Maid of Sherwood by Shanti Krishnamurty Page A

good taste,” Robin murmured. He caught and held her glance. “I do not have much time,” Robin said, “if I am to reach Nottingham before you.”
    Marian raised her eyebrows. “You shall be at the castle?”
    He laughed. “While I am sure I would be a welcome…guest…in Prince John’s dungeons, I have no intention of accepting his many invitations. No, I will remain close by in the forest instead.” A sly grin crossed his face. “Though I would be remiss if I left without collecting my rightly earned Festival kiss.”
    Marian blushed again. “I—I thought you did that already,” she stuttered.
    He took the dogwood branch from her loosened fingers and tossed it onto the bedding. “That was merely a taste,” he pulled her toward him. “What I prefer is a sampling.”
    Marian’s breath caught in her throat. Robin leaned down, his mouth inches from capturing her own. “This is not proper, either,” he whispered. “But you do not care about propriety, do you, Marian?”
    She could not think with his lips so close. “I am—not sure,” she finally whispered back.
    One of his hands reached up to caress her cheek. “Good.” He lowered his mouth purposefully.
    Her eyes slid shut at the feel of his lips on hers, the stubble on his upper lip scratching her.
    The knock at the door startled both of them and they leapt apart.
     

 
    Chapter Eight:
     
    “I—who is it?” Marian’s voice shook.
    “Marian, what is wrong?” The voice on the other side of the door asked.
    Marian gasped. “It is Mother. Robin, she cannot find you here!”
    “No,” Robin agreed, “she cannot. Just let me steal one last kiss.” He leaned down and touched her lips gently with his own before climbing back through the still open window.
    “When will I see you again?” Marian could not stop herself from asking the question.
    “I will see you in Sherwood.” He laughed when she could not stop the look of disappointment from crossing her face. “Do not worry, fair maid, time will pass swiftly enough.”
    “Marian du Luc, open the door this instant!”
    “I have to go,” Robin said. With a last wink at her he vanished back into the leaves.
    “I am coming, Mother.” Marian said. She walked swiftly to the bed and mussed the coverlet. “I was napping. You startled me.” Three steps later she undid the bolt and pulled the door open.
    “I thought I heard a man’s laughter,” Mother greeted, walking inside. Anna followed in her wake.
    “Well, as you can plainly see, there is no one here,” Marian gestured around her.
    “And what is this?” Mother bent over, plucked the dogwood branch off the floor and held it up for Marian’s inspection.
    Marian blinked at her innocently. “Dogwood blossoms,” she said.
    “They are not in season,” Mother said. “Where did you find them?”
    “They were on the bed when I came up,” Marian lied. “They must have fallen on the floor without my noticing.”
    Mother narrowed her eyes. “After you lay on the coverlet…” She waved one hand. “It does not matter. I came up to see if you were well. It appears you are. If you would like, I can send Anna back down to get you a tray.”
    Marian shook her head. “I think I am going to go back to bed. I did not sleep very well last night.”
    “As you like.” Mother crossed over to the window and pulled it closed, latching it from the inside. “The nights are getting cooler and I do not want you catching anything. Be sure to keep the window shut.”
    “Yes, Mother.” Marian agreed.
    “Anna, you should not have left Marian alone,” Mother admonished. “It was not proper, especially on such an important journey.”
    Tears welled up in the maid’s eyes. “No, ma’am. It will not happen again.”
    “I told her she could go,” Marian said. “All I was going to do was sleep, anyway.”
    “Even so,” Mother said. “With the window left open, there was always the possibility of an outlaw finding his way inside.”
    Marian’s