OH! Finally managed to finish chapter nine .. It took a while but here it is …
Chapter 9 – Stay!
The more Guy looked at his wife that morning, the more he felt offended and angry.
It was not only that she had removed the necklace, which had become his ultimate proof that he could make a woman like Isabelle fall in love with him. This was true, of course. Every day he would see it and know that what he had now was real and that it was his. After he had bought it, seeing it on his wife's neck he thought the rubies suited her so well. It brought light to her eyes and it went well with the colors in her hair. His wife was lovely, he thought often. Quite possibly the most beautiful woman in Nottinghamshire… More so then Marian, that was obvious … And the necklace not only complemented her beauty but it was a sign that she had given her heart away.
But today the necklace was not there anymore. And the leather collar that had replaced it pained Guy deeply. It was simple and black and it held her neck tightly under it's grip. It reminded Guy of a dog collar more then anything. And it was starring back almost saying: "She has an owner" … And the true problem was that Guy knew it wasn't him.
He tried to restrain himself and not say anything. His behavior the day before did not leave space for accusations now … But every time he looked at her, the collar faced him back and he felt it as slaps across the face. It was mocking him. … Until he could not bare it anymore and spoke:
"You did not like it after all", he said in a hurt voice pointing to her neck with his eyes then quickly lowering his head down to his plate.
She looked up at him, slightly surprised as if he had brought her back from some dream … "What do you mean, my lord?", she asked innocently …
This aggravated Guy even more for he was sure she knew exactly what he meant … "Your necklace …', he said this time looking into her eyes.
"Of course I do, my lord", she said quickly … "What makes you think that I don't?" she continued with a cunning smile.
It was all Guy could do not to get up and wipe that smile off her face. He tightened his grip on his fork and spoke through his teeth:
"You are not wearing it …"
"I felt it was time for a change …", she replied mysteriously.
Even if to anyone else present her response might have seemed to indicate a simple change of necklaces, Guy knew it actually meant much more. And the implications even if still uncertain did not leave him in a state of ease.
But there was no time to sort this problem properly. He was due to leave in a few hours and that meant there were still quite a great number of things that needed his attention straight away. He picked up his napkin, wiped his mouth and threw it back on the table in aggravation. He then stood up from the table and said: "I have to leave you now, my lady. There are many things I have to attend to before I leave ". He underlined the last two words because he knew how the idea of him leaving had troubled her the night before and he hoped for some kind of response: hurt, anger … anything would do.
Instead, she just bowed her head slightly and continued eating without even as much as eye contact. As if his departure was nothing to her anymore.
He felt silly standing there by the table so he quickly turned around and walked out of the room.
The easiest way to know that the master was coming was by hearing his footsteps through the house. The sound of metal and leather against the ground would be the surest indication that he was coming your way.
The people of Locksley knew this sound well and more often then not it brought shivers down their spines, for it seldom brought good news.
Today was no different. Guy walked through the hallways with giant steps, pressing firmly on the ground. He was angry but most of all he was anxious. He had to leave Locksley as soon as possible. He wanted to be out on the road and closer to achieving his plan. This time he would hit Robin Hood as hard as he possibly could.
The thought of Hood and his gang laughing at his failed marriage to Marian … the thought of Hood priding himself on being the true receiver of Marian's love had been often contemplated by Gisborne in the lonely six months before his marriage to Isabelle …and no amount of wine or women had been able to stop him from dwelling on it … until there was her …
But now walking through the hallway a quite different thought was being contemplated … and that was the sweet taste of revenge. It was going to be his. He had earned it and now he was going to collect it, one way or another.
The first recipients of the sound Gisborne's boots were producing were his soldiers and it was soon fallowed by him walking into the room with no ceremonies.
Knowing their commander's impatient nature, the men were already in gear and ready to leave whenever he wished it.
