Three days passed, and Juliana had only one last bundle of letters to find. Sir Robert had the things hidden all over the house. Two in the kitchen, one in his room, one in Edward's room and two in Marian's. She cursed his manservant, Elgin. She knew he'd been the one to hide the things for him, Sir Robert was not in good enough health to get around and hide things in rafters, fastened to the bottoms of drawers, and up on the highest shelves in rooms.
She paced around the kitchen, trying to think of any place she hadn't looked yet. Stopping and staring out the window, she saw the stables. Oh, he didn't! Groaning and grabbing her cloak, she headed out.
The last three days had been quite nice. She was almost tempted to stay there. Almost. She had to get back as soon as possible, not knowing what was happening at the castle was driving her mad. She was reluctant to admit that seeing Sir Guy was one reason she was eager to return. She couldn't let herself get distracted. No matter how appealing he may be, she had a job to do. She with the help of Guy and the Sheriff was going to take down her father.
She stopped in mid-step as she realized she had no idea what their plot was. She'd have to make sure to ask Guy about that when she returned. Her stomach seemed to lurch when she thought of Guy. Their last meeting in her room before she left was tense to say the least. She had no idea when she'd told him of the story she'd concocted for Marian that it would provoke such a response. Was his reaction a good thing?, she wondered. Was her story based partly on truth? She sighed and absently stroked a nearby horse. How would she face him?
Shaking her head, she began her search. Finding nothing in the tack, she glanced up with a scowl at the hayloft.
"You would, wouldn't you, Elgin?" she groaned as she hiked up her skirts and began to climb the ladder.
Poking about in the hay, she continued to curse both her father and his man. Growling as she was once again stabbed by a piece of dry, hardened straw, she plopped down, deciding to take a break.
"Like a needle in a haystack." she murmured as she looked around her.
On the beam just feet above her, she saw what looked to be another bundle.
"I'm going to kill you, Elgin." she hissed as she got to her feet and stretched as much as she could, trying to reach the package and failing miserably. "I'm going to chain you up..." she added as she looked around for something to either stand on or to use to knock the package down. Spying a discarded wooden crate on the floor below, she took a deep breath to keep herself calm. "Getting annoyed won't do you any good." she reminded herself.
She struggled up the ladder with the crate, finding herself quite proud of the fact that she'd nearly fallen only twice during her climb. Finally, she reached the top, she set the crate down and climbed on top of it, testing to see if it'd take her weight. Gingerly standing on tip-toe, she stretched her short arms out as much as she was able and just barely caught the edge of the package as the crate creaked ominously.
Marian was in the front yard of her father's house giving instructions to a man who was to help her plant a new garden. The weather had been becoming warmer the last few days, signaling the coming of summer. She was eager to see the garden in full bloom.
She turned as she heard the approach of a horse. Sir Guy. The nerve of him!, she thought. How dare he show his face here mere days after he'd hurt her friend so?
"Marian." Guy said as he stopped and slid off his horse.
"Sir Guy." Marian replied coolly, anger showing on her face.
"Is Juliana about?" Guy asked, unnerved by the glare Marian was shooting him.
"Why?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest, ready to defend her friend.
"I need to speak to her." he answered.
"Is something wrong with Sir Robert?" she asked, foot tapping as she spoke.
"No." Guy shook his head. Obviously Marian had bought the story Juliana had spun. She really was quite a convincing liar.
"Then I can't think of any reason you should want to speak to her." Marian said. "Good day, Sir Guy!" she added dismissively.
"Could you at least tell her I'm here?" Guy asked, his ire rising. Damn Juliana and her lie.
"No." she answered simply. "You've hurt her, and why?" she said. "I've told you already..."
"I know." he said, cutting her off, not wanting to hear her tell him yet again that she'd no interest in him. "If I could just speak with her." he repeated, resisting the urge to shake Marian.
"I've already..." Marian was cut off by a crashing noise from the stables.
"What was that?" Guy asked, looking back to Marian.
"I don't know." she said, turning to inspect the stables. "Stay here!" she snapped when she saw Guy move to follow.
