"God's throat!" cursed Robert de Rainault,
throwing down the letter he had just received.
His steward glanced up briefly from the accounts. "My lord?"
"Remember when I was expecting a visit from
my mother some months back?" asked the Sheriff.
"Yes, my lord," answered the knight warily.
"She's coming to Nottingham, Gisburne!"
"Yes, my lord."
"She'll be arriving today...possibly at any
moment!"
"Ah..."
"Well, don't just stand there, man! Make
the arrangements!"
Gisburne rose slowly from his chair. "Yes, my lord."
"And, Gisburne..."
"Yes, my lord?"
"No rose petals."
"No, my lord."
* * * *
"What are we going to do?" moaned Will.
"I don't know, lad," admitted John sadly.
"I just don't know."
"Well, there has to be something we can do!"
"There's always Wickham," suggested Tuck.
"We were there yesterday!" admonished Will.
"How's it going to look if we're seen there again today?"
"Aye, I suppose it would look bad," said John.
"Bad? We'd be laughingstocks!"
"Perhaps Robin will know what to do," said Tuck.
Will gave a sharp laugh and tossed a twig into the fire. "He ain't here, is he? He's gone off again.
Probably pining after Marion."
"At least he's got something to do..."
"Will..." began Tuck, but the outlaw waved his
friend's protest away with an impatient gesture of
his hand.
Will rose to his feet, his gaze directed towards the road and the trees that surrounded it.
"Much, can't you see anything?" he called.
Nasir jerked out of his doze, while John and Tuck
glared at their friend in annoyance.
"What?"
A pitiful birdcall sounded from Much's post.
"Less people travel the roads come winter,"
commented Nasir.
"But it ain't winter yet," argued Will.
Nasir rubbed his hands and moved a little closer to
the fire. As far as he was concerned, the current
chill in the air made it seem close enough.
"I have an idea, Will. Why don't you gather
more wood for the fire?" said Tuck. "I'll even help
you if you like."
Will stared at the monk for a moment as if Tuck had just announced his allegiance
to the Sheriff. "All right," he grumbled. "It certainly beats sitting around here!"
The two men stood up. However, this was when their leader decided to make
an appearance.
"Look what I've got," said Robin cheerfully. "Wood for the fire." He dumped his load at Will's
feet. Will opened his mouth to utter something unpleasant when a strong birdcall resonated through
the forest.
"At last!" cried Will. "It's about bloody time!" He plucked his sword from the ground and crashed out
of the camp.
John shook his head and laughed. "Perhaps we'd better..."
"Yes, perhaps we should," responded Robin
with a smile. "Come on!"
When Robin and the others reached the road,
they found that Will had already introduced himself
to the unfortunate traveller who had chosen to pass
through Sherwood. Much stood at Will's side, gaping
up at the white-haired woman before them.
She was a rather tiny woman, but her features
were sharp and the dark eyes unflinching. The small
party of servants who accompanied the lady seemed
less composed than their mistress. They gave anxious
cries and whispered nervously among themselves before
the lady silenced them with an icy glare. "You have nothing to fear from these
cutthroats," she said. "I'll give them money and they'll allow us to pass. Is that not how it works?" Her keen eyes had fallen upon Robin as if she
knew instinctively that he was the leader of the group.
"Yes, my lady," he answered. "We have no wish
to harm you or your servants."
"Well, that's most generous of you. May I ask
the name of the man who plans to steal my money, yet
spare my life?"
"He's Robin Hood, of course," stated Much,
suddenly losing some of his shyness.
"Do you mean to tell me that Robin Hood really
does exist? Oh...I thought it was just stories meant
to frighten greedy Normans. How gratifying to discover
that they were true! Will you aim a longbow at me
first, or is that man's sword all I shall get to see?"
"You'll get to see his smile if you give him
all of your money," suggested John. Will grinned at
the prospect.
"How charming," commented the lady dryly.
"It almost makes the journey to Nottingham worthwhile.
Here, boy," she said, dipping into her saddlebag.
"Here's something for your trouble."
She tossed a red velvet purse in the air. Once
they had seized their prize, Will's eager fingers
wasted little time in pulling loose the purse strings.
He emptied the purse quickly, closely examining what
lay in his hands. He stared at the contents for a
moment, then raised them closer to his face. Surely
his eyes were deceiving him...