He stood up, towering his men with his arms across his chest and a look that were all proving he meant business:
"Right …", he began decisively … "we will go today to escort taxes for the Sheriff. On our way back we will hunt down Robin Hood". He looked around to make sure everyone was getting the messages … "There will be no room for error. Do you understand?" …The men nodded so Guy turned around and headed for the door … Before leaving, he turned his head slightly: "Huntington", he addressed the lieutenant over the shoulder ... The man quickly came forward. "Come with me …and bring ten of your best men", he added and then left the room, fallowed closely by the lieutenant.
Guy steps quickened as he made his way to the yard in front of the manor … There he stopped briefly and faced Huntington: "You will stay here with your men", he informed him, "and keep guard over my house".
"Yes, sir", the lieutenant replied.
Huntington was a man of few words. This sat very well with Guy. After all he did not want to make interesting conversation. He wanted a man of action… "We will go and check on the barns together .. to how much is in each one and that everything is in order", Guy continued. Huntington nodded.
Guy approached him and leaned over in a private yet menacing manner … "If anything goes missing while I am away, I will hold you responsible".
Huntington once again nodded, only this time he did so in a much less confident way.
Guy started walking away from his lieutenant and towards the barn but stopped midway, as if he had remembered something. He came closer to Huntington once more. "While I am away, Lady Gisborne is not to leave Locksley under any circumstances …"
Huntington was unsure of the order: "Sir?"
Guy continued as if he had not noticed the man's confusion … "She will have the freedom of the Locksley lands, of course, but she is not to go over it's borders … I'm in charging you with this", he added this in such a manner that Huntington might realize that this was without a doubt one of his most important tasks.
Then realizing that this order might give way to a commanding attitude towards his wife, Guy continued: "Just to make it perfectly clear … She is my wife. You have to obey her in anything that she might order you … with the exception of this. And try to keep your vigilance over her as discreet as possible … She is not a prisoner … She must be treated with respect."
Huntington once again nodded … "Yes, sir."
Guy spent another three seconds looking down on his lieutenant just to make sure that he understood the order and then turned away and left.
Guy spent the next hour checking on the supplies in the barn, making sure that everything was in order and that Huntington knew the points in which he should place his men.
But the next two inspections he was going to do alone. First he went to the room in which he kept his fortune. He wanted to see if everything was in order which it was so he locked the door and placed the key in his pocket. He was not going to leave at home. After all the estate had enough supplies to last them until he came back and he wanted to avoid any temptation on the part of his soldiers. You could never be too careful.
Then he made his way to the cellar, where he kept his most prized possession. He made his way down the stairs and to the locked door that was keeping it safe. He reached for the key which he kept in the same pocket and was close to opening it when he heard the steps of the stairs creaking under the weight of someone.
He quickly turned around and put his hand on his waist, over his sword, ready to pull it out. His face soon rid itself of the determination that had overcame it just moments earlier and a surprised, suspicious look took its place: "What are you doing here?"
Isabelle sat midway on the staircase, looking awkward … "I was coming to check on the … on the …". She struggled to find the words as he approached her slowly and started climbing the steps, getting ever closer to her.
"The what?", he asked in a whisper holding his mouth next to her ear, so that his breath would gently and lightly touch her neck. She shivered under his closeness and flushed instantly. This was the reason he did it. He loved the predatory sensation that this way of unsettling her caused in him. But now there was something else. He did not like anyone in the cellar, who had no place there. Thornton and one of the kitchen maids were the only ones authorized to go in and take whatever they needed for the running of the house.
"To check to see if there was enough flour and sugar left", she finally said.
"These kind of tasks I have entrusted to Thornton and Mary …", he said in a slightly rough voice pulling away from her.
"Yes, they had told me that", she replied looking into the ground, "but I thought it best to tend to such matters myself".
"How so?", he asked intrigued and a little angry that she had disobeyed his orders.
"I am the lady of the house", she said looking up at him. "It is my duty to make sure that I know exactly what is going on at all times … that includes provisions". "At least this is what I did at my father's house" …."But,", she added in a hurt voice, "if you do not trust me with these tasks then I will stop", and turned around to walk out of the cellar.
