CATHY'S POV
Cathy collapsed on to her bed. She had just spent all day at Locksley walking around the village and Gisbourne's manor, pretending to be fascinated by it and giving Gisbourne sweet smiles all day, while all the while learning nothing about what she needed to. Cathy wished that Luke would finish with Allan soon. She had only managed a small shake of her head at him before he had to dash off to meet Allan. She drifted off to sleep while she lay there. She was jerked awake as the door opened and Charlie and Luke walked in both with smiles on their faces. This made her feel in an even worse mood.
"How was it?" asked Charlie, seeing the frown on her face.
"Completely useless," she said combing her fingers through her hair.
"Don't worry, tomorrow Gisbourne has business in Bonchurch, you'll be all alone," supplied Charlie, this lifted Cathy's mood slightly.
"But, he wouldn't give me a moment to my self today, he was glued to my side the whole day," groaned Cathy.
"Looks like you have your self an admirer," said Luke playfully.
"You are not leaving my side until we leave the castle, that'll stop him," she said rounding on Luke.
"Look who's turning in to Gisbourne!" said Charlie, Luke laughed.
"You two are so infuriating," Cathy cried throwing herself on to her bed.
"Calm down Cathy, You have some time by yourself before dinner, and tomorrow Gisbourne won't even be in the castle, he'll be four miles away in Bonchurch."
"say that again," said Cathy lifting her head up slightly.
"Um.. you have some time-" began Charlie, but Cathy cut her off.
"The bit after that."
"Gisbourne will be four miles away in Bonchurch," Cathy smiled and sat up. Charlie and Luke grinned at Cathy's childish behavior. "I'll come and get you for dinner." With that she exited the room.
"I'm sorry," said Cathy, looking at Luke who took up his usual place by the window. Luke laughed and just shook his head. "How was you day?" Cathy asked realizing that this as the first entire day she and Luke spent apart since the had known each other.
"All right, Dan and I just worked on the carriage. They should have done a little less damage to it if you ask me," said Luke perching on the window ledge.
"That bad is it?" Luke nodded, "Charlie seemed much happier today," said Cathy remembering Charlie's smiling face when she had walked in to the room.
"Yes, and I know why," said Luke, his eyes glinting.
"Why?" asked Cathy brimming with curiosity.
"when I went to the ale house, john was there rather the Allan, he said that Allan had been out of the camp all day. And then Charlie just told me that she had spoken to Allan today."
"All day!" said Cathy her eyes widening.
"seems like it," said Luke grinning. Cathy felt her self bubble up with excitement.
"I would be so good if they got married," Cathy sighed, leaning back against the head of the bed. "I never thought that he would get married after…" Cathy broke of glancing at Luke. She didn't know if Allan had told the gang about Eleanor, his ex-fiancé, and she didn't want to tell then unless he was alright with it.
"After Eleanor?" asked Luke. Cathy breathed a breath of relief.
"Yes, when did he tell you about her?"
"The day you joined the gang."
"Really, he didn't tell you earlier?"
"Well, no, there was never a good moment. When we first met we were in prison waiting to be hanged. Then I went to Scarborough with my father and didn't really have a good conversation with him until I joined the gang."
"After the Holy land?" Cathy asked, she knew the basics of how Luke joined the gang but she wanted to know the particulars.
"Why did you join the gang, Allan said that lived with your Auntie Annie," asked Cathy.
"I did, but she's lives alone, I can't just dump my self on her forever. Anyway, I don't think I could have just stayed in Scarborough forever. Nottingham is my home, this gave me the perfect excuse to return, and I'm doing something to help."
"Have you been back to see your aunt?" asked Cathy, she saw the sadness in his eyes when he had mentioned her.
"No, not yet I was meaning to go back, but then the adviser turned up and…" he drifted off.
"Do you miss her?" asked Cathy.
"Did you miss Allan?" Luke asked back. Cathy got up of the bed, she walked towards him. "I should have gone see her after you arrived, make sure she's alright. I mean, I just left her all alone." Cathy tried to find something to say but couldn't. instead she just wrapped her arms around Luke. Luke tensed up when she touched him, but she refused to let go. Slowly she felt his back relax and his arms snake around her body. He held her tighter, he buried his face I to her shoulder.
Dinner that night passed in much the same was as it did the other night. The only difference being that they talked about Gisbourne's and Cathy's trip to Locksley rather the Cathy's journey there. As Cathy went to bed that night all there was to console here was that she only had to struggle tomorrow before she could get back to camp.
Unlike the previous morning Cathy woke early. She walked over to the window which Luke usually occupied. She looked out over the castle courtyard, she perched against the window and let the cool air wash over her body. The door opened and Charlie walked in.
"Good morning Cathy, Your up early," said Charlie sounding surprised.
"Do you think I wanted to start the day like I did yesterday?"
"Fair point," said Charlie.
Charlie made her bed as Cathy changed, once they had finished Cathy sat on the edge of the bed.
"Charlie, what happened, between you and Allan?" she asked. Charlie who was at Cathy's dresser stopped and turned around.
"It was silly now that I think about it. But the thing is, there's something bothering him, does he seem any different to you?"
"Yes," said Cathy instantly, "If we're joking around together he'll have a good time but then he would sober up really quickly. Like there's something on the back of his mind and he can't forget it."
"Right, I really want to know what that something is."
"I don't know," sighed Cathy, "the thing about Allan is, is that he can't open up, non of us A Dale's can, You're really going to have to dig."
"How do you know when he's telling the truth?" asked Charlie, Cathy noticed that she had suddenly become nervous.
"Don't worry, Allan would never lie to you, but what I've noticed is that when he's telling the truth he tend to run his hands through his hair." Cathy saw Charlie's face relax in to a smile.
