(A/N-Thanks to Lynn for beta reading this story. And thank you all who read, follow, and fav, and review it.)

"Has he been much trouble?" Regina asked her friend Marie, tightening her grip on Roland's hand as he tried to pull her down to the village street.

"No, he was great. He played with Zoe as good as an angel," she answered.

Regina lived on the the outskirts of the village of Grantchester and taught at a private school in the nearby town of Cambridge. Marie, her friend and school mate, had visited her when Roland was born and ended up married to a local vet. Her daughter was born eighteen months younger than Roland, and Marie picked him up from the village infant school where Marie attending the nursery section and kept him until Regina got back about an hour later and collected him.

"Thanks. You have no idea how much I appreciate your taking care of him for me. Next week, is half term, thank goodness. So it will only be about six weeks after that before Aunt Lila returns from her holiday, if that is okay with you?"

"Stop worrying, Regina. It's not a problem. Now go, it is getting cold out here," Marie said.

"Okay," Regina laughed, and with a wave strolled down the drive to the pavement, Roland skipping along at her side.

Her aunt had gone on holiday to Italy, and in the four days since she'd left Regina had come to realize just how much she had depended on her aunt to help with Roland over the years. She had been there for Regina when she gave birth to Roland, and later looked after Roland while Regina qualified as a teacher and then worked.

When Regina had started school in September Regina has encouraged her aunt to finally take the two month holiday she had been planning for ages, to visit her oldest friend in Italy. Her Aunt Lila deserved the break. She had always loved Regina and had been there for her, and in the last few years for Roland as well, of course.

Regina glanced down at her little boy. He was lucky and so was she.

Being a teacher was an advantage for a single mum, she thought contentedly. She had the same holidays as the infant school, and next week she could relax with Roland. They were going to redecorate his bedroom. She had never got around to removing the baby blue decor, and Roland now wanted a Robin Hood theme styled bedroom or one with racing cars from one of his favorite movies .

"Mummy! Mummy!" he yelled, and stopped, forcing her to stop as well.

"Yes, darling, what is it?" Regina asked.

"Can I have a car like that one over there on my wall?" He was pointing at a car parked on the opposite side street of the street.

She chuckled. It was a low slung lethal looking black monster, with huge wheels, illegally parked in front of the post office, just the sort to appeal to young boys or old, she thought dryly.

"Mum, Mum, can we go and see what kind of car it is...?" Roland asked her.

But Regina barely heard Roland's excited request as the car door opened and a man stepped out.

Long and lean, he wore black hip hugging jeans and a sweater and he looked as dark and dangerous as the car itself...

Robin Locksley...

She watched in stunned amazement as in a few lithe strides he was over the road and standing in front of her.

"Regina, this is a surprise. I thought it was you, but the child threw me when I heard him call you Mum," Robin said.

His deeply voice greeting set every nerve in her body on edge, and she could do nothing about the sudden leap in her pulse. Steeling herself to remain calm,she glanced at him and politely said,"Hello, Robin," conscious of her son at her side.

"I wasn't aware you had a child. Nobody told me," Robin's piercing blue eyes sliced through her like a knife, and she had never seen such rage, quickly controlled as he turned his attention to her son.

"Hello, young man. I heard you telling your mum you liked my car." He smiled down at Roland. "It is the latest model Bently convertible."

"Wow! Does that mean the roof comes off?" Roland asked with eyes like saucers.

"Yes, a the press of a button. Would you like to see the inside? Or I have a better idea, let's go for a drive. Would you like that young man?" Robin asked.

"No!" Regina snapped, tugging Roland closer to her side. "He knows he must never get into a stranger's car." And she wished he had not yelled 'Mum!' quite so loud, not that it would have made such a difference.

Robin turned his head and stared down at her, and the look in his eyes made her blood freeze.

"Admirable. Definitely the touch of a mother. But you and I are not strangers, Regina, so there is no harm in introducing me to your son, is there?" he asked silkily.

He knew...That was her first thought, then common sense prevailed. Robin might have his suspicions, but he could not possible know for certain, and she was not about to tell him.

She stood very still and moistened her suddenly dry lips with the tip of her tongue as she considered her options. She could walk off with Roland and ignore Robin, or to stop any suspicion he might have she could be polite. Good manners won.

