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CATHY'S POV
"Mr Wentworth," said Robin approaching Mr. Wentworth who was sat on his horse frozen. Cathy abandoned her attempt to stop her self bleeding and picked up the sword she had lost. She holstered it and the other one which she was still holding limply in her good hand. She turned her attention back to her wrist as robin continued to talk.
"I am Robin Hood and this is my gang," Luke walked over to Cathy tugging his neck scarf of. He took her hand and started to wrap her wrist, All this time Robin was still talking to Mr. Wentworth.
"Before you make you journey back to London to Prince John I think we need to have a little chat."
"You can take all the money I have, please just let me go, my wife is expecting," said Mr. Wentworth all the colour draining form his face.
"Mr Wentworth, we won't hurt you," Cathy said, Mr Wentworth's bulging eyes turned to look at her. His face drained of what little colour it had left.
"L… La… Lady Catherine , What are you doing here?" Me Wentworth asked trying to piece all this together. Cathy pulled out her tag and showed it to him. Mr Wentworth's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed.
"We won't hurt you, we just want to talk," she said soothingly. Mr Wentworth glanced around at the rest of the gang who had all holstered their weapons. Slowly Mr Wentworth nodded and dismounted.
"This way if you please Mr Wentworth," said Robin falling in to step beside Mr. Wentworth. "Mr Wentworth," said Robin as they walked, Cathy noticed him take on his 'noble' voice. "You came to Nottingham to assess it taxes, did you not?"
"I did," said Mr Wentworth his voice steady.
"And am I correct that you stayed in Nottingham town the whole time?"
"Yes." The rest of the gang walked behind the tow men silently, Allan leading the horse. Cathy tried to pay attention to the conversation but her wrist was bothering her too much and she started fiddling with Luke's neck scarf. The material was soft but it felt hard and scratchy against her raw flesh. As the gang exited Sherwood forest Cathy forced herself to ignore her stinging wrist and pay attention to the conversation.
'The people of Nottingham are starving, the sheriff has taxed them dry, not many of them have any money left after tax day. I don't know what will happen if they have to pay more taxes." Robin was saying. By this time the gang had reached the outskirts of Bonchurch.
"The lady we are going to visit is called Mrs. Elliot, she was widowed last year when the sheriff ordered her husband down the mines which were not safe. She was left with 4 children under the age of 10 and a baby." Robin reached up a knocked on the door, there was some scuffling from inside then a rather tiered looking Mrs. Elliot answered the door.
"Robin," she cried as soon as she registered who was at the door, "Thank god you're here, Sarah came down with a fever last night, and she has gotten worse."
Cathy heard the call and pushed past robin and flew in to the tiny bedroom. Young Sarah was lying in a bed in front of the fire. Cathy felt her forehead, which was searing hot and she was sweating.
"Get the children out of here, this is contiguous." There was a flurry of movement as Luke, Allan and Much grabbed a child and walked out of the room, followed by John with the baby. Cathy opened Sarah's mouth and checked her throat it was red and inflamed. "Mrs. Elliot, we need water, make it as cold as you can," said Cathy standing up. "Robin, come warm her feet, we need to bring her fever down from her head. Mr. Wentworth, make sure she stays calm, and don't let her talk." With that she ran around the garden trying to find the right plants needed for the medicine.
She hurried back in to the kitchen and started chopping and grounding the roots up. She made a paste which was grey and looked horrible. She grabbed a cup and put a dollop of the mixture in it. She then hurried back in to the bedroom. Robin was rubbing Sarah's feet, Mr Wentworth was holding Sarah's small white hand in his own, and Mrs. Elliot was stroking Sarah forehead. Cathy hurried to the basin of water beside Mrs. Elliot. She added a bit of water to the paste.
"Sit her up, she needs to drink this, she won't like it, she'll cough, but it will take away the infection in her throat." Mr Wentworth supported Sarah as Cathy poured the liquid down her throat. As soon as the mixture hit the back of her throat Sarah coughed and spluttered and pulled away.
"Come on Sarah, you need to finish it, it will take away the pain." As Sarah finished the last bit she fell coughing and spluttering against Cathy.
"Water!" she said handing the cup to Mrs Elliot who filled it up and held it up for Sarah to drink. Which she did as thought she hadn't drunk in years. Sarah then fell back on to her pillows exhausted and fell to asleep almost instantly.
