"What do you say?" asked Mistress Fitzwalter, in amazement.
"It is even so, lady, that my lord the Sheriff has ruled my master out of the court, for the reason that he did not give in his name before drawing his bow!" cried Stuteley. "A wicked conspiracy it is, and monstrous unjust! "Tis thus that these prizes are given; the game"s arranged beforehand. Ah, but I know how these Nottingham folk do plot: thrice now have I found them false and treacherous."
When Stuteley had begun there were many who were ready to side with him, but his unlucky conclusion turned these possible friends into enemies.
Even Mistress Fitzwalter drew back for an instant.
"Be silent, Will," said Robin, vexed at once. "It is enough to be juggled out of this prize without your making it worse. I"ll go claim it from Monceux and he shall argue it with me."
"The Prince is asking for you, friend," said Carfax, suddenly appearing.
He touched Robin on the shoulder.
As he turned to depart, his gimlet eyes saw how the girl shrank away from them into her box. He looked swiftly at her; then at Robin again.
"His Highness graciously condescended to enquire your name and rank,"
said he, pausing.
"Will he give the purse to me, then?" asked Robin, surprised.
"Nay, that has already been won by Master Hubert," answered Carfax, as if amused at the question. "You cannot win a prize every day.
Master--Locksley."
He spoke at a shrewd guess, and saw that his shaft had hit the mark.
Mistress Fitzwalter"s interest in Robin had given him the clue.
"I"ll not go to the Prince," said Robin, wrathfully. "Tell him, Master Fetch-and-Take, that I have won this prize in all fairness; and I will shoot with Hubert again, if he needs another beating."
"You"ll cool your heels in the stocks, Locksley," said Carfax, viciously: "so much is evident. The Sheriff has a quarrel with you already, and "tis well that you are here to answer Master Ford"s complaint. The Prince will send for you in style, since you will not go kindly to him. Bide but a few minutes. I"ll not keep you waiting!"
He strode off, in heat, followed by Stuteley"s scornful gibings.
Robin became aware that the people were eyeing them both with none too friendly glances. He felt that he and Will Stuteley were in a difficult position. Escape seemed to be out of the question.
"Jump over the ledge of my box, Robin," whispered a sudden small voice, "and so make your way through the door at the back of it. Hasten!"
Gratefully Robin did as she bade him; and Stuteley, without waiting for invitation, followed. Mistress Fitzwalter instantly opened the door for them. "Hurry, I pray you," cried she; "I see them coming for you both.
The Prince has sent his pikemen----"
Robin pushed Will out before him; and, turning, caught her little hand in his.
"Thanks, thanks," he muttered, hurriedly, and strove to kiss her fingers.
Laughing and blushing, she s.n.a.t.c.hed them away.
"Go," she cried, in agitated voice, "and stay not until you reach Locksley. We may meet again--to talk of thanks," she added, seeing that he still hesitated.
"Give me at least your name," panted poor Robin, at the door; "not that I shall ever forget you."
"I am called Marian," answered she, closing the door ruthlessly upon him--"Marian Fitzwalter.... Go now, I implore you, and may good fortune be with you always."
CHAPTER XII
So, ingloriously, they returned through the night to Locksley. None offered to stay them in the forest of Sherwood; indeed, Robin might well have disbelieved in the existence of Will o" th" Green and his outlaw band, had he not had such good reason to know otherwise. It was as if Will had silently yielded him that freedom of the forest which he boasted was his to give. Tired and footsore, yet filled with a strange elation, Robin came back to Locksley before dawn, with faithful Stuteley forlornly following him.
There were questions to be asked and answered when they arrived; and Warrenton was very indignant when he heard of the Prince"s gross favoritism of his archer Hubert.
Robin seemed to show too little vexation in the matter, Warrenton thought. The man-at-arms was both perplexed and amazed by the semi-indifference displayed by the youth: here had he, by marvellous skill, won a fine prize, and had seen the same s.n.a.t.c.hed most unfairly from him, and yet was not furiously enraged; but rather amused, as it were.
"Surely, surely, you will go back with me to-morrow and demand the purse from the Sheriff?" said Warrenton, in argumentative att.i.tude. "Squire George o" th" Hall shall give us the best of Gamewell to enforce respect to you."
"Nay, it matters not so much as that, Warrenton. The money I would like to have had, I"ll not deny it; for it would have made me more independent of Master Monceux. But it has not fallen to me, and there it ends."
"Well, "tis well that you are so easy, lording," said Warrenton, scratching his head. "Now tell us whom you saw; and how you contrived to split the Norman"s arrow."
He had already heard the story: but was very fain to listen to it again.
"It is a trick that I taught him, dame," he added, off-handedly, to Mistress Fitzooth. "One that did surprise the Norman too, I"ll warrant me. You see, they are so concerned with their crossbows and other fal-lals in France that when good English yew----"
"I saw Master Will," said Robin, to check him. Once Warrenton was started on a dissertation on the virtues of the English longbow there was usually no staying him. "He told me that the Scarlet Knight had gone to France."
Warrenton looked wise. "That is not worthy of belief, excellence," said he, cunningly. "Prince John is near; and one cannot imagine that Geoffrey of Montfichet----"
"Geoffrey of Montfichet?" asked the dame, wonderingly: and then Warrenton saw how he had blundered. "Why, I did not know that you had met your cousin, Robin. When was it, and why do you call him the Scarlet Knight?"
"Geoffrey is outlawed, mother mine, and may not appear in Sherwood,"
answered Robin, temporizing with her. "And the story of our meeting is too long a one for the moment. We are rarely fatigued, and I would gladly get me to bed. Come, Will, rouse yourself. Mother, see that we do not sleep too long. I must go to Gamewell by the day after to-morrow at least; and there is much work between my going and now."
He had determined to ask the Squire to move again in the matter of the Rangership for him whilst John was here. Even if the Prince had unduly favored Hubert in the archery contest, it did not necessarily follow that he would be unjust in such a plain business as this. Robin kissed the dame, struggled with a yawn, and got him to rest. He slept uneasily, his dreams being strangely compounded of happiness and grief.
Within three days Robin started away for Gamewell, taking only Stuteley, as before. He intended to make his return to Locksley ere dusk of the next night.
When they were far advanced on their journey they heard sounds of a large company upon the road; and prudently Robin bade Stuteley hide with him in the undergrowth until they should see who these might be.
"Maybe "tis the Sheriff, with Master Ford, coming to seize our home. By watching them unseen we may find a way to bring their schemes to naught.
Keep near to me, Will; and scarcely breathe."
It was indeed a body of men from Nottingham; and, although the Sheriff was not with them, Master Carfax and a few of the Lincoln bowmen were amongst the company. So also was Ford, the forester.
In all, there were about two score of men, and most of them were Sherwood foresters. Robin espied Much the Miller in the tail of the procession, looking very dejected and ill, and decided to risk exposing himself. Standing up in the bracken, he called out boldly: "Hold there, Master Much. Here am I, ready to take your money."
"What sprite are you?" answered Much, reining in his steed sharply.
"Why! "tis the gipsy lad, as I live; with his face nicely washed...!"
He had recognized Robin by his clothes. "Money, forsooth! Do you know that I have not so much as a groat in my pouch?"
"Then must one of the others lend it to you," replied Robin. "Pay me, friends, forthwith. A short reckoning is an easy reckoning. My arrow flew nearer the target than did any of yours."