Cecily scrubbed herself clean in the stream until she was satisfied she'd removed the privy odors from from her milky, unblemished skin. She scrubbed so long, she used up all the soap. She could only hope she removed the threat of lice from her long, golden tresses as well.

That fast talking trickster Allan a Dale was behind today's troubles, she knew it! She distinctly remembered Robin telling his gang of misfits to dig the privys away from the stream, not toward it! Well, she'd have a word with Robin when he returned, and then, that foul Allan had better watch out!

Of course, she didn't want Robin to know she had actually fallen into a privy! Such knowledge would surely destroy the image of loveliness and perfection she was trying to cultivate in his mind, regarding herself. It was bad enough she had been made to replace her delicate satin slippers with sturdy boots!

Cecily waited for Robin, sitting stonily on a fallen log, away from the others. It was all she could do to block out the sounds of obnoxious laughter coming from Allan and that whore, as they jested back and forth with one another.

The attractive looking quiet peasant boy brought Cecily a plate of food. "Please eat, Your Ladyship," Will politely requested.

Cecily took the plate and set it down before her, then dismissed Will with a nod of her head. She found him the least objectionable of all the outlaws, but believed he must be very stupid indeed, based on the the fact he was a peasant, and that he spoke so little. Aside from that, she had no other interest in him.

Where was Robin? She despised it when he was away, and he seemed to be always be gone! If he didn't remain in camp more, how could Cecily ever win his heart?

At last, Robin came trotting into camp. Cecily remained sitting on her log, waiting, while the rest of the gang greeted him.

Much, of course, was the most excited to see him, and the most vocal. "It's good to have you back!" he crowed.

"It's good to be back," Robin replied, with a grin.

"What took you so long, I'd like to know?"

Robin ignored the question, approaching Allan and Maggie instead.

"Maggie," he began respectfully, treating her with the same courtesy he extended toward Lady Cecily, "I need you to do something for me. I warn you, it involves danger."

"Whoa, Robin!" Allan cried protectively. "Maggie's not built for fighting!"

"Trust me, Allan," Robin said. "I'm not asking her to fight. Only to tell Gisbourne a few lies."

"Gisbourne?" Maggie exclaimed. "I hate that buggar!"

"We all join in your hatred," Robin continued. "But I need you to go with a friend of mine, and tell Gisbourne she indeed interviewed you to work in her household."

"Marian?" Much butted in. "I knew it! I knew you were with Marian! What's Gisbourne done to her now?"

"She needs an alibi, Much."

"A what?"

"A lie, in this case. An excuse, so Gisbourne will accept she wasn't doing what he thought he saw her doing."

"Spying on him and the sheriff, you mean?"

"Something like that," Robin lied, knowing better than to tell Much the truth. "And the alibi Marian came up with is she was in Pitt Street, interviewing Maggie here for a position at Knighton Hall."

"I'd like to work there!" Maggie said with enthusiasm. "I hear they're good to their servants."

Robin looked at the young woman with sympathetic kindness. "You're right, they are. And Maggie, when all this is over, I promise I'll speak to Her Ladyship about hiring you, and tell her what a good, hard worker you are. But this is just a ruse, to convince Gisbourne he was mistaken."

"A what?" Maggie asked. "Can't you speak plain?"

"A trick," Robin explained. "Now, Maggie, will you agree to help my friend?"

"She's the one what was nice to me when I was strapped in your cape, right? The one you're so sweet on?"

"That's the one!" Much gloated.

"Then I'll do it. Just tell me what I'm supposed to say."

"Thank you," Robin replied, gratefully. He barely even noticed Cecily, who began quietly weeping, for reasons she couldn't explain.