ok ... so new chapter!!!!!!! sorry to have taken longer then usual ... it's been a crazy couple of weeks for me but finally ...here it is! and all I can say is I hope the fluff from the last chapter keeps you warm ...


Chapter 28 – The consequences of anger

A week had passed since the Gisbornes had returned from Nottingham and things were unusually warm between the two of them …or so Thornton had noticed. He had gotten so used to seeing the master and his lady at each other's throats that seeing them through the door of Locksley Manor, when they first arrived, walking hand in hand had truly left him astonished.

As Thornton gave instructions for the grooms to take the mistresses things up to her chamber, Gisborne had interrupted him by saying: "Take my wife's things to the master's chamber, Thornton." … He did not look at the lady while he was saying all of this and he kept his posture rigid as if he had lost some kind of battle … Whether said battle was with the lady or himself, Thornton did not know.

All he saw was that Lady Gisborne smiled at her husband's words and, without saying anything, fallowed her belongings up the stairs, with soft, round movements, trailing the banister with her long, slim fingers. She paused for a mere moment once she was at the top and gave her husband a soft, mischievous look, over the shoulder.

What the look entailed Thornton could not say with all certainty but Gisborne sat watching her until she was out of sight and even went as far as the Great Hall where he managed to remain for a whole of five minutes, before throwing his wine goblet on the table, storming out of the hall and up the stairs. He shot the door to his chamber behind him loudly and, after that, there was no sight of either of them for the entire duration of the day.

In the days that fallowed the dust seemed to have finally settled at Locksley Manor. The open war between Lord and Lady Gisborne had taken its toil on not only them but their servants as well. Gisborne had been more severe then ever to all of his serfs and they were only beginning to discover Lady Gisborne …

There had been a time where they had thought her a kind and generous mistress and pitied her for having to be married to the devil … It was a different matter now. Ever since Mary and her son, everyone trembled in her presence. She had the power to destroy them with just a lift of her finger and they finally knew it.

And none was more afraid of her then Gretchen. Lady Gisborne had done nothing to her as of yet but everyone in the house knew that the lady always paid her dues … Gretchen had once called the mistress "an old, barren witch", flaunted her imagined success in her face and bragged about how much the master enjoyed bedding her to everyone who would listen, even if all the people in the Manor had warned her against it … But now, as she handed Lady Gisborne spices, seeing as she had taken a fancy to cooking her husband's meals again, she trembled like a leaf dropping the content of her spoon on more then one occasion.

At all of this the lady did not reply. There were no harsh words, no slaps across the face … She smiled kindly upon her and would always ask her in a sweet voice: "Is something the matter, my dear?" … But the smile was cold and it chilled Gretchen to the bone.

She lived in expectance of what her mistress would do to her and yet nothing happened. She was going mad under the uncertainty and had even gone as far as attacking Walaa', jumping on her and saying that she was putting a curse over her.

Gretchen was, however, handled quickly when Walaa''s hand came crushing down on her cheek and she dropped to the floor. The woman told her, in the usual thick accent, that she would not waste a perfectly good curse on her. "My mistress take care of you when she decide and nothing save you then", Walaa' had announced before exiting the kitchen and leaving Gretchen in a state of horror.

In the days that passed everything seemed to be as it normally was. Gretchen still trembled like a leaf and Josephine smiled kindly asking: "Is something the matter, my dear?". It was apparent the lady was starting to clean house.

Gisborne, on the other hand, did not return to Nottingham. He had spent his time in the fields or near his house, arriving at dinner every night. Even if he did not say anything, he enjoyed knowing she had prepared the food he had in front of him. He had not been particularly tender to her since they had returned, especially since he felt certain she knew how much he loved her, no matter how many pains he took to conceal it. Admitting it would be one more proof of her triumph over him. He was not bitter that he had fallen but he would be damned if he would declare it openly …

But, finally despite both their tragically stubborn streaks, there was peace. They were no longer sited at opposite sides of the table, but at each other's side. Their sleep was no longer separated by walls and doors but occurred in the same bed, side by side … and the demons were once more kept safely away.

-oOo-

During breakfast, he had announced that the Sheriff had summoned them for a feast that was going to take place in the evening … Guy did not want to be faced with the Sheriff so soon after their last encounter but he knew he had no choice …It was King John's birthday and he had announced he desired all his closest friends to celebrate it and spread the news far and wide.

Josephine sipped her milk and sighed in discontentment upon hearing the news. He looked at her and kept his voice warm and soothing: "I know, I know …", he said. "But it will be over soon."

She smiled at him and nodded.

Now, they walked through the main hallway of the Manor, quietly. They did not speak a great deal these days, but she had taken to walking him out every morning. It was a short, rather strange walk …Their bodies brushed one against the other but they no longer feared the closeness. They knew full well they would quench it come night fall. They were good at that. Their love making was passionate and gratifying and true to the rest of their relationship, wordless … They did not know what to say to each other … Guy was not accustomed to talking about his business to anyone and was very much used to hiding his emotions from her …And she … She did not want to speak of the things she knew they had to speak of … She did not want to talk of her past for she knew Guy would reject the topic … It gave him torment, she knew full well, but he preferred ignoring it.

Just as they reached the door, Josephine spotted Shepard coming towards the house. He had a few men with him, caring five chests between themselves … She went white on the spot, all cheerfulness drained right out of her face.

Guy saw as the soldiers approached and his eyes turned colder. He looked at her as she sat a few steps away from him, trembling like a leaf. Perhaps he should have told her when he had decided to bring the gold back, he thought. But what right had she to question it? Wasn't it enough that he had tolerated her trespasses?

