The Highwayman laughed out loud at the maiden's jeers and scoldings. Her spirit, no doubt heightened by his recent imposition upon her person, was admirable, and there was no denying that she had a certain amount of pluck. There she was, in the middle of the wood, confronting a man who had already proven himself the stronger between the two and giving him quite the piece of her mind! He could do anything to her, anything he wished! There was little she would be able to do but scream and rail against him. Yet she had the courage to stand there and reveal her mind to him in no kind terms. How could he do anything but laugh?

"Well, Greensleeves," he quipped as he gestured at her stained kirtle and blouse, "if [i]carte blanche[/i] is all you desire, then my lips shall guard this little secret well enough. As for the shirt on my back? Well! Happier I am to keep my head on my neck! Although... although..."

He let his chuckle die off as he took her measure speculatively. His chewed the corner of his lip in thought for a moment, those bright green eyes narrowed to slits as he gave some serious consideration as to her accusations. "Although, I am not overly sure if I should allow my honor... and my word!... to be called into doubt. After all, if you doubt my word that any reward I might provide would be worthwhile, how can you believe me at my word to keep this little deception a secret, innocent enough as it was? No. No, I must show you that I am as good as my word and that my word is as good as I am."

A gloved hand dipped beneath his cloak towards his belt and tugged forth a woman's necklace, a delicate rope of gold that twisted in the morning breeze as easily as a strand of hair. It's links were minuscule, finely crafted in every sense of the word. No pendant or charm hung from it, but this did not take away any of its luster and gleam. Draping it across the palm of his other hand, he held it up until stray beam of sunlight caught it. Glittering, it worth was clear. Only the Highwayman was not done. He reached back to his belt and drew forth two guinea , their gold surfaces far more worn than the necklace but no less of worth. It was a princely reward he was offering her. The Highwayman placed the two coins in the same palm that held the necklace to show that there was no trick or slight of hand involved, then held the hand towards her.

"I suspect that, unlike the brothers that you decry, my sort of trouble more than pays for itself, fair maid. I thought my luck had deserted me, as this is the first time among many that I had to take to my heels. Yet perhaps my luck has held its course after all." He jingled the golden metal in his hands. They were then placed on a stump near at hand for her convenience. "Take you these, as proof of my word, my discretion, and my thanks."

He then stepped back, further into what gloom still remained with the deeper part of the wood. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must recover my horse. He's a great black brute of a thing but somewhat absent minded when it comes to staying where he should; he tends to chew through his tethers if I'm not careful." A sudden thought made him pause before he took his leave. "If such trinkets catch your eye as do those there, come you here again in a week's time. Come to me by the light of the full moon, and I'll reward you further. Your maidenhead and liberty shall be safe, I do so swear. You shall have nothing to lose in this... and everything to gain."

With a courtly bow exaggerated to the point of melodrama, he whirled his cloak about himself and quietly hurried off into the underbrush until he was quite out of sight.