Masked

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The wind tugged at Robert’s dark tunic, he shut his eyes against the driving rain and held Creeper steady as her surveyed Loxley from the moorland. It had been years since he had seen his home and he had heard that the present owner was cruel to the people, greed the one thought that topped his mind. John pushed his shire up to the crest of the small hill

“Rob you need to do something get your mind of this place, or if you are that serious go to Nottingham or London and get it back by rights” he wiped his nose on the small kerchief he kept around his neck, a bad habit he had acquired since living with the men.

“Or you could storm down there and demand it” Alan rode forward laughing as Will chipped in

“Yes, or just kill the current Lord and claim it back” the men threw up a laugh and Robert couldn’t help but join in.

“How about we pay a visit to the town and see how things are?” Tuck piped in as the band swung their mounts in a line, Robert looked back at the three brothers who smiled and nodded Thomas pushed his mount forward

“I would love to see the old place”

“But obviously we would need to be undercover or risk capture” Thomas’s older brother Luke pushed forward adding reason as always, not wanting to be left out Richard pushed his own mount forward

“What you don’t think that eight men riding armed will arouse suspicion?” the men laughed surveying the busy days work of the towns people.

“We won’t go on horseback” Robert spun around to the forest wall and tethered creeper to the fallen oak. The men followed and tucked their swords and weaponry under their cloaks, pulling up the hood and masking their identities.

“Remember, we just look, no speaking, no aggressive behaviour alright” John gripped Will’s shoulder who shrugged him off and nodded “We can deliver the money we have to the villagers but no one must know who we are” he stopped pulling his stick forward and adding a limp to the theatrics the men had employed. They begun to walk down the hill Tuck the only one showing his face to the surrounding people.

***

Riding out through the wooded path Devon looked skyward to the singing birds, although the rain lashed down she loved being out and Harlem loved being ridden in the open and away from civilisation. Her grandfather Lord Thomas had asked her to visit and supervise the tax payments with Guy Warren in Loxley, she was reluctant at first but when he had asked her as family business she agreed. In her entourage was her new servant Adam de Lacy who swore to protect her even though she did not need it. He was the only person who knew about her fighting skills, she had started up a strong bond with the young man, he was a few years her junior but she trusted him as he did her. Turning in her saddle she was aware she had been asked a question but not heard, Guy looked at her a smile plastered onto his drenched face. Devon recoiled under her hood, she now distrusted Guy for having connections with the soldier but could not make them known for her grandfathers sake.

“Sorry I was not paying attention, can you repeat that?” He laughed heartily in her ear and she turned to Adam who made it clear by the look on his face he disliked Lord Guy strongly.

“Ah my dear, I was just asking if you had ever been this way before?” he raised an eyebrow but did not speak further. Of course she had, they were by-passing the route that Devon had come from the camp. She froze they were heading straight for the outlaw holding

“No my Lord never, I came close once but that was with my father many years ago, there is nothing this way apart from Loxley so I have heard” she kept the iron look on her face refusing to add any emotion. His chuckle sent a shiver streaming slowly down her spine.