"What is it, Will?" asked a perplexed Much.
"Knuckle-bones," hissed Scarlet, casting
an indignant glance at the lady.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, young man!" cried
the lady. "You must forgive an old woman whose mind
isn't as sharp as it once was. Hand that back and
I'll reward you with something more worthy of your
merits."
But Will was eyeing the lady shrewdly. His curiosity had been piqued. He couldn't possibly
return the purse now without questioning its contents. "What would a lady want with knuckle-bones?"
"Oh, it helps while away the time," the lady
replied with a light laugh. "I often play with
Prudence there," she added indicating the
plain-looking girl, who smiled wanly. "She's stupid
and dull," assessed the lady, scowling at the girl.
"She barely understands the game at all. None of them do!"
There was little reaction from the lady's servants.
In fact, they looked thoroughly bored, despite the
possible threat the outlaws posed on their lives. They
had obviously heard this complaint several times before.
The lady leaned forward on her horse as if she were about
to divulge something she didn't wish her servants to hear.
"I'm quite good, actually," the lady confided in a
whisper. "I wish I could find an opponent to match my
skill. I'd gladly relinquish my purse for an opportunity
to be bested. I always win, you see."
Will started to laugh. "Go on with you!"
"No, honestly. It's true."
"Prove it."
"Prove it?" questioned the lady. "How?"
"Well, we'll play a game, won't we?"
"Oh, I couldn't possibly."
"Why, 'cause I'm a wolfshead?"
"I couldn't possibly impose."
"Ah, ain't that sweet?" said Will to his
friends. "She couldn't possibly impose. Just like
a lady. She can boast about her virtues, but when
she's asked to--"
"Will..." warned Tuck.
"What will be the stakes?" asked the lady.
Everyone directed their attention back to her
in surprise.
"Well, you can't expect me to play
knuckle-bones without any stakes," said the lady.
"All right, then. If you win, you get to keep
your money."
"Will!" protested Tuck, John and Robin.
"Agreed," stated the lady, accepting Will's handshake.
Once the outlaws reached the camp, they pulled
their impulsive friend aside, hoping to talk some sense
into him.
"Do you really think this is a good idea,
Will?" asked Robin.
"Yeah, I do. And why not? I've got nothing
to lose by it."
"But we do," said Tuck.
"You're terrible at knuckle-bones, Will," stated
Much, attempting to address the crux of the problem.
"Who says?" demanded Will.
"We do!" countered a majority of the group.
"You're the worst player I've ever seen!" added
John.
"All right, so you lot have beaten me a few
times..."
"A few times? Try every time!" exclaimed his
leader. Will scowled and turned away from Robin.
However, Robin endeavoured to speak to Scarlet's
back all the same. "Please reconsider, Will, or at least have one of
us take your place," he pleaded.
"I ain't going to lose!" growled Scarlet.
"Not against some mad old woman, anyway!"
"Mad?" said Tuck. "She seems sharp enough to me!"
"I ain't going to lose," repeated Will firmly.
He pushed past his friends and left the secluded
glade they had chosen for their argument.
"Ah!" said the lady as Will entered the camp.
"Ready for our wager?"
"I'm ready."
"Good," replied the lady. "I'm glad." She removed
the cloak from her shoulders and spread it on the
ground. "Thank you," she said, accepting Robin's hand
as she lowered herself on to the cloak. Will sat down
just beyond it.
"Shall we begin?" asked the lady, loosening
the drawstring of her purse. She offered it to Will,
but the outlaw shook his head.
"You go first," said Will. "I insist."
The lady smiled and graciously inclined her head. "As you wish, my dear." She emptied the purse
on to her cloak and the two studied the pieces for
a moment in silence. Then the lady picked up all
the knuckle-bones and cast them into the air.
The outlaws gasped. All five pieces landed on the
back of her hand.
"Well, it would seem that the curse has yet to
be lifted," lamented the lady, shaking out her skirts.
Will remained on the ground, his head in his hands.
"Your curse must be a great burden, my
lady," commented Robin wryly.
"Yes, it is, indeed, but mostly because it seems
to hurt other people in the process," she explained.
She looked down at Will, who groaned in acknowledgement.
