Page 62 of Rogue of the Greenwood
“Whoa there!” George called.
The wagon came to an abrupt stop. Robert had been sitting in the back, dressed as a laborer and trying to appear inconspicuous. Now he rose up to turn and see what had halted their progress.
“Henry, what are you doing here?” he called when he saw the boy rushing up to them.
“Sir! I’m truly glad to see you here,” the boy said, breathless. “For a moment I was afraid you’d changed the plans and were going straight to get yourself captured.”
“Captured? What are you rattling about?”
“I was over by the church,” Henry said, coming closer to the wagon and glancing around, cautious of being overheard by passersby. “There’s quite some excitement!”
“Has the sheriff realized he’ll not be finding Robin Hood there today?” John questioned.
“But that’s just it!” Henry went on. “Heisthere today! Mr. Reeve has him trapped inside; he says he’ll kill the vicar if anyone comes for him.”
Robert wasn’t sure he was hearing correctly. “What’s this? The sheriff is threatening Mr. Fraytuck?”
“No, it’s Robin Hood! He says he’ll kill the vicar if he tries to leave the church, or any of the sheriff’s men if they try to come in.”
“That isn’t what we planned for,” Robert grumbled. “Why would Fraytuck feel the need to embellish our little drama this way?”
“I don’t know about ‘bellishing, but I sure was surprised when Robin Hood started shooting arrows out of the church bell tower.”
“What’s this? Henry, there isn’t actually any Robin Hood there.”
“But it’s true! I saw him myself,” the boy insisted. “Though I don’t know how that can be, if you’re here.”
“Of course I’m here,” Robert said. “Who did you see there?”
“I saw Robin Hood, sir! He’s really there, taking refuge in the church tower and threatening to sink his arrows into anyone who comes near the door below.”
The other men expressed disbelief.
“But that’s not possible,” Will pointed out.
“That’s why I came running to see if I could find you… and I did.”
“So who the devil is at the church?” John asked.
“I have no idea,” Robert said, his mind racing to make sense of the boy’s words.
Obviously Henry had seen someone. But who on earth could it be? None of their group had gone on to the church—that had purely been a ruse to distract Gisborn and the sheriff. Fraytuck was merely to keep the men there, claiming Robin Hood was about but not actually producing him. What could have made him change the plan, and who could possibly be playing the part?
“Poor Mr. Fraytuck looked as confused by this as any of you do,” Henry said, laughing at their astonishment. “But there he was, Robin Hood with his bow, way up high in the tower.”
Robert puzzled over this. Could it be that the vicar had not arranged this odd spectacle? But then who on earth could it be? It had to be someone who knew the sheriff would expect to find Robin Hood there. But this plan was only hatched a few hours ago, and they were the only ones who could possibly know of it. Just Robert’s men, and Gisborn who had been purposely misled by the note Bert claimed to have intercepted. There was no one else who could possibly…
A chill swept over Robert as an unlikely idea took shape. It was impossible, of course. It was foolhardy, ridiculous, and utterly mad. For all those reasons, he knew it had to be the only explanation. He turned to Alan and Will.
“You two said you trailed Gisborn this morning. Who did he talk to?”
Alan screwed his face as he recollected. “He sent word on to Reeve, likely to set up a meeting, but first he went straight on to the magistrate’s house. Met with him there for a while, then the two of them rushed over to the sheriff. He saw no one else.”
“He went to St. John’s house,” Robert repeated, more to himself than the others. “They would have discussed the contents of that note, wouldn’t they? Damn… I just can’t believe it.”
“He went there, just as we told you,” Alan insisted.
“Oh, I don’t doubt that. What I’m having trouble believing is… well, you men had better go along. Henry’s mother needs that doctor; keep to the plan.”