Guy grabbed her hand softly and brought her back to him. He reached for her face and caressed her tenderly: "Of course, I trust you, my lady …", he said with honesty in his eyes. "I apologize for my lack of consideration towards your duties as lady of the house". He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him in a sweet embrace: "You see … I have been alone a long time and some of the details of married life still escape me", he said with a wolfish smile on his face … "But I hope that you can forgive me these lapses …". With that he grabbed one of her hair locks and started entangling it around his finger and dropped his head down and kissed her.
It was a soft, gentle kiss, as he tenderly covered her mouth with his and lightly touched her lips over and over again.
She grabbed his coat tightly and kissed him back almost desperately, wanting to drink him all in as if there was no tomorrow …
"Whoa!", he finally said. "Slowed down, Isabelle. The cellar, I can assure you is not the most comfortable place for such behavior but if you continue in that way I shall have to prove it to you", he concluded with his usual half grin and kissed her softly on the nose, this way putting an end to the erotic turn that their brief meeting had taken. It was a shame, for he was going to be away for several days. Days in which he was sure he would miss the smell of her skin and the touch of her hair terribly. But, he reassured himself, he was going to make up for it when he came back.
He grabbed her hand and they both walked out of the cellar which he closed tightly, after which they made their way to the courtyard.
The yard looked agitated. There were soldiers everywhere, grabbing their weapons, arranging their horses. The people of Locksley had stopped from their daily chorus to look at the sight before them. Everyone knew that the soldiers, headed by Gisborne would go to intercept the taxes for the Sheriff. Guy had made sure of it. He was certain that one of them would spread the word far enough to reach Hood's ears. And this time there was no Marian to interfere and spill the truth about his planes to the outlaws.
He walked out of the manor and started making his way to his horse which had been already prepared, all the time holding his wife's hand. "That is Huntington", he said pointing to the lieutenant who was busy talking to some of his men on one side of the yard. "He will stay on and offer you protection while I am away."
Isabelle's face turned to wax but she quickly composed herself. "He must be trust worthy, my lord. For you to leave him in such a position", she said with suspicion in his voice.
"He has proven himself to me", Guy said quickly, grabbing his horse and in doing so letting go of her hand.
She quickly grabbed it back and turned him around to face her. Something was clearly bothering her. "Do you trust him completely, my lord?"
"Yes", he replied confused and angry that she was questioning his judgment and delaying his departure. The truth was that his mind was not in Locksley since the moment he came out of the house. It had already started to check the details of his attack . "Why do you ask?". He forced himself to show interest.
She did not answer his question … Instead she continued: "Do you trust him with your wife?"
This made Guy stand up in a rigid manner and give her one of his cold, blue looks. "Is there any reason why I shouldn't?", he asked menacingly.
His look and his distant way of talking to her, made Isabelle pull away slightly from him, conceal her worries and simply say: "Of course not, my lord. I was just concerned about his character."
Guy took this as a sign of her fear of being alone, so he put his hand on her face and said: "Do not worry yourself, my lady. Huntington knows his place. He is here to take care of your security and that of my house …". "And besides", he added in a cheerful way, "I will not be gone for long … just four days". He smiled at her and brought her chin up so she would look in his eyes.
He was looking into her eyes expecting a smile of serenity from her. She did not feel serene but had no other choice but to give him what he wanted.
This made him contented and he removed his and from her face.
"I wish you a safe return, my lord", she said with a tight smile, taking a small bow and then quickly turned around and made her way towards the house, and in doing so hiding the tears that she could no longer repress from him.
Guy was disappointed. He had expected a slightly tenderer good-bye. Perhaps a kiss. What she had given him felt more as a separation.
But it was not important now. He had more important things to think about as he made his way out of Locksley with his men and in pursuit of the revenge that his blood thirsty heart was demanding.
Author's note: So … only one chapter is left until the end of this first part of my story. Hope you've liked it so far because in the second part it's going to take some drastic turns.
