The Way Back

Chapter Eleven

They waited in the chapter house. Robin lounged back against the wall, legs crossed at the ankle. Archer fiddled with the scrolls in the recessed cupboards, selecting items at random and taking them out to peruse. Guy stood at the window, hands braced on the sloping sill, his unease growing the longer they waited.

"What's taking so long?" 

Archer let a scroll flip closed and slid it back into its socket.

"Maybe she doesn't want to see you," he said. "Now that she's here, perhaps she prefers the peace and quiet to sitting round in the forest with you lot for company."

"Not helpful," muttered Robin.

Guy ignored Archer, gave Robin a searching glance. He seemed on edge too.

"You think something's wrong? That's why you came."

Robin shrugged.

"It's not Kirklees, but someone could still have had it watched. We'll know soon enough." He nodded towards the door.

"If that's what you thought, then we should have been here sooner."

Robin bridled.

"There was a small matter of getting you out of a dungeon, remember?"

"Well, we shouldn't....."

"Gentlemen." Archer cleared his throat.

The abbess had entered, a diminutive woman accompanied by another sister. As she approached her hands were clasped demurely at her waist, but there was nothing diffident in her gaze, or in the sternness of her tone. 

"You're looking for the young woman? Well, you've had a wasted journey. She isn't here."

"Mother Superior – do you recognise me?"

"Of course I know you, Robin of Locksley. I also recognise this one," she nodded towards Guy, "and I can tell you, if she were here, I would think twice before disclosing it in front of him."

"He's one of us."

"Where is she?" Guy demanded, striding towards the abbess. "What's happened?"

She gazed up at him calmly.

"There was an incident yesterday morning. She went down to the orchard without telling anyone, and was snatched by someone of whose identity" – she held up a hand, forestalling the obvious question – "we have no idea. It was sheer luck Sister Fay here was working amongst the trees at the time, or we might not have realised until much later that she was gone."

"You take that little care for those who come for refuge?"

"Many come to us for shelter, Sir Guy, and they come for many reasons," the abbess reprimanded. "We were not told of any particular threat to this young lady. And even if we were, we only offer sanctuary, the defence of faith. The Lord is our strength and our high tower. We do not live by the sword."

"Enough woman," he snapped. "I didn't come here for..."

"Sister..." – Guy felt a placating hand on his arm - "can you tell us anything about the man? What he was wearing, the direction he took, whether he was a local....anything?"

"I'm sorry Robin," said Sister Fay. "We weren't close enough to recognise him, or to go to her aid. All we could do was raise the alarm, and of course by that time they were gone. He had a farmer's cart, and he wore rough clothes...I think he had a beard...I'm sorry, I know this really isn't much help. But they did follow the track toward the highway."

"Did he hurt her?" The words almost stuck in Guy's throat.

"I don't think so," the nun replied gently, facing him. "As far as I could see, he simply carried her to the cart and....well, I think he bound her, but...."