"Clayton Emery - Robin Hood's Treasure" - читать интересную книгу автора (Emery Clayton)

house and barn. Cooked one of her sucklings for dinner. And got that."
He pointed with his jack to the leather sack on the bar. "Sixty marks if
it's a penny."
The man with the sore jaw and fiery temper, Wycliff, laughed. "We left
her her son and her virtue. How's that for a bargain?"
The leader choked on his ale. "I wonder where she'll sleep tonight?"
"Not in the barn, nor the house neither!" One knight, an older man,
wheezed so hard he snorted ale through his nose.
Ned chuckled with them. He hunted back of the bar, then nodded to his
boy. "Cnut, run to the house and fetch that cask of special brandy I've
been keeping. Let me know if you can't find it."
"Yes, father." The boy put down his broom and left. A few minutes later
he stuck his head in the door. He squeaked, "I can't find it, father."
"Gah! You useless sopdoll." He banged down a pitcher. "I'll be right
back, milords. I've something you'll like."
The leader of the knights nodded. The men drained their jacks and
refilled them from the pitcher. It was quiet in the room. Robin stared at
the blackened beams. He thought it curious no one else came in:
someone must be steering people clear. The Blue Boar sat by the road
by itself, halfway between Edwinstowe and Nottingham. Ned liked to be
alone. They waited some more. The inn's cat, a piebald, slipped into the
room and rubbed along the hearthstones.
Wycliff banged his fist on the smooth oak planks. "Where is that fool?"
The leader put down a pitcher. "Hey. I bet he's run off."
From the floor, Robin Hood said, "He's gone for the sheriff. He told me
Nicholas was here just this morning, with eight men-at-arms."
Wycliff threw his jack at the fireplace. "Bugger! Let's burn this place to
the ground!"
The outlaw said, "The smoke'll attract attention."
Wycliff walked over and peered down at him. "I haven't forgotten you
punched me in the jaw."
Robin told him, "Please forgive me that, lord. But 'tis better you slip off
quietly into the woods -- with me -- to fetch that gold. That or fight the
sheriff's men."
Rufus gulped the rest of his ale and tossed his jack. "He's right there."
The leader frowned. Wycliff kicked Robin in the side. "There better be
lots of gold. A double handful for each of us. You better not be tricking
us."
Robin rolled his eyes. "Me? Trick you? I don't think I could. There's
plenty. I took it from the Bishop of Hereford himself."
"That's a sin," said Rufus.
"May I get up now?"
The leader grabbed the sack from the bar. He bounced it to feel its
weight. "Aye, get up, you scut." He jerked Robin's knife out of his belt
and threw it across the room to thud against a wall. "Lead us to this
gold. And no tricks."
Robin pushed the door open to blinding sunshine. "Follow me."


"Where're you bound, lad?"