The sheriff meets with a couple of men. He drops a bag of money on the table and says they’ll get the rest when Hood is in the vault.
~
Nottingham Town
The butcher is cutting up rancid meat while flies buzz around before re-coloring it with some kind of reddish liquid. A couple of soldiers carrying a burlap sack between them enter the butcher’s shop. The butcher pulls out a hunk of rotten meat, saying, “that'll scrub up nice,” before giving the soldiers some money.
When the soldiers leave, Robin and Much drop in?literally. They inform the butcher that half of Locksley has nearly been poisoned because of the meat he sold them.
Another couple of soldiers can be seen heading toward the butcher shop, so Robin and Much duck into the storeroom. But despite Robin’s warning, the butcher rats them out. When the soldiers step into the storeroom, Robin and Much burst out and take off. Much holding a pig head in his arms.
As they race through town trying to escape, they find themselves at a dead end. Almost. The only escape is to jump into the sewer. They leap into the opening just as the soldiers arrive.
Much is disgusted?he says he feels like a pig in slop. Robin says he should be happy then as that is what the expression means.
~
Nottingham Town
A nun stumbles along the road leading into Nottingham, and then collapses on the bridge. Gisborne is exiting the gate just as the nun collapses. He dismounts his horse and hurries over to offer assistance.
She tells him she is the Abbess of Rufford and seeks protection from the sheriff. She has been set upon by outlaws in the forest during a pilgrimage. Gisborne tells one of his men to take the abbess to the castle and then tells the Abbess he will return shortly.
~
Sherwood Forest
Robin’s men stop a horse-drawn cart on the road as it is driven through the forest toward Nottingham. The driver claims to be a poor farmer, going to town to sell some goats milk?but Djaq points out that his goat is male. Additionally, a search of his cart reveals property of the crown.
~
Knighton Hall
Marian is practicing some type of martial art positions when her father calls to her even as he goes hurrying toward her?with Gisborne on his heels. She does not seem happy to see Gisborne.
Inside the house, Gisborne hands her a ?a small brooch. She does not accept it, telling Gisborne he brings too many gifts. “You need a husband,” he says, before remarking that the world is not safe for a woman alone. She responds that she can protect herself, but Gisborne tells her about the abbess and says he must tend to her. Marian rises and says, “Then I will not delay you.” He forces the brooch back into her hands and says he will keep on giving until whatever wrong he's done her has been atoned for.
~
Back in the forest, Robin arrives and inspects the crown’s property?a ledger. Robin concludes that this is no ordinary tax collector. The man boasts that he is not a tax collector; he’s a tax inspector. Robin peruses the ledger and asks about certain special markings in the book. The man, however, refuses to divulge state secrets.
~
Edward asks Marian why Gisborne left looking so angry. She gives a flip answer about agreeing to marry Gisborne and have his children. Edward says she could do worse. “Yes, if I married the sheriff,” Marian quips. The discussion turns to her activities as the Night Watchman. Edward forbids her to continue, but she refuses to obey. Edward says if she will not obey, then she must leave. Marian goes upstairs to pack.
~
The tax inspector finally reveals that all the money for the north of England is in Nottingham Castle. Robin gets a gleam in his eyes. Much and Allan are reluctant, but Will wants the money so it can be returned to its rightful owners.
~
Gisborne tells the sheriff about the abbess and what happened to her. When he expresses sympathy the sheriff scoffs?they’re parasites dressed as pious, he says.
The sheriff enters the abbess’s chambers, and she calls him on his remark. They exchange barbs until she challenges his authority by questioning his ability to capture the outlaws.
A short time later, the abbess attempts to enter the castle’s chapel but finds the doors guarded, and she is turned away.
Meanwhile, the sheriff and Gisborne discuss the likelihood of the abbess’s attacker being Robin Hood. The sheriff opts not to accuse Hood at this time. Gisborne asks if the sheriff has a scheme.
The abbess enters the sheriff’s chambers demanding access to the chapel and her God. The sheriff tells her the chapel has another use at the moment. When she refuses to back down, the sheriff says he’ll see what he can do.
~
Nottingham Town
The tax inspector and his “guard” (Will) enter the castle square.
