An autumn wind played in the treetops above the outlaw camp. A squirrel, wrestling an acorn from a recalcitrant oak, gripped tightly to the branch and glared at the sky in a tiny gesture of defiance. Presently the wind, perhaps realising the little mammal wasn’t going to fall, turned its attention elsewhere. Below was a fire. It contented itself with toying with the flames there instead.
Robin moved Marian gently aside and reached for a handful of twigs from the pile at his side. Thrown on to the fire, they caused the flames to leap and crackle. The breeze which had been quelling them departed for easier pickings elsewhere and Marian nestled back into her former pose, her head resting on her partner’s broad chest, his arms wrapped around her and across her chest as he leant on an accommodating oak. For a while, they just watched the flames dancing, then Marian looked up.
‘It’s funny how things work out, isn’t it?’ she said.
‘Funny?’ said Robin. ‘In what way?’
‘The thing with you and the Sheriff.’
‘You’re not going to let me forget that, are you? I told you, he was very persuasive.’
‘No. That’s not what I meant. I mean, Maude told me Erasmus was convinced it was his fault.’
‘His fault? How?’
‘Because he made Gisburne fall from his horse. Apparently he was convinced that was why you ended up capturing the Sheriff.’
‘It’s possible, I suppose. But what would have happened if Gisburne hadn’t fallen from his horse? He’d have captured us, wouldn’t he?’
‘You’ve always escaped before.’
‘True. But that doesn’t mean I always would. It’s difficult to arrange, you know – getting someone into the castle to break you out.’
Marian looked thoughtfully into the fire. ‘I was staying in the castle at the time, you know.’
‘You were?’
‘My father was involved in some kind of negotiations. Something to do with land or tax or something.’
‘Yes, but you wouldn’t have rescued us, would you? Not a decent, law-abiding girl like you?’
‘I don’t know. I’d heard a lot about you. It’s possible I might have been, you know, curious. I might have gone down to the dungeon to see what you were like.’
Robin sat up a little straighter. ‘And I suppose I could have hidden behind one of the pillars to make it harder for you to see me.’
‘So I’d have had to open the trapdoor.’
‘Allowing me to take you hostage and make my escape.’
Marian sighed. ‘It would have been a good plan.’
‘It would, yes. Not sure we’d have ended up quite so cosy after that, though.’
‘Why not?’
‘Well, wouldn’t you resent being taken hostage by a common criminal? That would have been a slur to your noble house, surely?’
‘I’m sure I’d have got over it – eventually. I can be persuaded, you know.’
Robin smiled broadly. ‘And I’m a very persuasive fellow.’ He tickled the back of Marian’s neck, causing her to squirm and giggle.
Across the fire, Maude looked up from where she was darning one of her spare tunics. What was the phrase Erasmus had used – happy ever after – it had a nice ring to it. She sighed wistfully. It was a shame real life wasn’t like that – at least it wasn’t for everyone.
An acorn dropped into her lap and she glanced up. A little face blinked down at her inquiringly. Picking up the acorn, she held it between two fingers and offered it to the mammal. ‘Come on, m’duck,’ she said. ‘It’s ’ere if you want it.’ The squirrel hesitated and held its right paw in front of its chest as if asking what? Me? It was a very endearing gesture, which even in such hard times could give people thoughts.
Maude allowed the thoughts to run free in her mind. A pet squirrel would be completely impractical, of course – even if you could stop it running off and getting into trouble. The thought drew itself to an amusing conclusion and a smile played on the corners of her lips.
She looked up again. ‘Come on... Erasmus,’ she said.