"I am most grateful to your friend for endeavouring
to help me, though it proved to no avail. If you would
be so kind as to give me my prize, I'll--"
"Your prize?" howled Will, his head snapping up in
an instant. "You've got your prize!"
"Ah, yes. I've been thinking about that. Is it
fair that I should win something that was truly mine
all along?"
"Always yours?" shouted Will. "We would have
stolen it if you hadn't made that wager!"
"But I did and you didn't."
"Didn't what?"
"Steal my money. If you had, then I would have
had something to win back."
"Why, you ungrateful--"
"Perhaps it would be best if you were on your
way," interrupted Robin, cutting into the argument
abruptly. "I would think that you'd like to
reach Nottingham before nightfall, Lady de Rainault."
"What?" cried Scarlet.
The other outlaws
simply stared at the lady, too shocked for words.
The Sheriff's mother smiled, revealing no trace
of shame or fear.
"I suppose I shall have to return another time
to claim my prize," she stated boldly.
"As you wish, my lady," replied Robin, who carried
a faint smile of his own. Lady de Rainault beckoned
him to her. The outlaw hesitated, then reluctantly
complied.
"I don't understand why everyone is so determined
to kill you," said Lady de Rainault. "You're such a fine amiable young man."
She laid a hand on his sleeve. "Hmmm...Yes. An
amiable young man, indeed!"
"I'm trying to remember, Gisburne. Is your
mother alive or dead?" questioned the Sheriff.
Gisburne stared at his employer, momentarily taken
aback. He didn't think he had mentioned his mother at
all. "She's dead, my lord."
"Ah, how very fortunate for you," said the
Sheriff.
"Yes, my lord. My lord..."
"You're wondering why I dislike her so? Why
the very thought of seeing her fills me with
unspeakable dread? Why I've gone to such lengths
all these years to maintain a distance of at least
a hundred miles between us?"
"No, my lord."
"No? Then what, Gisburne?"
"Why should she come here?"
"Well, to see me, of course!"
"Why now?"
"Why, indeed. Why does the woman do anything?"
"Perhaps she wants something, my lord,"
suggested Gisburne.
"Well, of course she wants something, Gisburne!
When has she ever not wanted something?"
"I don't know, my lord."
"Never!" answered the Sheriff. He picked up
his wine and drained the entire cup.
Gisburne waited
until his employer's temper had cooled a little before
he dared to ask another question. "What could she want, my lord?"
"A cup of wine, a hearty meal, and some
fine entertainment!" replied the subject of
Gisburne's query.
The Sheriff leapt from his chair. "Mother!"
"Lady de Rainault," announced the panting
servant. He had run all the way to the hall to catch
up with the lady who had managed to evade him.
The Sheriff stepped down from the dais tentatively.
"Robert, my dear boy!" said the lady, kissing
her son.
She must need money again, thought the
Sheriff. He attempted to smile cordially as his mother patted
his cheek with her cool slender fingers.
"Who's this?" the lady demanded, suddenly breaking
away from her son.
The Sheriff followed her gaze.
His eyes fell on Gisburne, who was having a bit of
difficulty keeping the smirk off his face.
"This is my steward," admitted the Sheriff.
"Sir Guy of Gisburne."
"Sir Guy," said the lady. Gisburne expected a curt nod at most, but the lady offered him her hand.
The knight strode forward quickly and kissed it. Under the circumstances, there wasn't much else he could do. "Welcome to Nottingham Castle, my lady," he
said, studying the Sheriff cautiously.
"Why, Robert, he's so sweet!" responded Lady
de Rainault, grasping Gisburne's hand before he
could withdraw it. "Perhaps you'd be good enough
to show me around the castle, Sir Guy."
"Yes, my lady. Whenever it pleases you."
"Now." It wasn't a question, but a command.
Gisburne glanced back at the Sheriff and received the curt nod he had been waiting for. "My lady, if you would follow me--"
Lady de Rainault linked her arm through his. "Proceed," she said.
"God's Teeth," murmured the Sheriff once they
had left. "She's not after money at all!"
"I can't believe she won!" shouted Will.
"I can't believe she's the Sheriff's
mother," said Tuck in disbelief.
"You mean she didn't make a confession?"
teased John, his remark catching his leader off
guard instead of the monk.