"Roland," she said, looking down into her son's upturned face,"this is Robin." She swallowed hard, forcing a smile to her stiff lips. "We used to know each other," She could not lie and call the man a friend. "Say hello, Roland."

Roland looked at her with a hint of puzzlement in his eyes, then shifted his gaze to stare solemnly up at Robin. "Hello, Robin. I am Roland Mills. I live at Appletree Cottage, here in Grantchester."

Regina wanted to scream. Last year she had spent weeks teaching Roland to say his name and address, in case he ever got lost, and how he reeled it off to the last man she ever wanted to know it.

Then her traitorous son looked back at her, a huge grin on his face,"So now can I have a ride in the man's car, Mum?"

She shook her head helplessly, her own son was as sharp as a tack, and before she could answer Robin cut in.

"Yes, of course you can Roland. I'll give you and your mum a lift home."

How dared Robin presume to answer Roland for her? He had no right, and her maternal instincts were aroused along with her temper. She told him straight.

"No, you won't. Apart from everything else," like deciding in his high handed manner what they could do, she thought scathingly,"it it illegal for a child to travel in a car unless a child seat is fitted, and I doubt you have one or that this model is equipped to have one fitted." She cast a disparaging glance at the black monster parked. "We will walk home."

"But, Mum-"

"Sorry, son. Your mother is right." Robin said.

Robin glanced at her, and she saw the cynical twist to his lips. Her heart sank to her boots at his casual use of the word, son. She suspected it was not casual at all...

Somehow he knew. But how he had found out she had no idea, and given the one memorable occasion Robin had clearly told her he didn't want a child, saying having a child was not on his agenda, why he was getting involved surprised her...

"Yes, but there is a car seat in Mum's car you can use if you come home with us. Can he, Mum?"

"Good idea, Roland, if your mother will agree."

Two set of adorable dimples set on her, anticipating her answer. The last thing she needed was for Robin to know she still had the car he had given her.

"I don't think that is a good idea. It is quite difficult taking the child seat in and out of my car. Plus it is getting late, and you have to have your tea, and remember Roland, your bed time is seven thirty." She listed every excuse she could think of. "And I'm sure Mr. Locksley is a very busy man. Maybe some other time."

"Not so busy. But I take your point about the seat, Regina." His tone mocked her. "I have an idea." Glancing down at his watch, he smiled down at Roland. "While you and your mum go home for tea I have a few calls to make. But I'll be back by six, with a car seat, and we can go for a spin then, how does that sound?"

Horrible, Regina thought bitterly. But, seeing the beaming smile on her son's face as he asked her if that was okay, she hadn't the heart to disappoint him again.

"If Mr. Locksley is sure, that is fine with me," she lied.

"I'm sure."

He gave her a cold, hard glance, and she had the sinking sensation he was not just talking about a car ride. But with a bit of luck, she thought, clutching at straws, even Robin might not be able to get a car seat in time on a late Friday evening.

"I will be back, Regina. You can count on me."

His voice was deep and menacing, and it made her want to grab her son and run. But instead she met his eyes with her own, her lips twisting in a bitter smile as a memory of another time and place replayed in her mind.

"So you say."

Robin had said the exact words to her when he had left to go to his father's birthday and he had lied then. Remembering the past gave her the determination to stand up to him. He had not wanted a child five years ago, but he sure as hell was not getting hers now...

"Believe it," he declared, and ruffled Roland's hair with his hand added,"See you at six, Roland." He strode back to his car and drove off.

Robin Locksley clasped the wheel white knuckled as he drove, his head was spinning. He hadn't been expected to meet them. He had merely stopped at the post office asking for directions when he had caught sight of Regina walking down the drive of the house opposite.

Seeing her holding onto the child at her side, had made him almost freeze in shock. The child at her side looked very much like photos of himself at that age...

Roland was his...He would bet his life on it. But it made no sense. A week ago he had been looking at the picture of mother and son, he had felt his suspicion aroused. Robin had called his personal doctor and friend Charles, asking to meet for dinner one night and asked him about the miscarriage without mentioning that Regina had another baby. Charles had confirmed there was no doubt that Regina had lost her baby. He had consulted with Doctor Elliot at the time and read the medical notes. The sex of the child had not been indistinct. Then, having drunk more than he should, Charles had admonished Robin for leaving such a delightful young man and had recalled that she had not kept her appointment at his clinic, not surprising, under the circumstances.