"So Cathy, how do you plan to get information?"
"Well I was thinking of accidentally walking in to Mr. Wentworth, and then being the daughter he never had." Charlie's face split in to a mischievous grin.
An hour later, after a small fight with Luke, Cathy found her self walking down a narrow corridor. She stopped and opened the door third on her left, just like Charlie had instructed her to.
"Oh, Mr Wentworth, I'm sorry, I was exploring the castle and must have talked a wrong turning. Sorry," she repeated as she closed the door.
"Lady Catherine," called out Mr Wentworth, Cathy smiled to herself before plastering a questioning look on her face as she pushed the door open again. "I have finished my work, if you do not have any engagements to speak of would you like to join me?" Cathy smiled sweetly.
"I would love nothing more." She walked in closing the door behind her.
"So, lady Catherine, How much longer do you intend to stay in Nottingham?" asked Mr Wentworth sitting her down in a straight backed chair in the center of the room.
"Cathy, please," she said, she had decided to be more personal with the adviser hoping that this would loosen his tongue. "I have just had a word with my manservant Luke, he says that we should be ready to go by tomorrow."
"I too leave tomorrow," said Mr Wentworth settling himself in and much more comfortable chair in front of Cathy.
"Do you go home, or do you have other 'official business' to attend to before you return home?"
"I have a short stay in London for a few days, but then I have no more business until next year."
"That is good, I personally never like being away from home much."
"Me neither, I wish I could bring my wife with me, but it is just not possible," said me Wentworth his eyes glazing over.
"Tell me, what is she like, your wife?"
"Her name is Mary, she is kind, sweet, pretty, caring, considerate, compassionate. She is everything I ever wanted in a wife." Cathy smiled.
"She sounds like my mother," said Cathy completely truthfully.
"What is your mother's name?"
"Her name was Matilda, she passed away not long ago," she said still completely truthfully.
"I am sorry," said Mr Wentworth.
"My father cannot bare to have me around, because I look so much like my mother. That is why I am going on this trip," she said now lying through her teeth.
"I am so sorry, Cathy my dear," said Mr Wentworth patting her hand.
"Me too," said Cathy making herself brim with tears. "Let us talk about something else, this make me too sad."
Cathy ended up spending most of the day with Mr Wentworth, and was surprised to find that she actually enjoyed his company. They had both just sobered up after a story that Cathy had just told, which was a complete lie, when they lapsed in to silence.
"So, Mr Wentworth, what exactly is this official business of yours?" asked Cathy keeping her eyes fixed in the pile of papers on the desk in the far corner.
"Well, what I do, is I go through all the tax's that the Sheriff is charging his people, I write a report suggesting where taxes need to be added, and where they need to be taken away, the Prince then reviews it and enforces it if he thinks it is necessary." Cathy forced herself not to look excited, and instead forced herself to give Mr. Wentworth a blank stare.
"It still sounds boring," she said pulling a face.
"Yes, it would to a young woman like yourself."
"My father always tried to get me interested in his work, but I could never understand what he was talking about. And why you men voluntarily do this, I shall never understand." Again Mr Wentworth chuckled.
"We do it, Cathy, because we have to, to support our families." Cathy just shrugged causing Mr Wentworth to laugh again. Just at that moment Charlie entered the room.
"Lady Catherine, you have to come to your room to change for dinner." Cathy looked back at Mr Wentworth and smiled sweetly.
"I shall see you at dinner Mr Wentworth." He nodded and Cathy walked out the room. As soon as the door had closed behind them Charlie sent her a questioning look. Cathy grinned and nodded, a smile split over Charlie's face.
It was a bit of a rush for Cathy after that, she rushed in to her room and changed, not having time to tell Charlie anything, and then rushed down to dinner. Where all the men were gathered.
When she returned to her room after dinner she found both Luke and Charlie in there again.
"What did you find out?" they both asked together as she walked in to the room. She quickly explained to them what had happened with Mr Wentworth and what she had found out. There was a long pause as Cathy finished her story.
"So Nottingham is going to get more taxes?" asked Luke in an undertone.
"Not if Robin has anything to do with it, He leaves tomorrow at noon, If we leave before we can get a plan ready. Is the carriage fixed?"
"Yes," said Luke hope gleaming in his eyes again. "I'd better get to the ale house." As the door closed behind Luke, Charlie sank down on to her bed.
"I'd better get going, I have to make it Locksley before I gets too dark," sad Charlie looking around the room. "I liked having you and Luke around, it made this place bearable."
"It was good getting to know you," said Cathy sitting next to her, "You should go to the ale house, and get who ever is there to walk you to Locksley."
"I'll be alright," said Charlie, "All of you seem to underestimate me."
"What are we underestimating you about?" asked Cathy.
"You'll find out one day I presume," said Charlie, Cathy groaned she was so curious new and she was now going to have to wait.
"Come on," she begged. Charlie just laughed and shook her head. She stood up.
"Id better be going," said Charlie.
"Bye," said Cathy standing as well, she then leaned forward and hugged Charlie, Charlie hugged her back. "Be careful."
"You to." With that Charlie walked out of her room, Cathy quickly changed and got into bed, she just extinguished her light when the door to her room opened, Cathy braced herself, reaching for a small dagger which she kept on her bedside table.
"Cathy?, It's me," said a voice.
"Luke?" asked Cathy, "What's going on, is something wrong?"
"Tomorrow you need to be up at day break, we leaving very early. I'll knock on you door,"
"Alright, good night Luke," Cathy herd the door close. She pulled the covers around her. She had never felt more alone in this castle then as she did now. Even though she had slept by her self for the past few nights, she had always be reassured that both Charlie and Luke were somewhere in the same castle, now that it was just Luke she felt alone. She curled up in to a ball and fell in to an uneasy sleep.