Tuck snorted. "That woman make a confession? I think
it's highly unlikely, John!"
"Well, I know one thing for certain," said John. "She had
Will pegged from the start."
"Now what is that supposed to mean?"
demanded Scarlet.
"It was a trap," explained Nasir.
"A trap!"
"And she led you straight into it," added Tuck.
"She said her mind wasn't as sharp as it once
was," began Much, attempting to come to his
friend's defence.
"Not as sharp anymore?" scoffed Tuck. "If it
was any sharper, she'd have conquered half of England
by now!"
Robin laughed. "Only half of it? I would have wagered all of
it!"
"Aye, but she isn't the only sharp one, is
she?" argued John, with a pointed glance at his
leader.
"Yes, how did you know who she was?" asked
Tuck.
John prodded Robin’s shoulder. "Come on, lad, tell us!"
"Well, I thought there was something familiar
about her, but I just couldn't place it. I think it
was the sly glint in those dark eyes of hers..."
"And?" asked Will, who was interested despite
his present misfortune.
Robin smiled. "Most people are relieved if they can leave
here with their lives. And I think it would be
difficult to find anyone who isn't happy if he can
pass through Sherwood with his purse intact..."
"But only the Sheriff's mother would be greedy
enough to want more than that," supplied Tuck with
a grin.
Robert de Rainault winced as the sound of
his mother's laughter came bounding into the hall.
She and Gisburne soon followed, their arms still linked.
"Thank you, Guy," said Lady de Rainault. "I found that most satisfying!"
The Sheriff raised an eyebrow at his steward, but
Gisburne wasn't giving anything away.
Lady de Rainault tore her eyes away from Gisburne reluctantly.
"Your steward has done a thorough job, Robert.
I believe there wasn't an inch of the castle we
didn't cover." Lady de Rainault cast a michievous glance at the knight. "He did such
excellent work that I feel quite weary now. Perhaps
you'd be so good as to escort me to my chamber, Sir
Guy?"
"No!" responded the Sheriff anxiously. "He
has important duties to attend to. However, if
you require an escort, I'll--"
Lady de Rainault released Gisburne's arm, though her hand lingered
on his arm for a moment. "I'll see you again later, I'm sure."
"Yes, my lady."
"No, dear, it's quite all right," Lady de Rainault told her
son as he stepped towards her. "I can find my own
way." She cast one last look at the
knight, then promptly left the hall.
"What do you think of her, Gisburne?" inquired
the Sheriff, once he was certain that his mother was
out of earshot. He scrutinized the young man's
face carefully, and Gisburne was forced to meet
his employer's eyes. "Ah, you're trying to determine which is
safer: diplomacy or honesty."
"My lord--"
"She's pursuing you, Gisburne," stated the
Sheriff bluntly.
"Pursuing me? I...I don't understand." The
Sheriff sighed.
The Sheriff sighed. "No, I rather thought you wouldn't. There are
two things you need to know about Eleanor de
Rainault, Gisburne. She has a penchant for
gambling and...young men." He studied his steward
again, trying to decipher whether the crease
in Gisburne's forehead represented disbelief
or incomprehension.
"Me?" uttered Gisburne at last.
"It would seem so, wouldn't you say?"
"Yes, my lord," answered Gisburne, attempting
to keep a straight face.
"Well, you needn't look so pleased about it!
We're speaking about my mother, man! Think about
it!"
The knight thought about it and suddenly
grew sombre.
"Gisburne, you must leave here at once," said the Sheriff.
"Yes, my lord." Gisburne turned on his
heel, assuming that he had been dismissed from the
hall.
"No, no! You must leave the castle,
Gisburne!"
The knight froze. Had it finally
happened? Was the Sheriff dismissing him
permanently...?
"I'll send you to Hugo."
"My lord?"
"Yes, you can spend a few days at St. Mary's.
You'll be safe there."
"But what if the Abbot asks why I've come?"
"Tell him that my mother is visiting Nottingham.
He'll understand."
"Er...yes, my lord. But, my lord, what if she
should decide to visit your brother?" asked
Gisburne in alarm.
"She doesn't particularly like Hugo," said the Sheriff. "I'm
certain you'll be safe enough. You'll leave immediately, won't you, Gisburne?"
