“Sir Robert Locksley is the bandit leader,” said Sir Guy.
“You woke me early and dragged Captain Carver down to my office to claim that Sir Robert of Locksley leads the bandits in the Sherwood?” asked the sheriff.
“Yes.” The French knight leaned back in his chair. “I have found your villain, now you only need to arrest him.”
“You need me to arrest him? I thought you had captured him with all of this rush,” said Robert. “Captain, what do you know about this?”
“Last evening one of my men mentioned that Sir Guy had come back from Locksley Manor in a foul mood. This morning he roused me from my bed and told me to come with him to your office. I hadn’t heard the reason for his mood or his accusation until just now.”
“Sir Guy, what did you discover at Locksley Manor that made you come to this conclusion? Did you speak to Sir Robert?” asked the sheriff. Robert was afraid that Sir Guy had spotted Donald leaving Locksley Manor with Will Scarlett and Little John two evenings ago.
“No, Sheriff, the workers all said that he was gone to some of the other Locksley holdings. I tried to speak to the earl but they said he was too ill and distraught to speak with.”
“Distraught? I knew the earl had fallen ill, but why would he be distraught?”
Sir Guy stood as he answered. “A very clever question, Sheriff, and one that I thought of right away. Luckily, I did not have to force my way into the house. Lady Marian brought the earl out for me to speak to. He was disheveled and wild in his eyes. He looked ill and pained. When I enquired about his son, he shouted at me that Robert was dead. He lunged at me and said that his son had left him all alone.”
“If I could interrupt, Sir Guy. The first few days after Sir John and Sir Will came to Nottingham, the rumors were that Sir Robert had died. I had thought that had explained much until I heard that he had been spotted around the Sherwood,” said Carver.
“Spotted by who?” asked Robert.
“From what my men say, several of the farmers and those that live out in the country have been seeing him riding with Sir John and Sir Will and several other men along the trails leading into the forest,” said Carver.
“There have also been wood and rope being sent to Locksley Manor,” added Sir Guy. “My men have talked with some of the craftsmen in town who have talked about the increase in purchases from Locksley Manor.”
“I’ve seen Sir John and Sir Will eat, I’m sure that they have had to increase the amount of supplies for the larders at the Manor,” said Robert.
“Not just food, Sheriff, but loads of wood and rope were sent out there. Supplies not for the larders, but for men living in the woods,” said Sir Guy.
“If the bandits in the wilderness were active as far back as May, how could Sir Robert have been the leader when he just arrived last month?” asked Carver.
Robert didn’t know whether he wanted to gut Carver for pointing out problems with the idea or shake the man’s hand for shaking Sir Guy’s confidence.
“I suspect that Locksley has been sending funds and instructions to cause problems for King John since he rightfully ascended the throne. It would be no surprise to me to discover that Locksley supports another for the crown, maybe even that child Arthur in Brittany,” said Sir Guy.
Robert decided that he would send Carver a gift once he was safely fled. The more Sir Guy was pushed about flaws in his views, the more he imagined excuses that kept his fears alive.
