Sherwood Rogue

Chapter Nineteen

I managed to get out of the lodge the day I had told Bran I would meet with him. Will was on some business in the village, and I succeeded in giving Andrea the slip long enough to change and gain the stable before she caught sight of me.

She was still worried about my health. Though I had ridden around the village many times, she still thought I was going to fall apart if she wasn't around.

"Milady!" she cried as I wheeled Sassy out of the courtyard.

"Where are you going?"

"Riding!" I threw back over my shoulder, knowing I'd be in for a sound tongue-lashing when I returned. It wasn't that I let Andrea have her ways over mine. She knew who was lady. She just didn't curb her tongue, which was one of the things that had gotten her into trouble with Margaret.

She shouted something I couldn't hear over the drumming of the horse's hooves. I just laughed wildly at my freedom, passing through the gate at a full gallop.

I was adjusting to life in the lodge, but to one who had lived in the open, the walls choked and the bindings chafed in the summer.

And by God, it was summer—glorious, even at its murkiest.

It was a cloudy day, raining off and on, but glorious nonetheless. I reveled in the sodden beauty after my long days of imposed inactivity.

Once in the forest, I slowed Sassy to a walk, not wishing to tire her after her own sojourn. The mud from the road made sucking noises as her hooves pushed in and pulled out. Big drops of water fell from the leaves of birch, oaks, alders, elms, and the many other trees thriving in Sherwood to make pockmarks in the road or splash on Sassy and me. Now and again, the sun broke through the clouds, cascading through the trees to fall onto the ground, much as the rain did.

It was beautiful and peaceful. It was Sherwood Forest, and for that moment, it was mine.

I was almost to the place where I would turn off the road to go to the clearing when I stopped, pulling back sharply on the reins. Looking up into the trees, I caught my breath, slipping a dagger from its shoulder sheath under my arm. Had I heard something moving up there?

There! I saw it. A foot, exposed from cover under the leaves. And there was an elbow.

A squall of rain swept through the forest, drenching me and the person in the trees, who had frozen when I stopped.

"Come down!" I called, and watched as a face appeared. It was Sydney. I laughed. "Where are the others?"

"Here now," he said in a muffled voice. "Move your horse up so I can get on back. I'm to take you down the road. We've changed the site. Milo thought you'd set a trap for us or something."

Sydney grunted as he slipped off the branch, caught himself a moment, then dropped out of the tree and onto Sassy's back behind me. The horse skittered forward a few paces, but I soothed her.

He chuckled. "I was trying to surprise you, but you saw me out. There's good ears on that head of yours."

"How do you think I lasted with Robin Hood? I had to keep on my toes or be sent to town, unworthy to keep my place." I urged Sassy forward. "Did you know I fought Robin Hood himself with staffs?"

"Didja now?"

"Aye."

"And how did you fare?"

"I got a sound beating. I was black and blue for days." Sydney laughed. "I'm much better at fighting now. That was over four years ago."

He became very serious. "Why did you want to help us?"

His blunt question took me by surprise. Taking a few moments to organize my thoughts, I held up my left hand with its silver engagement ring.