Maria opened one eye blearily as she heard a crash in her room. It was too early to get up. It was still dark for one thing. A muffled "Ow!" had followed the crash. She didn't need to be a psychic to know that voice.
"Robin what on earth do you think you're doing in my bedroom before dawn?" she snapped.
"Oh? Is that where that tunnel comes out?" he replied innocently, although she heard the laugh in his voice.
"You should know, you've used it often enough. Although normally you have the grace to visit me in the daytime."
She heard him laugh as he felt his way over to her bed and perched comfortably on the end of it. "I knew you'd be rushed off your feet today so I figured I'd see you now since I won't get a chance later."
"Today? What's today?" Maria shifted into a sitting position.
"How could you have forgotten?" even through the moonlit darkness she could see his incredulity.
"It's too early. You know my brain refuses to function this early in the morning."
"Stop pouting, princess. It's the weddings today."
"Oh right. You'd think they'd have the decency to have separate weddings if just for my sake. Stop rolling your eyes, Robin." She heard him rather than saw him.
"You've been complaining about that for a month. Ever since you were named maid of honour to both brides, in fact. I think I have the right to roll my eyes, don't you?"
"I haven't been that bad have I?"
"No princess, you haven't. But you can't exactly rant to them about it so I guess I'll just have to suffer it."
"Oh you poor boy."
"Stop patronising me! You know how much I hate that."
"You patronise me awfully, so it's only fair that I patronise you back."
"I know you're smirking so stop it."
Maria giggled, and Robin was pleased it was so dark; a rather fierce blush had crept up over his cheeks. What was this girl doing to him?
Hurriedly Robin cleared his throat. "Got your speech all ready?"
"Yes. But you're not hearing it until the picnic."
"The big event is of course your uncle and Loveday. Digweed and Miss Heliotrope are just tying the knot and then focusing the attention on the other pair. Still, both ladies need someone to hold their petticoats for them."
"I'm never going to hear the end of that am I?"
Robin sniggered. "Of course not!"
"Let the record show that I only asked you once. We were climbing trees and I was in danger of slipping. Not all of us grew up running wild in the forest."
"I did not run wild. Just because I'm not a little princess like you doesn't mean I can't be civilised. I didn't look up your skirt when I had such an easy chance, did I? Despite how big the temptation was."
"Fine, I'll admit that at times you can be a perfect gentleman. But only when it suits you it seems."
"Sh!"
"No I will not shush!"
"Forgive my rudeness, princess, but shut up! Someone's coming."
Maria listened and heard the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps up the tower stairs. "Quick! Under the bed."
Robin scrambled round and wedged himself out of sight under her bed as the door opened and Loveday entered with a candle. Maria pretended to wake up when the older woman gently shook her awake.
"Morning Maria." Loveday smiled kindly, setting the candlestick down beside the bed. "It's dawn, dearest. I wanted to chat before we make ourselves beautiful for our boys."
"Boys? Oh you mean uncle."
"You can be coy all you want, but there's a reason we chose your dress."
"Your plan's not going to work by the way."
"Of course it is. The pair of you have been making eyes at each other since you jumped off the cliff and the rest of us think it's high time something was done about it."
"Loveday, that's a blatant falsehood. We have not been making eyes at each other."
"Sweetheart, a woman in love can always tell when another woman is in love."
"I am not in love!"
"Deny it all you want, but I will wager anything that when you make your speech today you will look at him when you get to the love stuff."
"Please, I'll be looking anywhere but at him for those bits." Maria chuckled scornfully.
"Well that's where my plan can step up. One; he will be unable to keep his eyes off you in that dress. Two; your speech will make him fall in love with you. Three; the wine will give him the courage he needs to actually do something about the way he feels about you."
"He doesn't feel that for me. I'm his friend, that's it."
"But you feel that for our Bird-boy don't you." it was a statement more than a question.
Maria heard Robin exclaim in disbelief at being called 'Bird-boy' the name Loveday frequently used to annoy him, and Maria covered it with a hasty coughing fit.
"See, Maria, darling, this day isn't just about the upcoming nuptials, it's a great day of union for other promising couples. And right now you young people are the only promising couple left in Moon Valley."
"I understand that, but things can't magically happen when we want them to. I threw the pearls back into the sea remember?"
"Joke all you like, but I have a good feeling about today."
"You should it's your wedding day. And uncle might actually go through with it this time."
"All right, young lady, enough of that, we have to go get ready." Loveday pulled the teenager out of bed and out of the door.
Robin was just coming out from his hiding place, a grin firmly affixed to his face, when the door opened again and Maria came back in. If possible the grin on the boy's face got wider.
"Ooh!" Maria declared before pushing him towards the secret passage. "Not one word about what you overheard, got it?"
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"And I better not see that grin by the time we get to the cliff this morning."
He turned in the opened passage doorway, and tipped his hat with a cheeky wink before slipping out of sight.
Rolling her eyes Maria reached over and picked up the candle from her bed, blew it out and fled the room, wanting to be out of it as soon as possible.