Lady Outlaw

Chapter 32

Nottingham Castle, Nottinghamshire

"I can't believe this. How dare William? How dare he! I need to get out of here. Allan will be wondering where I am!"
Roana was distraught and furious in equal measures, and had been pacing the small cell intermittently, ever since she and Alice had been unceremoniously thrust into its dingy depths earlier that day. She felt helpless, and angry, and deeply worried about Allan, who would be clueless as to her whereabouts. She couldn't help but imagine him, scouring the old manor house, trying desperately to find her, but to no avail; it made her feel sick in the pit of her stomach.
She cursed William under her breath, terrible words that no lady should know, and caught Alice's shocked glance.
Roana stopped in her pacing and passed a hand over her face in exasperation. "I'm sorry, Alice. I'm just so.. frustrated, being locked up here."
She leant against the cell door, resting her forehead against the cool wood.
"My child, you are tiring us all with your incessant pacing." Edward's voice was weary as he addressed Roana from the mattress in the adjacent cell. "I know that you wish to leave, but please be patient, for all of our sakes."
Guiltily, Roana looked towards the neighbouring cell and caught Marian's eye. She gave her an apologetic smile.
"I have to agree with my father, Roana," Marian said, rising from her seat on the edge of the mattress and moving to the barred partition that separated their cells. She appeared composed and calm, although her blue eyes were tired and there was a smudge of dirt on her cheek.
"Calm down," she told Roana, looking at her kindly. "We need to reserve our energy for getting out of here. And we will, just as soon as Robin gets here."
She spoke with such faith in Robin's impending arrival that Roana felt the restlessness begin to leave her limbs. She sank onto the straw-stuffed mattress beside Alice, who hadn't spoken in a while. Roana looked her over, assessingly. Her former maid was sat rigidly, her hands clenched into fists and resting stiffly on her lap. Her green eyes met Roana's blue, and Roana saw the dread and fear in their depths. She lay a hand on her friend's arm.
"If I calm down, then you must to," she said, softly.
Alice tried to smile, but, instead, merely tightened her lips as the bottom one began to tremble. Tears glistened in her eyes and she lifted a fist to roughly wipe them away.
"I've ruined everything," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion.
Roana squeezed her arm with affection. "What do you mean?"
Alice sat forward abruptly, placing her elbows on her knees and covering her face with her hands. "I disobeyed Guy. He told me not to do anything, but I came down here to see Marian and Sir Edward anyway." She choked back a sob. "I deliberately went against his wishes, and now I've ruined everything. I've let him down."
Unused to such a show of raw emotion from Alice, Roana put an arm around the young woman's shoulders and pulled her close, allowing her to bury her face in Roana's neck and sob. On the other side of the partition, Marian drew closer and Roana caught her eye over Alice's flame-red head.
"Alice, don't worry," Marian said, soothingly. "If Guy truly loves you, he won't be disappointed with you. He will be disappointed that the Sheriff caught you. He won't turn his back on you because of this."
"But you don't understand," Alice said, her voice ragged with emotion. "He was planning on leaving the castle, and stepping down as Master-at-Arms. He was going to hand in his resignation today. We've been discussing it for weeks, but now... I just don't know what's going to happen."
She burst into fresh tears, and Roana tightened her hold around her, exchanging glances with Marian, who looked mildly impressed.
"Well, well, well," she said, thoughtfully. "Guy wants to go straight. I always knew there was good in him somewhere. I commend you, Alice. He must really love you."
Alice raised her head to look at Marian, her cheeks streaked with tears. "Do you really think so?" she asked, her voice tremulous.
"Of course." On the other side of the partition wall, Marian crouched down so she was level with Alice. "I always got the impression that Guy was searching for something, or someone, and, once he found them, he would change for the better. Alice, it sounds very much like that's you, and I can't see him giving that up so easily."
Alice sniffled and gave a watery smile. Roana rubbed her back soothingly, but leapt from the mattress at the sound of movement in the corridor outside.
"Someone's there," she hissed, crossing to the door, and the other two women were suddenly alert as a hooded figure appeared, stopping before Roana's cell.
"Roana?" came Will Scarlett's puzzled voice, and the young carpenter lowered his hood to regard them in bemusement. "What are you doing here?"
"William grabbed me back in Howden," Roana replied, quickly. "Are you here to get us out?"
Will glanced back the way he had come, then turned to look at Marian, Alice, and Edward. "I'm here with the gang to find Marian and her father, but I think we've been rumbled. Gisborne was on our tail, so Robin told us to split up."
Alice stood up, wiping her eyes on her sleeves, and Marian moved to her own cell door.
"Gisborne is on our side, it would seem."
Will looked bewildered. "What?" He glanced at Roana. "Where's Allan?"
Roana shrugged, worry evident on her face. "In Howden, when I last saw him. William snatched me when he was out of sight."
Will nodded, his expression determined. "Well, at least he isn't locked up here again. Okay, I haven't got a key, but I have got this." He held up a misericorde, its long narrow blade gleaming in the candlelight reflected from the wall sconce, and a rock. He grinned. "I should be able to get you out in no time."
Moving to Marian's cell door, he gave her a quick smile and knelt down, setting to work on the lock. After some tinkering and a lot of hammering, it eventually opened with a click and Marian was ushering a pale-faced Edward out of the cell as Robin arrived, out of breath and looking unusually ruffled.
"They know we're here. We have to go." He glanced at Roana and Alice, and did a double-take. "What are you doing in here?"
"I'll tell you once you've got us out," Roana said, urgently.
Robin looked stricken. "There's no time, Roana. The Sheriff's on our heels. I think Auden dropped us in it.."
"Auden?" Roana said, angrily. "I warned you about him. You can't leave us here, Robin. Please."
There came the distant sound of running feet and both Robin and Will looked towards the dungeon door, which was swinging open.
"We have to go," Will said to Robin, then turned to Roana, his expression regretful. "I'm sorry.."
"We'll come back, I promise," Robin vowed. "Let us get Marian and Edward to safety, and I'll come back."
"Robin, go. Take my father," Marian told him, firmly. "I'll stay."
"Marian, no!" Robin argued, then looked at Roana, clearly torn. He gestured at Will to proceed along the walkway with Edward, and the old man turned back to gaze at his daughter, dolefully.
"I'll see you soon, Father," she said with certainty, before turning back to Robin.
"Robin, Guy is on our side. He will protect us until you return," she explained, earnestly.
Robin looked vaguely doubtful, but something in her words seemed to resonate with him. He nodded, then took in all three of them. "If he harms a hair on your heads, he will have me to deal with."
"He won't," Alice stated, her voice strong.
"Now, go, my love. Save my father," Marian urged.
Robin grabbed her quickly, and pulled her into a brief, desperate kiss. They parted and she smiled into his eyes, stroking his cheek before resolutely returning to the cell, pulling the door shut behind herself.
Shocked, Roana and Alice watched her sit down again on the mattress and fold her hands in her lap. She smiled at them serenely as outraged screams could be heard, echoing throughout the upper corridors of the castle, and Robin melted away.
"Us girls need to stick together," Marian said, lightly, waiting for the Sheriff to return.