~
The sheriff has his soldiers stack up the chests of money in the priest’s confession closet so that the abbess may use the chapel.
~
As the sheriff is leaving the chapel, the abbess approaches it. They trade a few barbs, and the abbess remarks that the sheriff likes to spar with words. He says he likes to spar with actions, too. They go round a bit more, the sheriff giving her the once over. He says he sees her, under those 'mother superior' robes.... “Under all that haughty is quite a bit of naughty...” and then the sheriff finally remarks that he thinks she likes to spar with words, too, as well as with actions...This earns him quite a slap.
~
As Marian rides up to the castle gate leading into Nottingham Town, she notices all the displaced poor living in the dry moat along the footbridge into the village. She spots Robin and Much hiding amongst the people. Robin indicates for her to distract the pair of guards at the gate.
Marian dismounts her horse and begins handing out coins. Soon she is being mobbed. She calls out for the guards who come running over to disperse the crowd. Robin, Much, and Allan are able to sneak through the gate.
Marian enters the castle square a few minutes later. Robin thanks her for her help, and she asks if they can talk. Much is opposed and John is resigned. Robin gives her one minute.
The two of them step away into a deserted passageway. After venting her frustrations with men and the restrictions placed on her because she is female, Marian tells Robin she is leaving home, and she asks for his help. Unfortunately, her minute is up and Much appears, urging Robin to come along. Robin assures her he wants to help and that they will talk again. But she tells him there’s no need?she has just made up her mind.
~
Gisborne enters the sheriff’s chambers and finds Marian there. The sheriff tells Gisborne that Marian wants to speak with the abbess about becoming a nun. Gisborne is surprised.
Marian confesses that her father is displeased with her and surmises that perhaps she could learn obedience in the abbey. The sheriff sends her off to the chapel.
~
Marian interrupts the abbess and begs her to listen. Marian says she’d like to become a novice, although she does not wish to stay for more than a year or so. The abbess instructs Marian to come to the abbey in a month’s time, and she will consider Marian then. Marian insists that since the abbess is here now and because Marian needs to get away, the abbess should consider her now.
~
Robin and the gang sneak into the castle through the garbage shoot. They are met by Will and the tax inspector.
~
When Marian leaves the chapel, she is waylaid by Gisborne who cannot accept the choice she made. He thinks she would have said something to him about it sooner. He thought they were friends and that, in time, she would consider marriage. She glances down at his hand on her arm pointedly.
~
Down in the dungeon, the gang, led by the tax inspector, make their way to the strong room. After a shoving match between John and the tax inspector, the gang ends up locked in the strong room. Robin realizes right off the bat that they've been tricked. Allan tries to say 'I told you so,' but Robin shushes him. Much asks Robin what they are going to do, and Robin says he has a plan. But Allan disagrees, and Robin confesses that he doesn't actually have a plan. As they ponder their fate, Will says he's got a plan and begins hacking at the lid of one of the empty chests.
~
The tax inspector goes to tell the sheriff that Robin Hood and his men are in the vault?as promised. Gisborne is doubtful of the man's boast, but the sheriff is eager to gloat over Robin about his capture. The inspector requests payment so he can be on his way, however. The sheriff instructs Gisborne to arrange payment and then leaves.
~
Down in the vault, Will is diligently carving a key out of a piece of wood. He is successful, and the gang bursts out of the vault, knocking out the guards on their way out.
~
The gang is able to make it all the way out of the castle, but is then spotted by the sheriff out along one of the open walkways. He immediately sends his guards after them. As hand-to-hand combat ensues, the sheriff finds a dropped sword and goes after Robin.
Robin eventually gets the drop on the sheriff, holding a sword to his throat, effectively ending the fighting. The gang moves into position around and behind Robin as soldiers approach, and they inch their way toward the portcullis.
Gisborne and some soldiers arrive on scene and block the portcullis and challenge Robin to a one-on-one. “Sorry Gisborne,” Robin replies, “Trial by combat is not big and it's not clever.” “So you are a coward, Gisborne challenges. Robin denies being a coward and says he just doesn’t trust Gisborne. Gisborne replies that only cowards attack pilgrims in holy orders, but Robin has no idea what he’s talking about.
