Part 21
Robin and the gang made good time as they travelled north, which made Robin realise how much Marian had been slowing them down without even being aware of it at the time. He was silent for more than two days, Little John offering more conversation than he and finally Much could not bear it any longer.
"She will be alright," he told his master. "You said so yourself and Djaq has not given us reason to suspect otherwise."
Robin looked at him and replied. "It is not just Marian; I have other things on my mind."
"Like what?" shrugged Alan as they walked along.
"My dad always said it was good to talk about your worries," added Will.
Robin stopped and the gang did likewise, he turned to face them and said, "I worry that we will miss the interception of the money. I worry that we will not get back to Alistair before the Sheriff and Gisborne arrive and yes I worry about Marian too."
"Well," said Much trying to be supportive and encouraging. "We are almost at the place where we are to accost the money then we have perhaps a two day walk back, we can do it. I know we can."
"Yeah we've been in tight situations before and we always manage somehow," added Alan.
Robin shut his eyes and sighed then said. "You are right, come we have more miles to cover before we reach our destination."
The Sheriff and Gisborne stood in the courtyard of Nottingham Castle, both waiting impatiently for the horses to be ready along with the men who were accompanying them. The bitter cold air showing up the horses breath like wisps of smoke.
"It should be no more than a day or so ride from here, if we make good time," said Guy.
"Good. It is more than freezing," the Sheriff said frowning and then yelling. "Get on with it, we want to leave today."
"Brother John," said Guy, greeting the monk who had appeared in the courtyard beside them.
"Good day for a ride is it not?" he said, smiling at Vasey's face.
"It's freezing man," the Sheriff uttered.
"I am used to it."
"Yes, I understand you are," he replied dryly, imaging that life at the monastery was more than chilly even indoors.
"Are we ready?"
"I believe so," said Guy.
"This," said the Sheriff. "Should be a piece of cake, with no Hood to intervene, we get the house, the lands, the money from the Abbey."
"At least we hope," muttered Guy.
"Have you heard anything which would lead you to believe he knows about our scam?" the Sheriff continued.
"N," Guy bluntly replied.
"Have you seen any of the outlaws recently?" enquired Brother John.
"Well?" asked Vasey to Guy. "Have you?"
Guy shrugged and answered. "Some of your men claimed they saw one of Hood's men a week or so ago, here in Nottingham but he slipped through their fingers and…."
"And what?" asked the Sheriff impatiently. "Spit it out Gisborne."
"I saw Marian," he confessed.
"When?" asked the Sheriff.
"About the same time the guard saw one of Hood's men. I saw her in the forest; she had been to Nottingham to buy bread and oats. I would have brought her in, but she kicked me, fights like no other woman I have met," he said with a snarl at the reminder the words brought.
"No matter," Vasey replied. "She can wait, Alistair can not. And I for one think Hood will still be in his hidey hole, look it's even beginning to snow."
"Wonderful," muttered Guy under his breath, snow was exactly what they didn't need right now, but on the other hand would keep Robin Hood and his gang far away from Alistair Cadwaller and his village on the edge of Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire.