taken
from the hamlet of Hillfoot. “Sleep tight, we’ll be back
later.”
With a flick of the reigns, Roger was on his way to face
Maudlin. For what he hoped would be the last time. He had to get
back to Doncaster with fresh supplies before winter closed
in.
When they arrived in Sheffield, Roger and his team spread the
goods from one end of Maudlin’s banquet room to the other. It gave
the impression of an almighty haul. She’d have no idea there was
more deposited in a hiding spot in the Shire Wood.
Tureens of soup and wooden trays piled with freshly baked
bread sat on the long table. The men stood behind Roger, waiting
for the go-ahead.
Rumbles from their stomachs reverberated around the room as
the men shifted their feet.
A slow clap sounded at the far end. Maudlin strolled in, a
small raven on her shoulder. “Nice work.” She said, casting her
gaze from one end to the other. “I’m sure The Earl of Derby, our
Lord Sheriff of Nottingham, will be well-pleased. You may
eat.”
The men fell upon the food, ripping the warm bread into chunks
and ladling soup into their bowls.
It was almost too good to be true. Roger bowed to Maudlin and
made a small cough. “My Lady, there is, of course, the small matter
of payment for our endeavours,” he said, raising his eyes to hers
to see if he’d pushed his luck too far.
“ Of course. You have done well. You shall be paid by sundown.
For now, you may eat with your men.”
Forcing a smile back, Roger bowed again and took his seat with
as much patience as his salivating mouth would allow.
Don’t smile, whatever you do.
They’d gotten away with it. He’d tricked the witch and now he
was helping himself to her food. And on top of all that, she’d pay
him.
“ It seems,” Maudlin said, approaching the table. She had to
raise her voice to be heard over the slurping of soup. “You are a
man down.”
Gulp .
Roger looked at the table and noticed the empty seat.
Of course Maudlin would notice. She wasn’t stupid.
“ We were set upon, by more highwaymen,” Roger said.
“Unfortunately we lost one of our team. We had to leave him where
he fell, such a pity. But I shall personally return to retrieve his
body.”
“ I see,” Maudlin tilted her head to the side. “So the thieves
are still at large?”
“ No my lady.” Needing time to think, Roger dabbed at his mouth
with his tunic sleeve. “We defeated them. In any case, there is no
way they can attack the villages of Loxley, Littleton or Hillfoot
again, as those villages are no longer there.”
Maudlin’s eyebrows creased together, “That explains the dozens
of peasants arriving at the gatehouse earlier today.”
Roger continued. “We had to burn the villages. In order to
save them. Now they can never be attacked again and the thieves
have lost their base.”
Maudlin look a breath and smiled as she turned to the bird
on her shoulder. “Did you hear that Rook? I used to think Roger was
an idiot. But lo, even an idiot can be full of surprises.” She
turned again to the men snaffling food as if it were their last
supper. “Eat up everyone. You’ve earned it.”
The bread wedged in Roger’s throat as he tried to swallow.
Maudlin made him uneasy at the best of times. He might be a
paranoid man by nature, but that didn’t mean the witch wasn’t out
to get him.
***
Maudlin watched the men greedily take her food as if it
were their right. They were one down, and she knew exactly which
one because she’d placed her in the group. Disguised as a boy, of
course, and in those heavy tunics and shapeless clothes the
journeymen wore, who would be able to tell? But still, if Ellen
were dead, more deaths would follow, starting with
Roger.
She left the men eating and marched to the top of her tower,
eager to look west and see the smoky ruins of the villages for
herself. Rook cawed on her shoulder as she reached the lookout. The
strong wind brought the smell of ash and smoke towards her. Gazing
west, smoke rose
from the hamlet of Hillfoot. “Sleep tight, we’ll be back
later.”
With a flick of the reigns, Roger was on his way to face
Maudlin. For what he hoped would be the last time. He had to get
back to Doncaster with fresh supplies before winter closed
in.
When they arrived in Sheffield, Roger and his team spread the
goods from one end of Maudlin’s banquet room to the other. It gave
the impression of an almighty haul. She’d have no idea there was
more deposited in a hiding spot in the Shire Wood.
Tureens of soup and wooden trays piled with freshly baked
bread sat on the long table. The men stood behind Roger, waiting
for the go-ahead.
Rumbles from their stomachs reverberated around the room as
the men shifted their feet.
A slow clap sounded at the far end. Maudlin strolled in, a
small raven on her shoulder. “Nice work.” She said, casting her
gaze from one end to the other. “I’m sure The Earl of Derby, our
Lord Sheriff of Nottingham, will be well-pleased. You may
eat.”
The men fell upon the food, ripping the warm bread into chunks
and ladling soup into their bowls.
It was almost too good to be true. Roger bowed to Maudlin and
made a small cough. “My Lady, there is, of course, the small matter
of payment for our endeavours,” he said, raising his eyes to hers
to see if he’d pushed his luck too far.
“ Of course. You have done well. You shall be paid by sundown.
For now, you may eat with your men.”
Forcing a smile back, Roger bowed again and took his seat with
as much patience as his salivating mouth would allow.
Don’t smile, whatever you do.
They’d gotten away with it. He’d tricked the witch and now he
was helping himself to her food. And on top of all that, she’d pay
him.
“ It seems,” Maudlin said, approaching the table. She had to
raise her voice to be heard over the slurping of soup. “You are a
man down.”
Gulp .
Roger looked at the table and noticed the empty seat.
Of course Maudlin would notice. She wasn’t stupid.
“ We were set upon, by more highwaymen,” Roger said.
“Unfortunately we lost one of our team. We had to leave him where
he fell, such a pity. But I shall personally return to retrieve his
body.”
“ I see,” Maudlin tilted her head to the side. “So the thieves
are still at large?”
“ No my lady.” Needing time to think, Roger dabbed at his mouth
with his tunic sleeve. “We defeated them. In any case, there is no
way they can attack the villages of Loxley, Littleton or Hillfoot
again, as those villages are no longer there.”
Maudlin’s eyebrows creased together, “That explains the dozens
of peasants arriving at the gatehouse earlier today.”
Roger continued. “We had to burn the villages. In order to
save them. Now they can never be attacked again and the thieves
have lost their base.”
Maudlin look a breath and smiled as she turned to the bird
on her shoulder. “Did you hear that Rook? I used to think Roger was
an idiot. But lo, even an idiot can be full of surprises.” She
turned again to the men snaffling food as if it were their last
supper. “Eat up everyone. You’ve earned it.”
The bread wedged in Roger’s throat as he tried to swallow.
Maudlin made him uneasy at the best of times. He might be a
paranoid man by nature, but that didn’t mean the witch wasn’t out
to get him.
***
Maudlin watched the men greedily take her food as if it
were their right. They were one down, and she knew exactly which
one because she’d placed her in the group. Disguised as a boy, of
course, and in those heavy tunics and shapeless clothes the
journeymen wore, who would be able to tell? But still, if Ellen
were dead, more deaths would follow, starting with
Roger.
She left the men eating and marched to the top of her tower,
eager to look west and see the smoky ruins of the villages for
herself. Rook cawed on her shoulder as she reached the lookout. The
strong wind brought the smell of ash and smoke towards her. Gazing
west, smoke rose
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