There’s a short standoff as Robin continues to hold the sheriff. Eventually, Gisborne backs down and indicates for his men to move away from the gate.
Robin questions his men as they slowly move toward the gate, but none of them has seen or heard anything about pilgrims in the forest or an abbess. Once outside the gate, Robin threatens the sheriff’s life unless Gisborne drops the portcullis, which he does.
Before releasing the sheriff, he tells the sheriff he thinks they’ve both been had. Robin releases the sheriff, and Robin and his men run for freedom.
Robin’s point finally registers with the sheriff, and he races toward the castle. He stops short in the chapel, seeing his chests of money all gone and the abbess's robes lying on the alter. He moves to a window and finds a rope dangling down the wall outside.
Gisborne arrives just then. “She was not the Abbess of Rufford, then,” he remarks before a wicked smile crosses his face.
~
Out in the forest, Djaq keeps charge over the tax inspector’s son. He tries to convince her to release him, but to no avail. She hears a familiar bird call and then disappears into the trees.
Will tells Djaq they were tricked, while Robin keeps a watchful eye on the tax inspector's son through the trees. Robin reminds them the sheriff was tricked too, that he’s sure the tax inspector wouldn't settle for a few meager pounds to try and capture them, not when all of the tax money of the north was available. Robin thinks the tax inspector went for all the money.
He tells Djaq to let the prisoner go so that they can follow him. Robin is sure that the boy will lead them to some very wealthy crooks. But before Djaq can get back to the boy, they watch him escape from the ropes by dislocating his own shoulder and slipping down the tree and out from under the ropes. Once he's free, he jams his shoulder back into place and takes off. The gang breaks into three groups and they take off after him.
~
Marian descends the stairs with her bags and loads them on her horse. Her father asks what he must do to make her stay. She says it is too late as the abbess expected her retinue that evening. Edwards insists it can never be too late between a father and a daughter and asks again what he can do to make her stay.
She tells him that he must support her as the Night Watchman and protect her from the Gisbornes of the world?accept her as the daughter he has, not the daughter he wants. He finally agrees and she retrieves her bags from the horse.
Edward tells her that Gisborne has just been to see her, but that Edward sent him away. She remarks that Gisborne will be back.
~
The gang’s escaped prisoner races through the forest. He eventually meets up with the 'abbess' and the 'tax inspector,' although obviously they are now neither.
Robin sends several arrows flying into their midst, getting their attention and approaches the newly re-united group. “You should be dead,” says the 'tax inspector.' “Many times over,” replies Robin.
The ‘abbess’ invites Robin to runaway with just her, teasing him with a leisurely kiss. The gang looks on with interest. “What's he doing?” Allan asks. “Now you see what I have to put up with?” Much asks when the abbess ends the kiss.
Robin declines the invitation. John and Robin then push the former tax inspector and the former abbess backwards into the back of their wagon, which is full of the slop in which they’ve hidden the money.
The gang goes fishing for the money, laughing all the while.
~
Gisborne arrives at Knighton Hall, Marian not looking very pleased to see him. He tells her how glad he is to see her. She replies that he’s told her, then dismisses him and goes into the house. He follows and tells her how disturbed he was by her decision to go to Rufford. She asks if she ever indicated that he had any right to be disturbed. He replies that he’s glad he still has a chance to earn the right. He also tells her that the abbess was not really an abbess. She is shocked. He says that he came straight away and told her father. “Did he not tell you?”
Marian replies that her father was being kind by not exposing her. Gisborne says that there are other people who want to be kind to her?if only she’d let them—holding up another gift; a gold, jewel-encrusted sup. She does not respond in any way, and Gisborne finally leaves, although somewhat miffed.
Edward shows up, slightly out of breath, apologizing to Marian for not heading Gisborne off before he reached her. Marian tells her father that Gisborne spilled the beans about the abbess and asks why he agreed to her terms for staying.
"I realize the daughter I had was the daughter I wanted,” he says kindly. Marian steps over and hugs her father.
~
Robin visits all the local livestock owners and makes arrangements with them, paying them in advance, to take their meat to the local villages rather than the market in Nottingham.