'Oh, Christ's sweet mother!' murmured Willoughby. 'No more deaths!' he shouted.

An outlaw stepped forward. One of Willoughby's men suddenly plucked a dagger from his sleeve. Willoughby saw dark figures in the forest's gloaming and, before he could shout, bow strings thrummed and the unfortunate soldier slumped to the ground, choking on his death blood. The outlaw leader stepped closer.

'Get down, Master Tax-collector.' The voice was muffled. 'Do not be so foolish as to attempt anything. The lives of what remains of your men are in your hands.'

Willoughby wiped the sweat from his face.

'Do as he says!' he shouted. 'No more foolishness!'

Willoughby stared at the outlaw leader but could glean nothing about him. He was tall and had a strong northern accent but cowl and mask completely concealed his face.

'You will follow us!' the outlaw shouted. 'Anyone who disobeys will be executed.'

The whole convoy was turned round and forced to retrace their tracks for a while before the horses were unhitched, their chests taken from the wagons and the long line of outlaws, their prisoners and the gold, disappeared into the green darkness.

Willoughby had never been in a forest so dense. The trees closed in, blocking out the sun. All the clerk could do was trudge helplessly, following his captors along a trackway known only to them which ran between the trees. Only once did they stop to slake their thirst at a small brook, then the march continued. One of the carters, who had bravely stumbled on despite an arrowhead in his thigh, eventually collapsed. The outlaw leader whispered quietly to him. The carter smiled. The outlaw went behind him. Willoughby saw the glint of a knife. He heard a hissing sound and the carter writhed as his life blood spurted.

The day drew on. Darkness fell but the march continued. Now and again they crossed an open glade. Looking up, Willoughby glimpsed the star-studded sky and a hunter's moon. The undergrowth came to life with the sounds of small animals. Now and again an owl softly swooped to its prey which shattered the silence with a terrible scream.