Lineave seems to enjoy the attention, and he can't say he blames her: it's unlikely the stable workers at Nottingham Castle made much of her or gave her much in the way of particular attention, and he watches with a faint smile as Kate gets to know her newest tenant.

Like hers, though, that smile fades when she turns her attention back on him, eyes questioning, and he shakes his head (carefully, it's still sore and aching) as he sips at his coffee.

"It wasn't. We'd gone for a ride yesterday and found ourselves in the middle of Sherwood rather than the Milliways woods. It took rather some doing to get back at all, and we both found ourselves the unwilling guests of the Sheriff for a time."