Robin had made no comment, there was no reason for Charles to know it had been the other way around. His ego had taken a beating where Regina was concerned. Was it possible the doctors had been wrong?

They have to have been! Somehow Regina had lied and fooled them all into believing she had miscarried. He had seen he look in her eyes and knew she was hiding something from him.

His son!

An hour later Regina was placing two plates of food onto the kitchen table, she saw Roland about to sit down at his chair and picked him up and hugged him,"I love you, Roland." she told him, then let him wiggle out of her arms and onto the chair.

As they ate their dinner, her mind was reeling. Robin had no proof that Roland was his, and as long as she denied it there was precious little he could do about it. If he pressed it, she would show him that he could no longer intimidate her, and would fight him every step of the way.

Regina looked at her clock. Six-forty-five, Robin was late... She cleared the table and washed the dishes in between answering a constant flow of questions from Roland about Robin's car, and what the time was, and when the man was coming back. With a bit of luck, he would never come back, she thought. The heartless jerk had never returned when he'd promised her he would, why would his promise to her child be any different? Roland might be upset for awhile, but he would get over his disappointment.

"Roland, it's time for your bath, then a story, then bed," Regina said.

"But what about my ride in the car? Your friend promised."

The disappointment in his brown eyes touched her heart. He was so young and innocent, and she did not want to be the one to destroy his trust. "Maybe something can up, but maybe he'll come back another day."

"Do you think so?"

"Oh, I'm sure he will." A wry smile curved her mouth as Roland went to his feet, his happiness restored, while hers was in danger of being destroyed with the arrival of Robin into her nice, well ordered life.

Just then the doorbell rang. Oh hell! She swore under her breath, but Roland was already out of the sitting room and running to the front door.

Regina followed and opened the door, Robin was standing on the doorstep, a broad smiled on his face for Roland, who had pushed her back.

"You came back. Mummy said you would."

"Your mummy knows me well. And I have got a child seat fitted, so if she agrees we can take that ride now."

"You are late," Regina said, angry because to her horror her heart had leaped at the right of him and she realized she found Robin as incredible attractive as ever. "Roland's bedtime is seven-thirty."

"Please, Mum," Roland begged as he looked at her.

"Well, it had better be a quick trip," Regina finally agreed.

Ten minutes later, she was sitting stiffly in the passenger seat of the car, silently simmering with resentment. There was no escaping the fact that Roland was happy and completely at ease with his new found friend, and she wondered what evil trick of fate had landed her in this mess.

She could hear the excitement in Roland's voice as Robin gave him instructions on how to drive over the roar of the engine. More than she could ever imagined possible, she realized a minute later, when the car came to a stop as the traffic lights outside London Bridge Hospital changed to red and she heard Roland chattering happily to Robin.

"That's where I went when I broke my arm, and the man said I was very brave when he mended it," she heard Roland bragging cheerfully. "Mum had me there, and I am a miracle baby, because I had a twin, but it died before I was born."

Regina closed her eyes, the color draining from her face. Why, oh, why had she taken the advice of the baby books so literally and told her son the truth? She must have been crazy, because now it had come back to bite her with a vengeance.

"That is very interesting, Roland," she heard Robin respond.

She opened her eyes and saw Robin was looking directly at her.

"Out of the mouth of babes, Regina?" Robin mocked, and the gleam of bitter triumph in his eyes chilled her to the core.

"I am not a baby. I am nearly five and a big boy now," Roland stated, saving her from responding. Thankfully Robin's attention was diverted from her back to Roland.

Regina stared blindly out the window as the lights changed and Robin drove on. Roland was a miracle baby, and her mind drifted back to the past as the familiar landscape sped by.

She had been living with her Aunt Lila for nearly two months when she had finally told her aunt about her disastrous love affair and the miscarriage she had suffered. The reason being that a week earlier she had visited her local GP because she had been suffering from slight nausea and a bloated feeling, and she had been worried something was wrong. She had told her GP about the miscarriage, and she voiced her worry about leaving too hasty without having the D & C done.

Regina could still remember the sense of awe and wonderment after her GP had asked her some questions and examined her stomach. She had told her she was sixteen weeks pregnant, and the baby was fine. She'd arranged for her to have an ultrasound scan at the local hospital and told her she had nothing to worry about. It was a rare occurrence, but originally she must have been carrying twins, not identical, and had lost only one.