"Damn that infernal noise. Must they build that contraption outside our window? I must have quiet if I am to plan our escape," Ian said, in a tone of contempt.

"Surely you jest?" Demetri asked, looking away from the window. Ian ignored him.

"I almost have it," Ian told him. The answer so close he could taste it on his tongue but the noise persisted. "Just when I think I have the answer it eludes me because of that cursed tapping," Ian swore.

Demetri glanced out of the window again.

"How much time do you think we have?" Ian questioned.

"About two to three days from the looks of things. Who would have thought," Demetri said reluctantly moving away from the window, "we, once Lords of our own land and now, executed like common thieves."

"No need to be glum," Ian chided. "If you are not dead then you are very much alive and that is something to be grateful for. We must make the best of the time given us. No regrets."

"Have we, no regrets?" Demetri asked, thinking he was sure he could name quite a few.

"Of course," Ian reproached him stating proudly, "The English have taken our homes, our families, our women. What we do is take back that which was stolen from us. As highwayman, we supply our loved ones with a reprieve from the taxation that ravages our land. Is it wrong to take what is yours?"

"No, I guess not," Demetri said, amazed at how Ian could make them sound noble when they made their living from stealing.

The sun had set and the carpenters went home unable to work in the dark. "Finally, peace and quiet," Ian thought. "Now, how to escape?"

He was close to an idea, when suddenly there was that noise again, only slightly more muffled. The tapping was driving him insane. "What sadistic madman believed work on the gallows too slow?" Ian wondered ruefully and began pacing his cell in annoyance.

His idea had fled with the persistent noise. It was the only sound to be heard for Demetri had fallen asleep. Ian found himself focusing on the tap, tap, tap rather than focusing on their escape plan. He realized the sound had a rhythmic pattern. Intrigued he listened more closely.

Several of the taps came in close succession of one another, then there were three short raps and four more strikes but they were drawn out with long pauses in between. Ian felt the excitement course through his veins. He woke Demetri from his sleep.

"What is it?" Demetri asked, fearful that their time may have drawn to a close so soon.

"Shh!" Ian said, listening again for the noise, that wonderful noise.

Demetri listened too and smiled at his cousin. "Is that...?" he paused his eyes wide with wonder.

"Yes," Ian answered before Demetri could finish his question. "We must prepare to leave at once."

There was a commotion outside the cell door. "I wish to see the man, they call Silverfox," someone demanded.

"Who are you?" the guard questioned.

"We have orders to come and identify the man in your possession. I have with me the only witness to have seen his face."

Demetri could see through a slit in the door a gloved hand giving the guard a sealed parchment. The guard broke the seal and scanned the contents. Whatever he read caused him to quickly respond. "Right this way," he said leading several other men to their door.

They heard the turn of a key, in conjunction with a muffled thud, followed by a groan and then silence. The door opened and the guard's body slumped forward into the room. Three men stepped inside the small cell, over the lifeless guard's body.

Demetri and Ian looked with caution on their new visitors. "Identify yourself?" the man in the middle of the three-spoke in Ian's native tongue. "I am Silverfox, otherwise known as Lord McGregor, from the clan McGregor. This is my cohort Demetri, he is from the same clan as I. We are cousins," Ian answered them.

The man stepped over the guard and entered the room. "I am Lord Macaulay, of the clan Macaulay otherwise known as Locke. I work in the forest."

"I have heard of you," Ian said.

"And I of you," Macaulay acknowledged. "We have come to take you home. We have been trying to get word to you all day."

"We could not hear it over the noise of the gallows being built. How did you find us?" Ian inquired impressed that they managed to pull off such a grand scheme.

Macauley ignored Ian's question as a cloaked figure entered the room. Macauley waited patiently and the hooded figure nodded in affirmation. "It is him," said the figure. Ian knew that voice. She removed her hood. "We meet again, Lord McGregor."

