Part 2
Eli was entertaining, when the servant informed him that a visitor had arrived.
"I am not expecting anyone," Eli replied.
"He said he was your brother. His name is Thomas."
"Thomas!" exclaimed Eli standing up. "I must see this for myself."
He excused himself from his guests, a number of nobles he was acquainting himself with and followed the servant to the door.
"Eli," the man said hesitantly.
"Thomas!" Eli said greeting him warmly. "Come in, it has been a long time."
A small wiry wizened man who had fallen on hard times as many people had in these dark days, knocked on the door of Locksley.
Thornton appeared and took a step back; the man did not smell pleasant. "Can I help you?" he asked, reluctantly.
"I am looking for Sir Guy of Gisborne."
"He is not in residence."
"Where can I find him? I have news to impart."
"Humph," Thornton said, not doubting that this man has some underhand business with his master. "You will find him at Nottingham castle."
At Nottingham the man eventually talked his way past the guards into the castle. Then the guard who was accompanying him left him with two further guards outside a big heavy wooden door.
"Sheriff, Sir Guy," he said.
"What is it?" asked Vasey abruptly.
"There is a man to see Sir Guy. He has information, from the look of him…well."
"Very well send him in," the Sheriff said, "I need some entertainment."
Once in and the door shut Guy said. "Well?"
"I have information Sir. You remember you employed me several months ago. Unfortunately I was robbed and beaten but I recovered and then started my job for you."
"By Hood?"
"Pardon sir?"
"Did Hood rob and beat you?"
"No," he said wishing it had been.
"Very well carry on."
"I recently went to Edwinstowe. There the priest told me a wedding had taken place in April. A wedding he had refused to carry out himself and a wedding he had refused to allow inside the church, instead it was held in the doorway by a passing fellow of the cloth."
"Why is this interesting me? Get to the point," Guy replied curtly.
"The newlyweds were…."
"Were who?" Gisborne spat at him. "Tell me."
"Robin Hood and Marian, late of Knighton."
Gisborne roared and even Vasey covered his hands with his ears as his lieutenant began to rant and rave.
"Get out, no wait," ordered Guy.
The man quivered he was going to ask to be paid the remaining money but decided this was not the best time.
"Sir?" he asked nervously.
"I want you to go to York. I want you to find out everything you can on Eleanor Godwin, particularly bad. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir," the man quivered.
"You may have one of my horses; the sooner you are back here with information the better."
Bowing before the two men the wiry man backed out the room as Guy barked orders at the waiting guard for a horse for the little man.
"You are not surprised," Guy said to the Sheriff, it wasn't a question but an observation.
"A clue – no," he replied. "It has been on the cards has it not?"
"I think not. He will pay, she will pay."
"How exactly?" Vasey asked mildly amused.
"I do no know yet but I will drag Hood from the woods and tear him to pieces."
"A word of warning and then of advice," Vasey said. "I can not be part of this if, you're aim is to hurt your populace in order to get to Robin Hood, he swore if I did harm anyone to get to him he would kill me. After that incident in the forest with Piits I dare not question him," he replied, moving his tongue to feel where he had had his fake tooth put in, a reminder of the event. Thinking himself lucky to escape with just the loss of a tooth.
"Very well, but you have no objections to how I lure him to Locksley?"
"None at all, the sooner he is dead, the sooner I can move onto greater things," declared the Sheriff.