Ordering him about as though he were a dog, Guy tried hard to keep his temper in check. Deciding to ignore her command, he followed behind at a distance. As they drew closer, Juliana stumbled out of the stables limping.
"Jules!" Marian said as she went running to her friend. "What happened?"
"Oh, nothing." Juliana said, waving Marian off. "Just tripped and fell into an old crate." she explained.
"What did you trip on?" Guy asked, rather amused at the look Juliana shot him.
"A carrot." she answered, turning back to Marian.
"A carrot?" Marian asked, stifling a laugh.
"Yes." Juliana said, glaring again at Guy who wasn't as successful as Marian at hiding his amusement. Damn him! "I was giving the horses a little treat, and one of them dropped their carrot, and I didn't notice until I tripped on it."
"Well, you should come inside and sit down." Marian said. "If you'd please move." she added, shooing Guy out of the way.
"Could I have a word with you, Juliana?" Guy asked as moved aside for the two to pass.
"Why?" she asked nervously.
"To discuss our conversation from a few days back." he answered, staring intently at her.
"What could you possibly have to discuss?" Marian snapped as the man helping with the gardening opened the front door. "You've humiliated her..."
"It's fine, Marian." Juliana said as she was helped into a chair near the fire.
"Fine?" Marian asked.
"Yes." Juliana nodded, wanting, at least a part of her, to hear what Guy had to say.
"Fine." Marian said, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "I'll go and heat some water so you can soak your foot." she added as she stalked out of the room.
"Thank you." Juliana said as she and Guy both watched her leave the room. "Well?" she asked, hoping her nerves didn't show too much in her voice.
"Your sister-in-law came in before I could finish." he said, looking around the room.
He took a moment or two before doing or saying anything at all. Juliana stared at him in confusion and anxiety. He was driving her mad. What was he going to say next? Just spit it out!, she thought.
Guy stalled, wanting to make sure Marian wasn't about to come back in while he spoke. He wasn't very good at this sort of thing, that didn't help much. And when he had tried, it had been with Marian, and well, that didn't go so well, now did it? Juliana was different though, he thought. She did actually seem to like him. And she had come up with the story she'd told Marian. Was there something to that? Pacing around the room, he didn't notice how much time had gone by until Marian came walking back in with a maid helping her carry a tub of warm water.
"Will you be leaving now?" Marian asked, shooting daggers at him.
"I think I will." he said. "Good day." he said as he left, feeling like an idiot. Damn women!
Juliana stared after him in confusion and dismay.
"What did he say?" Marian asked as soon as she heard the door close and the sound of his horse's hooves disappear.
"Nothing." she said as she slumped back in her chair.
"He wanted to speak to you so he could say nothing?" Marian asked, brow furrowed in confusion.
"Apparently so." she said as she took her foot out of the water and moved it around. "Feels better already." she added. "I do think I'll be going back to the castle."
"What?" Marian asked as she pulled a footstool over and sat in front of Juliana.
"It's been three days." she sighed. "Whoever has been made to take over for me is probably going mad by now."
"What can I do or say to convince you to stay here?" Marian asked.
"Nothing." Juliana said as she gingerly stood up. "I do appreciate what you and your father have done, but I need to get back to my own father."
"You're stubborn." Marian said as she stood, too.
"You're one to talk." Juliana laughed. "Thank you. You have no idea what it means to know that I can come here when I need to get away."
"So long as you know you can come here." Marian said. "Are you leaving now, or will you at least have lunch with us first?"
"Lunch first of course." she said. "Then, I shall be off to play sick nurse to the old grouch again."
"You..." Marian began.
"Stop, just get food." Juliana said, as she gave Marian a playful shove towards the kitchen.
She was eager to be off back to the castle. Not only did she need to speak to her brothers, but she had determined to get to the bottom of whatever it was Guy was going to say. Nerves gone, she decided she was going to take charge of whatever might be going on between the two of them. Not ladylike, but then, she didn't really care. She had said she didn't need any distractions, but, everyone needed a one now and again. Hers would just be clad in black leather. She smiled to herself as she plotted things out in her mind.