"Tell me it is a coincidence!" The Sheriff launched a goblet to the hearth, his fury at its peak. Guy rubbed his hand over his beard and repeated himself.

"I do not know." His words were precise and deliberate. It was taking every cell of his body to restrain him from releasing his temper onto the leader of Nottingham.

"Did you not tell me she knew Hood? Hmmm? And yet you will stand here and defend that wretched - "

"Years ago, as did I." Guy had to shut his eyes and catch his breath before muttering, "My Lord. There is no way she has betrayed me. Nor you. Every story I have fed her about Hood she has taken as truth, she blames him for the mildest of crimes." The Sheriff sniffed. His heart warmed a bit to know that Lady Gisborne was so blind – she believed anything her husband said. He sniffed and tapped his fingers on the table.

"Correct me, Gisborne, if I am wrong. But every day, your little servant girl - "

"She is my wife." Gisborne growled. The Sheriff paid him to attention.

"She tries to leave Nottingham to go for a ride through the fields, no?" Guy slowly nodded but did not look at the man, "And yet, for the past two weeks I cannot recall ever seeing her out of her chambers. And on top of that – you will love this – Every evening at midnight a hooded man visits her chambers. I heard word of it this morning… A coincidence?" He then mouthed the word "no." "I am dying to hear your excuse. Because you see, I can only believe that she is up to no good."

"I have been out in Nettlestone for the past fortnight fighting your battle to quiet the rebellion!" Gisborne desperately worked to collect himself, but even the patrolling guards could see that he had heard enough. The Sheriff snaked his way next to his henchman and hissed in his ear.

"All I know, Gisborne, is that every man we have put near Sherwood has been found. There is no way Hood and his men are simply stumbling upon each of our troops. Either you get to the bottom of it, or I send the jailer to whip her… your choice."

Sir Guy's steps were impending, even from down the corridors it plain to see that the man was enraged. He stormed into the dungeon and, without a word, made his way to his favorite little project. In the back, huddled in a damp corner, sat the man who had cut his wife. Three months may have passed, but his punishment was still continuing. Gisborne slammed his hand on the bars of his cell to wake him. He dipped the end of the fire poker into the coals and let it begin smoldering as he swung open the gate, pulling off his black gloves to begin the dirty work. The man was muttering prayers and begging for mercy but Guy had no interest in his words. Kicking him, he demanded the man stand. Doing as he was told, the man prepared for the same cycle – Gisborne would come down whenever it so suited his fancy to torture him within an inch of his life. As soon as the wounds began to heal, the process repeated. He was unaware, however, that this time, Guy would not be able to restrain himself from killing him.

As the sun began to set, the man in black went upstairs, finished with his hobby. It was time to get to the bottom of it. Without even a knock, he entered Lacie's chambers. She sat at her desk, feather in hand, and did not notice his entrance until he slammed the door shut. Startled, she turned to see her husband brooding, arms crossed. In a fit of panic she gathered the papers from her desk and placed them under a large book. She stood and crossed over to Gisborne.

"Guy! I am so glad you have returned! I did not think your trip would last so long. But in all fairness, a warning would have been nice." With a grin Lacie threw her arms around him, but he did not budge. Guy waited until she removed herself.

"I wrote to you three times." Was his answer. Her face fell and she became clearly nervous as he awaited a response.

"You are right, I'm sorry." She said quietly, "I suppose I am just overwhelmed in joy by your return." Guy looked away and shook his head.

"Everybody has secrets." He bitterly began, "I do. The Sheriff, the jailer, Robin Hood – you." Gisborne darted his eyes back to his wife and she narrowed her gaze in confusion. "It is one thing to keep a secret from another man. But it is a whole matter entirely to deceive your husband."

"You're bloody mad." She whispered. With one strong step he lunged towards her until their noses nearly touched.

"Am I?" he asked, "Or did I just catch you sooner than you expected?" She could barely form the words to ask what he was talking about. "I know of your visitor." Lacie's eyes grew. "Oh yes, my darling little pet, I am fully aware of Hood's calling on you!" He grabbed her by the back of the head and held her face directly to his. "This marriage, this is how you get my secrets? It is how you feed your precious Robin Hood?"

"You are hurting me." Lacie begged.

"Just as your lies have hurt me." He spat at her. Guy loosened his grip as tears began to form in her eyes and he placed his hand on her cheek. "If you tell me the truth, I will not hurt you. I will keep you safe from punishment." Her breaths became broken as she stared into the vicious eyes of her husband and she struggled to form words.

"I have not seen Robin - "

"Swear to me!" Guy screamed.

"I swear! Please, I swear…" Lacie began to break down in tears as Guy pushed himself away. He walked to the window and sneered at her.

"Stop crying and tell me the truth." Lady Gisborne collapsed into her desk chair and composed her breath, refusing to look at the looming figure in black.

"He works for the church in Locksley. His name is Luke, Luke Morahan. I have paid him to come visit me."
"In order to absolve this marriage?" Guy accused.

"Guy, please, he is a scribe!" she screamed. Pulling herself together, she continued. "I received your letters from Nettlestone. I – for the past few months, I have asked Alice to read me the letters I have received from home. Alice, that chamber maid? She is a very bright young girl… but I did not want her to read me the letters you sent because I knew they were far more personal than anything my sister would send."

"So you chose to hide them away?" he asked, nodding towards the book under which lied several notes.

"I hired the scribe to help me." Gisborne looked down and organized the ideas in his head. Looking up he softly asked, "You cannot read? But I have seen you pen letters." Lacie pulled at the fabric on her dress in embarrassment.

"I – I only know basic words. It takes me hours to write to my sister and even then I can only say if I am well or ill. Guy, it's embarrassing. The servants here in Nottingham can read me my own letters and I haven't an idea how to write them back… In Leeds I never had reason to learn."

"Why would you not tell me? I would gotten you the best tutors -"

"Because I am ashamed." Lacie laid her head in her hands. "I am the wife of Sir Guy of Gisborne, and I cannot decipher a word that he sends to me. You deserve a perfect wife, and that's all I am trying to be." Guy wiped his face and went to her. He kneeled and put his hands on her knees, then laid his forehead on her lap.

"You, Lady Lacie of Gisborne, are already more than I could ever ask for. I am the one who should be ashamed." He let out a long sigh and looked into her eyes. "I should never have doubted you. And I should never have hurt you. I beg your forgiveness… I had returned to some unsettling suspicions and I had to know." Lacie leaned over a bit further and kissed Guy's lips very softly.

"You are forgiven, my love." Gisborne ran his fingers lightly over her mouth as he spoke.

"I have also been told you never leave your chambers for your morning rides."

"Lately I find myself too ill in the mornings to go riding." She placed a hand on his face and smiled. Guy did not pick up on the hint.

"Ill? Are you alright, have you seen the Sheriff's doctor?" The worry in his voice made Lacie softly laugh.

"I am better than I have ever been." She assured her husband. "But another reason I must learn to read is because I could not bear the shame our family would hold if I could not even teach our son." Sir Guy remained frozen for a few moments. Slowly placing a hand to her stomach, he asked, "You are with child?" She slightly nodded and produced a wide grin that spread to Guy. "But do not start a fit about who's it is." She chuckled. Gisborne kissed his wife and laid his head back into her lap. He began to dream of what their child would grow to become, while she pondered who the sadistic man was that she had married.