“It’s not like Bess or Ellie would want you to marry them none.”

He pulled up his shoulders. “I’ll leave the tumbling to John.” He looked sharp to me. “I don’t mean to say he’s been unfaithful to you, Scar.”

I shook my head. “I hope he ain’t faithful to me.”

“What?”

“I told you before, I’m none sure ’bout him. I’m hardly sure he even likes me and isn’t just after nabbing a tumble.”

Rob rubbed his head. “He seems pretty sure about you.”

I chuckled. “I reckon Bess or Ellie would tell you the same.” I pulled my long coat tighter; the wind were creeping through the rubbed-down elbows. “’Sides, I told you I won’t marry.”

He smiled. “So you refuse to be sure about him so you won’t have to marry him.”

“Something like that.” I looked at his feet. “Don’t it get lonely, though?”

“Is that why you’re with John?”

“I’m not with him. But if I ever were, I reckon that’d be the cause. It’s fair nice, you know. Someone holding on to you makes you feel like you’re really there.”

He nodded. “I know. Nice isn’t for me right now, though. I need to focus on protecting the people so they can feel that comfort, not selfishly take it for myself.”

“Maybe you just think you don’t deserve it.” I felt like that, mostways.

“Maybe I don’t.”

I nodded, walking on beside him. Me and Rob could be fair kindred sometimes.

When we got to Trent, it were midday and no better time to do the selling. We put our hoods up, set deep so our faces hid back. Knives were better cover than a bow in a crowded sort of place, so I split off from Rob and watched him, ready to throw a blade if needed.

While he circled round the place, I cast an eye over the weapons on offer in the market. I had only seen the like of the blade I wanted to fetch for Much but once, and I didn’t expect to find it here, but it were always worth looking. Maybe John could make it for him once things got a bit quieter.

I settled in and watched the jeweler. His eyes were darting about, and he ain’t even looked at Rob yet. There were no reason for him to be so nervous. I whistled twice, two short tweets, and Rob halted, veering from the jeweler’s stall and looking at the tanner’s goods. I stayed close to the shop, following the squirrel looks of the jeweler. Gisbourne’s men, in their black with crimson trim, were in the market.

My blood set to rush like river water and I gave three short whistles this time. Rob turned away sharp and started moving through the crowd.

A hand clamped on my head, grabbing the hood and my hat and ripping backward. I jerked and twisted, and all my secret hair flew round like streamers from my head.

It were one of Gisbourne’s men, and he were staring at the hood like I were staring at him.

“Help!” I shrieked in the highest voice I could muster. “Help, please!”

Men seem to like helping ladies that need it, so when I turned to run through the crowd, men saw my long hair and smooth chin without noting the breeches and all, and they stopped Gisbourne’s men long enough for me to clear the market.

I ran past Rob, who were waiting for me, fisting his shirt and jerking it along while he gawped at me. “Christ’s blood, Rob, come on!” I yelled.

He ran with me then, and we both bolted into the trees like a crash of thunder. When Rob slowed down, I tried to keep running, looking back over my shoulder.

“Scar, it’s fine. They didn’t mark where we went,” he told me.

I stopped running and took a deep gulp of air. Then I spat out every foul curse word I’d ever learned, even knowing I’d have to confess them all on Sunday.

Rob looked a little shocked. “Don’t you look at me like that,” I snapped at him. “Just because I can’t trim a beard don’t mean I can’t swear.”

“Like a sailor,” he added. “I’ve never heard so many curses in my whole life. All combined.”

I glared and uttered another one for good measure. Then I spat on the ground. If there were ever something to draw evil near, it must have been curse words.

“Should I ask what has you so upset?”

“Gisbourne’s man knows I’m a girl now, Rob!”

Muscled bits of his jaw rolled into bunches. “That’s not good.”

“No, it’s bloody not!” I shook my head. “He’ll come straight for me now. God knows all you lads are good and tough, but he puts a blade to a girl’s throat and you’ll give it all up. And while he’s doing that, he’ll get a long look at my face and—” Words dried up, and my bones started quaking. God, if there were ever a time for hiding, it were right now. I should run. I had to run. After the lads went to sleep, I could walk at least as far as York before they caught up, maybe even to Scotland. Maybe I should head for Dover and catch a ship to France.

“Scarlet,” Rob said, like he’d said it a few times already. Had he? His big hands clamped on my shoulders. I looked to him. My eyes felt like they’d jump out of my skull. He met my eyes and his head tilted a little. “You’re fine. You’re going to be fine. We won’t let Gisbourne get near you.”

“You won’t have much of a choice when you’re breathing through a slice in your neck,” I snapped. I pulled away.

He let me go, then caught my face, his hands on my cheeks, his eyes on mine like the sun-warmed sea rushing round me. My breath and my wild mind froze. “You don’t think I’m a match for Gisbourne?”