He had tried to ignore the situation but it had been impossible. Perhaps if he had never met her, never spoken to her...No, the affect would have still been the same. He would have found out that she existed and that would have been enough.
He thought about Margaret - his Margaret - and knew what he had to do. Margaret would have died rather than allow her daughter to be dishonoured and suffer such a fate. She had been spared last night when King John had been distracted by yet another crisis in Wales. She might not be so fortunate a second time.
"Where is Gisburne?" The servant halted, turned, then bowed when he realized who was addressing him.
"My lord, I...I don't know."
"Could you find out?"
"Yes, my lord. Where-where shall I tell him to...Where do you wish to receive him, my lord?"
"Don't concern yourself about that. When you find him, I'll be right there beside you."
"Yes, my lord." The servant picked a corridor and tried to conceal his anxiety: the Earl really was planning to accompany him.
"My lord, the Earl of Huntington wishes to-" Huntington brushed past the servant.
"Thank you for your assistance," spoke the Earl politely.
"It was no trouble, my lord," replied the servant, who bowed and then rushed from the room. Neither noble had exchanged a word but the servant predicted that this meeting would be anything but civil.
Gisburne set aside his work, though he barely acknowledged the Earl's presence, even when the man was less than a foot away from the table.
"I should have known that you'd just be sitting here after everything that's happened." Gisburne flicked a fly away from his face, then regarded the Earl as if he wished Huntington was that fly.
"What are you talking about...my lord?"
"You know very well what I'm talking about, Gisburne." Blue eyes flashed against dark ones as the knight rose from his chair.
"If you're referring to my sister, I don't see how it is any of your concern."
"This is abominable! You can't allow it to continue."
"And what interest could you have in the matter?"
"Your sister is a sweet, gentle girl. The King would destroy her in an instant. If your mother was alive it would break her heart." The knight paused, as if trying to absorb this information.
"What do you know of my mother?"
"Enough," Huntington answered firmly. Gisburne began to laugh quietly. The Earl flushed and his fist pounded on the table. "How can you laugh at a time like this? Is it any wonder than your sister is so misguided, that she gains no sympathy from you? You probably planned all of this, you and de Rainault. Margaret's daughter would never behave in such a fashion!"
"You obviously didn't know her at all then, my lord," stated Gisburne coldly. He sat down again and returned to his work, as if the Earl had never interrupted him.
"Where is Lady Margaret?" demanded Huntington. "I'll speak to her myself."
"You can't."
"Can't? You forbid it, do you? Well, you just try to stop me!" said Huntington. Gisburne waited until the Earl reached the door before he interceded.
"She's gone." The Earl whirled around to face him.
"Gone? Where?"
"I don't know."
"You mean you didn't even bother to ask her?"
"No. She didn't bother to tell me. I didn't discover she was missing until this morning."
"But you've sent out a search party, of course." The knight stared at the Earl as if the man was speaking in tongues.
"This is disgraceful!" protested Huntington. "You are not only unable to care about your sister, but you are incapable of looking after her as well! Is it really so surprising that she disappeared?" The hands on the table tightened into fists.
"You dare to lecture me?" questioned the knight quietly. "You raised an earl's son to become a wolfshead!"
"Robert is a good man."
"He's Robin Hood."
"Yes, and who helped make him what he is today. I don't think I deserve all the credit, Gisburne."
"You'd blame for anything wouldn't you, Huntington?"
"I'd willingly hold my tongue if I believed there was some misfortune you hadn't caused."
"Perhaps if you hadn't been fawning over her, the King wouldn't have paid her any heed. As it was, he probably saw the two of you together and thought that any old lecher would fare well in the pursuit of her affections."
The Earl flushed again but held his tongue until he had a firm reign on his temper.
"You're treading on dangerous ground, Gisburne," he spoke at last.
"Is that a threat, my lord?" questioned the knight, who suddenly remembered a similar conversation with another member of this family.
"Advice, my boy," replied the Earl. "You're obviously in need of some. If you employ that type of diplomacy with the King, you're likely to find you head hanging over the castle gates."
"I've dealt with the King already," snapped Gisburne impatiently.
"Really? How?"
"I told him she was unwell and had been for days. I warned her that attending the feast would be unwise, but she insisted. The King dislikes illnesses of any kind, and as I informed him that she was highly infectious - "
"You're a rather good liar aren't you, Gisburne?" said Huntington. The eyes turned a degree colder.
"Now you would have me resemble my mother."
"Gisburne!" The door flew open and the Sheriff stormed into the room. "Have you completely lost your mind? I've just spoken to the King and - " He stopped abruptly when he noticed the Earl.
"Forgive me. I didn't realize. I'll - " The Earl swept past him.
"I was just leaving!" barked Huntington. The Sheriff turned to his scowling steward as the door slammed.
"Gisburne, what's going on?"
* * * *
Margaret stirred and groaned as sunlight bore painfully into her eyes. She shut them tightly, wondering why the sun always seemed brighter in the forest. The forest...? Margaret sat up quickly.
"Why didn't you wake me?" The faces of four startled men stared back at her. "You promised to wake me!" The giant, whose shoulder had been her pillow, smiled sheepishly.
"I know, lass, but you looked so sweet lying there."
"Like an angel," added Tuck. Margaret grimaced.
"Well, I'm not one. I'm nothing of the kind."
"Where are you going?" asked Will sleepily, as the lady rose to her feet.
"Home."
"Hold on! You can't leave yet!" protested John.
"Why not?"
"You haven't had breakfast," answered Tuck. John elbowed him in the ribs.
"He was going to say that Robin, Marion and Much haven't returned yet. You can't leave without saying goodbye to them."
