Part 23

Djaq ventured into the town and met with Much and Robin and a new plan was hatched.

The gang minus Djaq and Marian who were still seconded inside the Abbey peered round from the ale house on the far outskirts of the town, in fact its main entrance was opposite the doors to the Abbey, and Much deliberated on the significance of this for some while, until Allan threatened to kill him and Little John separated them.

"There," said Robin quietly pointing at the man they had been watching. "That must be him."

"Why him?" asked Much.

"He has been hanging around here all day," Will explained.

"I did not notice," Much replied.

"You were too busy talking about nonsense," John told him.

"Now what?" asked Allan.

"We will dispose of him."

"We are going to kill him?" Much asked with disbelief. "Master we do not kill unless we have to."

"We are not going to kill him; we will give him a headache and then send him off to London with the next wagon going in that direction," Robin answered with a mischievous smile.

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It worked well less than twenty four hours later the man was bound for London and Robin decided perhaps he would call for Marian himself. He rapped upon the door and waited for a reply.

Seated in the Abbess's room he smiled most charmingly and she melted from within and then chastised herself heavily. Not only was she a woman of the cloth and a child of Christ, he was a married man. She cleared her throat and composed herself.

"I have come for my wife," he simply said.

"The man?" she asked.

"Is no longer a threat," he replied.

"You will take care of her properly I trust?" she asked.

He sighed. "If you mean will I take her home, where there is warmth, security a bed, good food then no. I can not give her that until my home and lands are mine again."

"But she will be with you."

"Yes."

The Abbess nodded. "In some ways she would be safer here but there are others not in favour of her escaping the Sheriff of Nottingham's noose I think it would be better for all concerned if she leaves. But if you or Marian or any of your men, or women as I suspect Sophia is part of your group too, need help you will always find sanctuary here with us."

He thanked her and she asked him to wait in the corridor on a wooden bench, he pondered the moment of being face to face with her once more. What would he say? He had failed her, he knew that. And the dreams, he was still having them even though he confided to the gang, he knew real release would only be when he told her his fears. Footsteps brought him out of his reverie and he almost didn't want to look up. Slowly though, his heart got the better of his head and he found himself eye to eye with his wife.