Redemption Penalties

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The outlaws made their way to Clifton Hall through the forest and stopped in the trees on the edge of the property.

"This is yours?" Robin asked Lou as they surveyed the house from the safety of the forrest.

"It should have been." If she sounded a little bitter, they didn't blame her for it. "The Sheriff has given it to his son, Sir Adam."

"Is he here now?" Robin asked.

"I don't know. In case you didn't notice, I've been locked in a dungeon for the past few weeks. I only know what little the Sheriff's guards told me."

"So how do we get the journals?" Guy asked.

"Leave that to me. Does anyone have a dagger I can borrow?"

Guy pulled one from his belt and handed it to her.

"What are you going to do."

"The staff are loyal to me and Sir Adam has never met me." Lou looked to Kate. "Will you help me?"

"Of course," Kate agreed.

Lou closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, then drew the dagger across the heal of her hand.

"Whoa!" Robin grabbed her hand. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Playing the victim." She ripped her hand out of his grip and held her hand against her dress. When she pulled it away a few moments later there was a large blood stain there. "Our cover story is that we were attacked by outlaws and are in need of assistance. Come on," she said to Kate and they took off towards the house, giving the appearance that Kate was helping her 'wounded' friend to walk.

III

When they returned half an hour later they had two other women with them and all four were carrying large, heavy bags. Lou also had a smaller bag, it's strap wrapped over her shoulder and across her body.

"Sir Adam isn't there," Lou explained, "so Alice and Sarah were kind enough to help me."

"Are you really Robin Hood?" the servant called Alice asked Guy.

"Do I look like a bleeding heart do gooder?!" he sounded insulted. "He's Robin." He pointed at the other man.

The women dropped their bags and Lou turned to the servants who had helped them.

"I'm sorry for what's happened," she said.

"It's not your fault, Miss Lou." Sarah assured her.

"You know if there was any way I could kick him out, I would."

"We know. And Master Adam isn't so bad. He's young and temperamental but not like his father. Not yet, anyways."

"What will you say if he notices that the journals are missing?" Robin asked, worried about them.

"He won't," Sarah sounded confident. "They were kept in a trunk in the library and the Master don't care for books."

"Here," Robin pulled out the purse he and Guy had taken from the toll collector and handed her some coins. "Share that with the other staff, but mind your Master doesn't notice."

"Thank you, Robin," Alice grinned.

"You'd best get back," Lou said, hugging each girl. "Take care."

"You too, Miss."

The girls headed back to the house and the outlaws strapped the bags onto the horse who only had one rider before heading back towards Sherwood Forest.