Sherwood Rogue

Chapter Twenty-One

It was a long storm, lasting five days before it exhausted itself into a soft breeze and a steady drizzle. The sixth day dawned bright, though cold. The east wind pushed the scattered clouds before it, their shadows racing patterns across the fields.

I slipped out just after breakfast, saying I had to check up on Anne to see how she had weathered the storm. I needed to get out, too. Five days was a long time to be shut up. I felt a need to stretch my wings.

All along the road, I saw the results of the storm. The common was flooded in some places. In other places, toppled trees had torn up the ground, scattering debris. In one flooded spot, I saw a dead cow, bloated and lying half in and half out of the water. I made a mental note to find out whose it was and help them with the price of a new one.

A flock of sheep—Anne's, judging by the mark on the ear—wandered across the fields. I took note of their position so I could tell Jamie.

The boy was just heading out to look for them when I rode up.

"Hey there, Jamie!" I called. "I saw those sheep of yours just off Langley's mill. They were going east."

"Thank you, Lady Kay!" he shouted, his face brightening. I could tell he had been dreading a long search. He took off toward the mill at a loping run and was soon out of sight.

The cabin's door was wide open, no doubt to let in fresh air after being closed up for so long during the storm.Inside, Ellie was feeding Robert soup and Sydney was helping Anne wash dishes at the fireside. I watched them and smiled. Those two seemed to be getting along well.

"Well, how is everyone after that dreadful storm?" I asked by way of hello.

"Kay!" cried Anne. "'Tis good to see you." She got up from the buckets by the fireplace to give me a hug. "Milo's come along quite well. 'E gets better every day, and the rash is already fading. A few more days and we'll be able to let him out of the cellar." I saw a hatch in the floor had been opened and walked over to look down into the space where Milo lay on a bed, looking up at me. I felt sorry for his isolation, but he seemed at peace with it.

"Sydney's been a fine help, too." Anne awarded Sydney with a smile. To my surprise, he blushed.

"Where's Bran? Didn't he stay?" I asked.

"He left right when the storm gave out yesterday," said Sydney. "He wanted to check on the others."

"I hope they're all right," I said, worried. "If they couldn't find the shelter, it would have been a hellish six days."

"They'll have found it all right, Kay," said Sydney, drying the last of the dishes. "Peter's a great one for finding places, and I think perhaps John's been there. He once said he'd hidden from foresters in a large cave."

"Then they will have found the supplies we'd stashed there, too. That's good luck. How are you feeling, Milo?" I called down to him.

"I'd be a lot worse if not for you." A faint smile touched his lips as he looked up at me.

"Me?" I asked, surprised.

"You . . . . Thank you. I just wanted to say that."

I smiled at him. There wasn't a need to say anything.

"Rider!" Katie screamed in excitement as she burst through the doorway. "A rider, Mama!" She was bewildered at the response her call prompted.

I hurried to look out the window and saw Will riding down the road toward the house. I turned around, about to tell Sydney to hide, but all I saw was his head disappearing down the trap hole. Anne dropped the door and placed the rug over it to cover the cut boards.