"Is she going to be alright?" asked Mrs Elliot tears filling her eyes.
"She's going to live, but her throat looks really bad, why did you not take her to a physician as soon as she started coughing?"
"WE can't afford it, Mr. Bennet has put his prices for a consult up, I couldn't get the money, nor do I have anything of value." By now tears were poring down Mrs. Elliot's face.
"She should be alright, there is more of this mixture in the kitchen, you need to add a bit of water to it, you need to give it to her as soon as she wakes up, no matter what time it is. Also, the other children cannot sleep in the same room. It is a miracle that they didn't get it from Sarah." Mrs Elliot nodded, taking deep shuddering breath. Cathy put a comforting hand on her shoulder, 'she going to be alright," Cathy said hoping that she was right. Mrs. Elliot nodded tears spilling out her eyes. "I'll come back tomorrow morning to check on her," said Cathy rubbing Mrs. Elliot's back.
"Th- Thank you," she managed before dissolving in to tears again.
"We'll help you move the beds in to another room," said Robin, gesturing to Mr Wentworth, who until now Cathy had forgotten all about.
"I'll get the others," she said needing to get away form Mrs. Elliot who was rocking backward and forward crying.
She walked out in to the back garden, where they late afternoon sun cast long shadows. Little John was standing in the middle of the garden a bit of cloth tied around his eyes, his arms stretched out in front and he was whipping about when one of the boys, or Much, poked or prodded him. Allan was lying face down in the empty flowerbed with Jane sitting on top of him trying to plate his short hair. Luke was standing on the far side of the garden with the baby in his arms. Cathy smiled in the scene in front of her.
"Robin needs help moving the beds," she called out. There was a high moan from the little children and Much. Cathy made her way across the garden to Luke as the rest of the gang in to the tiny house.
"Is Sarah alright?" Luke asked as the baby in his arms giggled.
"She's going to live, but talk…" Cathy faded off breaking the eye contact between herself and Luke.
"You did the best you could," said Luke.
"I don't think it's enough," said Cathy in a small voice as the children flocked around them.
"At least you tried," he said gently converting the baby in to her arms. "No one can ask you for more," he leaned forward and planted a kiss on her forehead, then hurried inside. Cathy stood there for a bit pulling faces down at the baby who giggled, she felt a tug on her top.
"Cathy," said Jane, blushing furiously, "Can I plate your hair please?"
"Seeing as you said 'please,' you may," she said sitting down, baby Julia still in her arms.
"What are you boys up to?" she asked Mark and Stephen who were whispering together. The elder stepped forward looking very apprehensions.
"Could we have a look at your swords?" ark asked wringing his hands together.
"Just as long as you are very, very careful with them," she said balancing Julia in one arm and with the other drawing out her swords. The boys examined them, their eyes wide. Just at that moment Robin, Allan, Luke, Much, John, and Mr Wentworth walked in to the garden.
"Who was 'it'?" asked Much clapping his hands together.
"John!" cried the boys dashing away leaving Cathy's swords forgotten on to ground.
Mr Wentworth came and sat down next to Cathy.
"You know I can't do much," said Mr Wentworth. "I mean I can not suggest any new taxes, but I can't remove any."
"Every little bit counts," said Cathy, she winced as Jane tugged her hair back. "Steady on Jane, I want some hair left." They sat in silence watching the bys jumping and leaping around Allan, who now had the mask on. Cathy smiled, those men, who were laughing and playing like children, those men were her family now. As Jane tied off her hair she turned to Mr Wentworth.
"Do you want to hold Julia?" she asked holding out baby Julia who had fallen asleep.
"I can't really," said Mr Wentworth looking at the baby as if it were going to bit him.
"If your wife is expecting then you should get practicing." Reluctantly Mr. Wentworth extended his arms, Cathy gently placed baby Julia in them before grabbing Jane's hand on running in to join the boys. As she ducked under Allan outstretched arms she knew that this blissful happiness that had fallen over the group wouldn't last long. She when she got back to camp she would have to treat her would and help Much make dinner, and then tomorrow she had a lot to do. She had to check on Sarah, and go to Cotgrove to make sure that Daniel got the job he was trying for. Luke would be going to Scarborough and Much off to find Eve. But right now she didn't care, all she wanted to do was have fun with the most important people in her life.