"Lady Violet," Ian said, graciously bowing to her. She smiled at his gallant gesture. Ian locked eyes with hers. "You found me." It was more of a statement than a question.

"It wasn't difficult," she boasted. "After our last meeting, it became common knowledge that I had seen the face of Silverfox and lived to tell the tale. When it was rumored you were taken into custody I was summoned by the Court Council to identify you. I told them I would but not without an escort. They of course agreed and informed me I was to be taken here by the royal guard."

Lady Violet could see the brief flicker of hurt in his eyes. She needed him to understand. "My servant serves as one of Locke's men. I saved his neck several times and so he owed me this favor. Locke has acquired more than one royal guard's uniform in his work." She desperately wanted him to know she would never betray him and so continued to explain.

"He showed up with several of his men dressed the part," she told him, "and with the documentation from the Court Council gaining entrance was a breeze, but I suggest you leave at once. It is only a matter of time before the true escort comes to my home and finds I am gone. My servant has been instructed to inform them I left with a royal escort. This will cause immediate alarm. So you must go now," she said to Ian.

Macauley had stripped the guard of his uniform and tossed it to Demetri. Pulling another from under his cloak for Ian. "Are you coming?" Ian asked, nonchalantly although, to a trained ear, one could tell the question was laced with concern.

"No," Lady Violet answered touched that he should care. "I must remain here to keep my innocence. I will remain locked up with this guard. I have made arrangements with Locke."

Ian's brows furrowed together and his look became stern. It was evident Ian did not care for this plan.

"She is too great an ally to lose and she'll become hunted if she left with us," Macauley reasoned after sensing Silverfox's reluctance to leave her behind. "She must remain."

Ian stepped toward Lady Violet, there was so much he wished to say but before he could Macauley had struck the woman with a light blow to the back of her head rendering her unconscious.

Ian was furious and attacked Macauley tackling him to the ground but Macauley's men stepped in and held Ian in check. Dusting himself off Macauley turned to Ian and tried to explain.

"I don't like this any more than you. I had to. Even she knew that she would still be under suspicion. It did not please me but I did as she asked. She couldn't be found without a mark on her. Ian looked over at her collapsed form with a stab of guilt that struck his heart.

"She will be fine. I swear it to you," Macauley said, impatient to leave. They have wasted too much time already. "We must go." Dressed as royal guards they left the prison without incident.

Several days had passed and news of the escape of Silverfox spread throughout England. Lady Violet's narrow escape was now legend. Days became months and soon the people went back to their routine lives. Silverfox had lost his notoriety.

Lady Violet sat in her room waiting. He did not disappoint her. He stepped from the shadows and her heart leaped with fear and excitement.

"I am sorry I did not come sooner," Ian said, upon entering her bed-chamber.

"I knew you would come," she added, with a slight smile of defiance. "After all, I did save your life."

"Yes, you have," Ian said, walking towards her. "I owe you my freedom." He stopped his approach and held his arms open to her. She rushed into them and he kissed her soundly.

"You are a fool if you think you are free," she said with ragged breath.

Ian smiled as their eyes met. She looked ready for battle as she tilted her head upward in defiance and challenged, "You belong to me now."

"Is that so?" Ian asked amused.

"Well... until I tire of you and turn you in to collect the reward," she teased.

His arms tightened about her. "What makes you so sure you'll live long enough to collect it?" He asked but there was no threat in his hushed whisper.

"I may not have been the only woman to grace your bed but I am the only one to see your face," she said, touching his cheek.

Taking her hands in his, Ian rubbed the soft skin of her delicate palm with the pad of his thumb. "Such small hands to hold such a large burden," he said gravely, refusing momentarily to meet her gaze.

Violet shivered at his touch. His words making it clear to her that his life was in her hands. They spent that night in each other's arms but when she awoke he was gone.

On the pillow next to her lay a rose and pinned to a leaf was a silver fox. He was a hunted man and she knew his work was far from over but she placed the pin close to her heart were she knew he would remain until they met again.