walked toward the set of wooden stairs.
“Go on up,” Father said. “We will see you in the morning.”
Marian followed in Anna’s footsteps, arriving at an already opened door. Through the doorway she could see her maid, filling a washbasin from a cracked and worn pitcher.
“I poured you some water to wash up before supper,” Anna said.
“Thank you,” Marian returned, stepping inside. “But I will not be going down for supper. I am tired and wish to stay here.” She noticed Anna’s slight frown. “But you can go.”
Anna shook her head. “Oh, no, ma’am. That would not be proper, ‘n your mother would be very upset if I left you alone.”
“I will be sure to bolt the door,” Marian promised, “and I will hear your knock when you come up.”
“Well…” Anna hesitated for a moment. “If you insist.”
“I do.” She yawned again. “I really am tired.”
“Your nightgown is packed right on top,” Anna said, edging toward the door.
“I will be fine.” To prove her point, Marian walked over to the chest and opened it. Pulling out the nightgown, she held it up. “See, you can tell Mother you left me getting ready for bed.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Anna flashed a smile and left.
Marian promptly dropped the nightgown on the bed and sat down. Through the thin walls she could hear Father tuning his lute. It was a comforting sound.
“Hsst…Marian.”
She gasped at the barely heard voice outside the window. “Robin, what are you doing here?” Marian hurried over to the window and leaned out.
He sat comfortably on a tree limb, blending into the leaves so well she could barely see him. “I had to make sure you were safe,” he replied.
“Are you not aware of the price the sheriff has on your head?” She gestured him inside.
Robin shrugged. “He has not caught me yet.” He threw one leg over the windowsill and levered himself into the room.
Marian’s heart began to pound. “This is not proper.”
Robin half smiled. “You are the one who invited me inside,” he said. He stepped toward her. “And do you really care about what is ‘proper’?”
She shook her head, not sure her voice would work with him standing so close.
He grinned. “Marian du Luc, you are everything I hoped for and nothing like I thought you would be.”
Marian’s eyes narrowed. “Your words tell me you have known of my presence for a while. How long have you been watching me in the forest?”
Robin shrugged. “I came back from the Holy Land two years ago and was banished from my father’s lands shortly thereafter. While Sherwood Forest is fascinating, I found the travelers and wanderers in it much more so.” He took her hands in his. “Do you not agree?”
She blushed.
“I brought something for you,” he continued. “Shut your eyes.”
Marian obediently closed her eyes. Robin let go of her hands and a few moments later, a twisted and rough object was placed in them. The sweet scent of dogwood blossoms filled the small room.
“Robin, where on earth did you find this?” Marian’s eyes flew open and she looked down at the stick of dogwood in her hands. “’It is not the right season for dogwood blossoms!”
He winked. “The fairies gave it to me.”
“They are beautiful,” she said. “But how did you know they are my favorite flower?”
“As I said, I have been watching you a long time.”
“I am unsure whether to be frightened or flattered.” Marian raised the dogwood to her nose and breathed in deep, enjoying the feel of the soft petals brushing against her cheeks.
“Marian,” the caress of her name on his lips made her heart take flight. “You never have to be frightened of me.” He stepped closer. “I will always keep you safe.”
Marian lowered the dogwood and sighed. “But I am frightened, Robin. I have no idea what to expect at the castle and the sheriff is…” her voice trailed off as she considered her words. “He is frighteningly attentive.”
“He has
“Go on up,” Father said. “We will see you in the morning.”
Marian followed in Anna’s footsteps, arriving at an already opened door. Through the doorway she could see her maid, filling a washbasin from a cracked and worn pitcher.
“I poured you some water to wash up before supper,” Anna said.
“Thank you,” Marian returned, stepping inside. “But I will not be going down for supper. I am tired and wish to stay here.” She noticed Anna’s slight frown. “But you can go.”
Anna shook her head. “Oh, no, ma’am. That would not be proper, ‘n your mother would be very upset if I left you alone.”
“I will be sure to bolt the door,” Marian promised, “and I will hear your knock when you come up.”
“Well…” Anna hesitated for a moment. “If you insist.”
“I do.” She yawned again. “I really am tired.”
“Your nightgown is packed right on top,” Anna said, edging toward the door.
“I will be fine.” To prove her point, Marian walked over to the chest and opened it. Pulling out the nightgown, she held it up. “See, you can tell Mother you left me getting ready for bed.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Anna flashed a smile and left.
Marian promptly dropped the nightgown on the bed and sat down. Through the thin walls she could hear Father tuning his lute. It was a comforting sound.
“Hsst…Marian.”
She gasped at the barely heard voice outside the window. “Robin, what are you doing here?” Marian hurried over to the window and leaned out.
He sat comfortably on a tree limb, blending into the leaves so well she could barely see him. “I had to make sure you were safe,” he replied.
“Are you not aware of the price the sheriff has on your head?” She gestured him inside.
Robin shrugged. “He has not caught me yet.” He threw one leg over the windowsill and levered himself into the room.
Marian’s heart began to pound. “This is not proper.”
Robin half smiled. “You are the one who invited me inside,” he said. He stepped toward her. “And do you really care about what is ‘proper’?”
She shook her head, not sure her voice would work with him standing so close.
He grinned. “Marian du Luc, you are everything I hoped for and nothing like I thought you would be.”
Marian’s eyes narrowed. “Your words tell me you have known of my presence for a while. How long have you been watching me in the forest?”
Robin shrugged. “I came back from the Holy Land two years ago and was banished from my father’s lands shortly thereafter. While Sherwood Forest is fascinating, I found the travelers and wanderers in it much more so.” He took her hands in his. “Do you not agree?”
She blushed.
“I brought something for you,” he continued. “Shut your eyes.”
Marian obediently closed her eyes. Robin let go of her hands and a few moments later, a twisted and rough object was placed in them. The sweet scent of dogwood blossoms filled the small room.
“Robin, where on earth did you find this?” Marian’s eyes flew open and she looked down at the stick of dogwood in her hands. “’It is not the right season for dogwood blossoms!”
He winked. “The fairies gave it to me.”
“They are beautiful,” she said. “But how did you know they are my favorite flower?”
“As I said, I have been watching you a long time.”
“I am unsure whether to be frightened or flattered.” Marian raised the dogwood to her nose and breathed in deep, enjoying the feel of the soft petals brushing against her cheeks.
“Marian,” the caress of her name on his lips made her heart take flight. “You never have to be frightened of me.” He stepped closer. “I will always keep you safe.”
Marian lowered the dogwood and sighed. “But I am frightened, Robin. I have no idea what to expect at the castle and the sheriff is…” her voice trailed off as she considered her words. “He is frighteningly attentive.”
“He has
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