albie whispered.

"Albie…"

"Get out!" she shrieked, pushing him forcefully away from her.

Brandon stared up at her from the floor in amazement.

"I won't see you die, James Brandon," Albie muttered, "so-"

"So you won't see me at all," Brandon finished for her, getting to his feet.

He strode towards the door but, with one hand placed on the knob, turned back to Albie and said:

"Either way you and Sophie will be safe, Albie, and that's all that matters."