"By our Lady, you always have some excuse or another!" cried Margaret, stamping a foot impatiently. Will shook his head in mock disdain.
"She sure is grumpy this morning."
"I am not!" Nasir raised an eyebrow. Margaret sighed and sat down.
"I should have been gone hours ago."
"What's the hurry? We don't mind you staying," said John, laying a hand on her shoulder. She almost leapt back on her feet again.
"What's the matter, lass?"
"Nothing."
"You've been jumpy since you got here," spoke Will. "Are you in trouble or somethin'?"
"No, of course not!"
"You act as if you were bein' chased by Gisburne."
"What?" Margaret gaped at the outlaw, aghast, then began to laugh loudly. She was only spared an interrogation when Much entered the camp.
"Did you get it?" spoke John. The young man smiled and nodded.
"Aye, we got it. He was riding through Sherwood just like Robin said he would. In a right state he was. He had missed the feast and he was hoping to please the King by giving him all his money."
"King John's not going to be happy with the Earl of Chester when he sees him," stated Tuck. "You know what he's like when he doesn't get what he wants." Margaret suddenly sobered as she remembered the incident at the feast, but she held her tongue.
"Where's Robin and Marion?" asked Will, who was still watching their guest closely.
"They've gone to Wickham," said Much. Tuck smirked.
"Ah, spreading the wealth already? No, King John won't like this one bit."
"Well, he could have invited us to his feast, couldn't he?" joked John.
"Oh, you wouldn't have liked it," replied Margaret, who didn't notice her lapse until it was too late. Will's eyes narrowed.
"And how would you know?" Margaret bit her lip and tried not to clasp the hands in her lap.
"Well, l-look who the host was." The eyes widened and Will started to laugh in appreciation.
"Listen, we're going to Wickham. Why not come along?"
"But I-I..."
"You can say goodbye to Robin and Marion, then be on your way," argued Tuck, "though we'll be sorry to see you go." She hesitated, knowing that she should leave this place, pretend that she had never met these men. If only they hadn't saved her life.
"I...all right," she conceded.
"Can we play again?" asked the freckled boy eagerly. He had just won a game of hoodman's bluff and wished for another opportunity to prove his worth. Marion smiled and accepted.
She had just started tying the blindfold around a chubby-faced girl of six when she heard a noise in the distance.
"Robin." Marion rose from the grass and Robin's discussion with Edward came to an abrupt end. Edward prepared for the worst, as the two outlaws scrambled for the nearest hut. They had both heard the sound of a horse in the distance and a horse often meant a visit from a Norman lord.
"Robin!"
"Will?" said Marion. They slowly emerged from the hut as the hoofbeats grew louder. Robin recognized the horse.
"Margaret." Will leapt down from the grey mare as Robin, Marion and Edward approached.
"The others are still miles away!" announced Will with a smirk. He held out a hand for Margaret, but the lady didn't move. He followed her gaze to Edward, who was staring at her intently.
"Edward, this is Margaret," stated Robin. Edward broke out of his trance.
"Welcome to Nottingham, my lady," he spoke quietly. He met her eyes only briefly before walking away.
"Edward!" cried Will. "What's the matter with him? Do you know what's going on?" he asked Robin.
"Yes, I think so," answered Robin, trying not to look at Margaret.
"Well, would you mind telling us?" Robin laid a hand on his friend's arm.
"I'll talk to him," said Robin, directing the statement at Margeret more than anyone.
"I have to leave," she spoke. "I came to say goodbye."
"Don't go."
"I must."
"Wait a day and I'll escort you through Sherwood."
"Why?"
"You might be able to help us."
"Me? You need my help?" She seemed amazed by the concept.
"Yes."
"Then I suppose I'd better stay." Robin smiled and squeezed her hand.
"Good." Suddenly the children of the village had surrounded the stranger, as if this sign of goodwill was enough. Robin dropped Margaret's hand with a laugh and went in search of Edward.
"Do you know how to play hoodman's bluff?" asked the boy with the freckles.
"Yes, I think so," said Margaret, "but it's been a long time. Who will go first?"
"He will," replied the boy, passing the blindfold to Scarlet.
"What's the matter, Little Flower?"
"Nothing's the matter."
"It's her, isn't it?" Marion glanced reluctantly at the woman laughing at Will. The children were still successfully dodging the blindfolded Scarlet. "I heard about what happened. It must have been a mistake."
"Edward didn't seem to think so."
"But why? What did she say?"
"She didn't say anything."
"Marion-"
"You didn't see Edward's face when he met her. He saw something."
"What? What did Edward see?"
"I don't know. He knows something. Robin too."
"Robin! But that can't be. He would have told us."
"Would he? I'm not sure anymore."
"I can't believe I'm hearing this! Do you really think he'd lie to us, to you? He loves you, Marion."
"And I love him. But that still doesn't change the fact that he's keeping something from us."
"And you think Margaret's mixed up with all this?"
"Yes, I'm afraid I do, Tuck." The monk's eyes returned to the woman just as Scarlet grabbed her around the waist.
"Will you speak with her?"
"No, I'm going to speak to Robin."
Marion walked determinedly towards the barn. If Robin thought he could keep secrets from his friends, he was mistaken. They had been through too much together for Robin to have earned that right.
Marion laid a hand on the door. She would have marched straight in but the sound of voices stayed her course.
"Do you trust her?"
"I know who she is, Edward."
"And you still trust her?"
"Yes...to a point."
"Watch her, Robin."
"She's not like him."
"Good. I'm glad to hear it. We'll say no more about it then. Come on, we should be getting back to the others."
Marion crept silently to the side of the barn, watching the two men leave in bewilderment.
