Chapter 12
After a couple of days, Robin was becoming quite adept at using the crutches that Dan had made for him. He was able to get around almost effortlessly. On this day, he still had not heard from Marian. So, he came up with a plan.
Robin found Much in the stables brushing his horse. As he approached, his best friend looked up at him and smiled. "Good morning, Master."
"Good morning. Much, I was wondering if you would do me a favor?" he asked.
"Of course, Master. What can I do?"
"I would like for you to ride to Knighton and give this note to Marian, please."
"You still have not heard from her?"
"No. Do you think that if I give apologies she will forgive me and start coming around?"
"She cannot still be that angry……can she?"
"She can stay mad a long time", he said a dejectedly.
"I will go now for you", he said with a wink. "We'll get her unmad." With that, he saddled his horse and rode off to Knighton.
In the meantime, at Knighton…………………………….
Marian had been sitting up with her mother for the last several days. Lady Knighton had been burning with fever. The local physician was unsure of what kind of contagion she had contracted. Marian was just returning to her room with a bowl of cool water to continue wiping her brow, talking as she entered. She was very tired, but did not want to be anywhere else but with her mother.
"Mother, I've brought some fresh, cool water to help cool you down some more. I hope you start feeling better soon. I know you grow tired of just lying there." She carried the bowl across the room and sat it on the table as she spoke. "It is a beautiful day. It is quite chilly, but the sun shines. Would you like me to open the window for just a moment?"
At that point she stopped to look at her mother and place a fresh cloth on her head. Lady Knighton was still as could be. Marian was accustomed to her mother sleeping, but this seemed quite a different situation. She nudged the weak looking woman on the bed and received no response.
"Mother?" she called and shook her.
"Mother?" she called out again, this time a bit louder and shook a bit harder.
She screamed mother again, this time loud enough for her father to hear downstairs. She backed up and bumped into the table beside the bed, knocking the porcelain water bowl on the floor causing a loud crash.
Edward came running as quickly as he could. As he entered the room, he noticed his daughter wide-eyed in the corner of the room just staring at the still form on the bed. He walked over to the bed, gingerly took his wife's hand, and felt for a heartbeat. After a moment, he took a hitched breath and turned to look at Marian. Seeing the tears streaming down his face, Marian started whispering 'no' and shaking her head. Edward moved quickly across the room to hold her. Again, she said 'no'.
"Marian, I am sorry, my dear. Your mother is gone", he sobbed.
Unable to accept this, Marian struggled to move from his embrace. Edward, desperate to provide her comfort, tried to hold her tightly, but to no avail. She was too desperate to escape. She screamed 'no' again hysterically, pushed him away, and ran from the room. She continued to run past the house serfs and out the door.