AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Unless he has an alternate plan . . .
This was too easy for him. No man could be this callous when it came to his flesh and blood . . . could he? “Making an enemy of Robin is unwise,” I said. “You’ll hate yourself.”
“I’ll forgive myself.” He shooed me with his weak little hand. “Now get going, vagrant, before the real Sheriff shows up.”
I bared my teeth in a scowl. Thick oak or not, I could bust this fucking door down if I wanted to.
But it wasn’t my fight. Now I knew why Robin was so eager—not frightened of the Merry Men. How could we scare her when she had this terror waiting at home?
With baffling surprise, I found my mind made up as I dashed toward the shadows of the courtyard. I will not let Robin go. If she wanted to stay with the Merry Men to get away from this lavish hellhole, I would welcome her with open arms.
The thought excited me. Energized me. I froze at a silly carved fountain of a naked angel in the courtyard, feeling Sir Thomas’ eyes on me as I made my escape.
I called over my shoulder. “You call it a disguise, Thomas of Wilford . . . but Robin is twice the man you’ll ever be.”
Chapter 25
Will Scarlet
“Hoy, lads,” I called, strolling to the shadow of the alley.
Three scarecrow strays were crouched at the mouth, rolling dice.
A smile quirked my lips. They reminded me of me. Maybe a handful of years younger, but not by much. Disheveled, grimy, smelling of filth, probably starving.
Ah, the good old days.
I leaned against the wall, watching their street games, flipping a shilling and grabbing it out of the air, again and again. My eyes landed on the tallest of the bunch when he stood. The leader, obviously. He was gangly, all elbows and awkward arms that were too long for his body. Taller than me, but without any of the danger behind his movements.
“Hoy back to you, penny-snatcher,” the boy said. “What is it?”
“Got a job for you lot.”
“Not interested. I’m winning hand over fist here with Tick and Jimmy.”
“Up your ass, Ros,” one of the shorter boys behind him said.
I chuckled. “Ros, is it? I promise this will be more fun.”
“Rosco,” he corrected me. “What’s it to you? I’m tittled.”
“Tittled?”
“My curiosity, mate.”
“Titillated?”
His thick brow furrowed. “That’s what I said, ain’t it? Why you flashing your silver penny at us?”
“I’m looking for a man. Goes by Peter Fisher.”
The boy laughed, turning back to his friends. “Peter Fisher, guys. All formal like.”
I was quickly growing tired of these youths. Was I this annoying when I was their age just a few short years ago? Living in dire straits in the woods changed a man. Made him more serious and feral. Lord knew it had to me.
I looked up at the bruised night sky. It reminded me of Robin’s bruised face, and I snarled to myself. It made Rosco jerk back a step.
“Late night for you three to be tossing dice, aye?”
