Albie could sense someone behind her. The courtyard was bare, the air crisp and cool, what were they doing out here? She turned. It was Gisbourne. Albie turned away again; she had nothing to say to him.
"I'm sorry about your father."
"I'm sorry about your sister."
Why did she say that? Where did that sudden surge of confidence come from? Albie regretted it immediately. She held her breath as she waited for a reply.
"You don't know what happened to my sister," Gisbourne said.
Albie didn't deny it.
"Tell me about your brother," he continued.
Albie's heart caught in her throat.
"No," she replied eventually, "I don't want to, I –"
"Tell me about your brother," Gisbourne repeated, moving closer to her.
"You tell me about your sister," Albie muttered, her eyes averting his gaze.
"I sold her," Gisbourne said darkly, "your turn."
"You sold her?" Albie gasped, glancing up at him in shock.
She felt an overwhelming nausea running through her, the blood drained from her face.
"You sound surprised," Gisbourne chuckled.
"I'm disgusted," Albie replied.
"Oh," Gisbourne said, a bemused expression on his face, "I've offended you."
"She was your sister!" Albie cried.
"She still is my sister," Gisbourne said, "I needed money, I needed my land back. She understood."
"I don't understand it. Not even the Sheriff seems to understand and it's clear to me his morals are questionable enough."
"Ah," Gisbourne declared pleasantly, "the cat has claws."
Albie rubbed her palms together. She would not be provoked, she would not be provoked. What was it she had said to Brandon? 'We are not going to cross the Sheriff.' And she wasn't going to provoke Gisbourne either, nor was she going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he was getting under her skin. She would not be provoked, she would not be provoked.
"Albie? Are you alright?"
Brandon was beside her. Despite their argument, Albie felt her shoulders sag with relief.
"Yes," she said, turning to him, "I'm fine."
Glancing behind her she noted that Gisbourne had disappeared.
"He was asking about Harry."
"Your brother? What did you tell him?" Brandon asked, concerned.
"I didn't tell him anything, I –"
"Did he ask about –"
"No, no. He didn't."
"Do you think he knows?"
"I don't know," Albie replied, "I hope not."