Shepard paused in front of Gisborne once he had entered the house. After bowing slightly towards Josephine, he spoke: "It's all here, my lord." … Josephine flinched involuntarily.

"Take it to the cellar, Shepard.", Gisborne instructed.

"Guy … no.", Josephine said in almost a whisper. He did not pay attention.

As the soldiers began entering, caring the chests with them, Josephine's distress increased, until she heard herself shout: "Guy, take it back!"

This made the soldiers stop dead in their tracks and looked upon the woman, astonished. Guy turned towards her menacingly and barked, both to his men and to his wife: "Take it to the cellar!", before grabbing hold of her arm and pulling her violently through the hallway and back into the Great Hall, where he slammed the door shut.

"If you ever humiliate me like that again, I will take you to the yard, relieve you of your clothes and cut your hair, madam!", he threatened through his teeth pushing her away from him. "Is that understood?"

She straightned her position and rubbed her arm trying to shake off the pain. "When did you find it?", she asked trying to keep her voice from trembling.

"A few days after I had found you.", he told her, leaning against the door, with a glim of triumph in his eye. "I left it there in the hopes Huntington would come for it … He did not so I brought it here."

"It is not too late, I think!", she said quickly, heading towards him and placing her hand on his arm. She looked up at him with hopeful eyes: "You can take it back, Guy."

He pulled his arm away, and headed for the window. "Don't talk foolishly, woman! It does not suit you."

"Aren't I enough?", she screamed getting closer to him and putting both her arms on his shoulders, forcing him to turn towards her.

"It's my money!", he said trying to calm himself. She was so close to him now and his resolve faltered …

"It's Isabelle's money …", she said quietly.

"Say that again …", he responded grabbing hold of both her arms and shaking her.

"He will not stop!", she screamed. "He will come for it. He will not give up!".

"I am counting on it.", he nodded.

"If he comes back, I won't … I won't be able to …", she tried explaining but could not find the words. "He will take me away from you.", she finally said quietly, dropping her eyes to the floor.

He released her and pushed her away in disgust. He starred at her in shock. He had thought that Huntington was nothing to her anymore. He had heard her screaming in her sleep, trying to get away from him but now she was telling him that if forced to choose, she would go with her lover … He felt a blow to the stomach and his eyes hardened as rocks upon her … "The money will stay here!", he said decidedly, leaving no room for her objections. "I think it is best if I ride into Nottingham with my soldiers, now. You will come in the evening. I will instruct a groom to prepare the cart."

She starred at him, her eyes wide and disbelieving: "You mean to leave me without an escort? To travel through the forest alone, at night?". It was obvious the thought terrified her.

It was always surprising to him that she could be afraid. He had come to think of her as fearless, but in this instance it suited him to keep her so. "Don't be so dramatic, Josephine. All will be well. I'm sure of it.", he said ironically heading for the door.

"Do not mock me!". She ran up to him and grabbed his arm turning him around, once more. He was getting weary of being pulled around. "There are outlaws in the forest, Guy!", she said. "There is the Butcher!".

"Ahhhh! I had not thought of that!", he admitted razing his eyebrows. "Well, I'm sure you can handle Hood and his gang. After all, you told me how closely you two were connected.", he continued bitterly, remembering when she had told him she had bedded Hood. Nothing, in his entire life, had stung more then that. "As for the Butcher …", he paused long enough to retrieve a small, silver dagger from his tunic and placing it in her hand, "you can take him!". He winked at her as she looked first at the knife and then at him, shock and pain disheveling her face. "Come now!", he said patting her on the shoulder, as if she was a child. "The Butcher is no match for you … or isn't that what Savoy said?", he asked his voice cold all of a sudden.

She quickly looked up into his eyes and asked him in a guarded voice: "You are punishing me for Savoy now? Why? It was you who pressed him upon me."

"You left me no choice, did you?", he responded angry. "If you had behaved like a decent woman instead of a …". Her eyes hardened and he was silenced. A while ago he had spoken those words without thinking about it twice, but now he could not. "But you can't help it. It comes naturally to you … It's who you are …", he finished with disgust. But it wasn't at her that it was aimed. It was at himself. He knew full well she was not to blame for Savoy. She had done nothing wrong. Savoy liked women and how could he have helped himself from liking his woman? Any sane man would.

He expected her to strike him. He deserved it … She did not. She kept her arms around her body, her hands clenched in fists. "Yes, it is true …", she said coldly. "It is who I am. I cannot change that. There have been men before you …They were neither loved nor welcomed but there have been men.". Admitting it hurt and it hurt even more when she looked into his eyes. She knew, in that moment, he would never forgive her for it. He wanted a pure, innocent wife and she fell short of it. "But believe me when I tell you", she continued, placing her hand on his arm and coming closer to him, "I have loved no other but you, husband."

"Husband?", he repeated with distain. "I'm not your husband.", he spat out.

She pulled her hand away quickly and stood still, starring into his stone features. "Excuse me?"

"I married Isabelle de Bracy. You are not Isabelle de Bracy. You are an impostor and a liar …and you are, at best, my lover … for lack of a better word.". Again, he expected her to strike him and again she did not. He could tell she was tempted to do it and wondered why she did not.

Josephine nodded and stepped away, turning her back on him. The tears would not come. Instead she felt a large, painful knot in her throat and it became hard for her to talk. "You are right …. Of course". She sighed in resignation. "I can't believe we are here again!"

"Be in that cart in the evening or prepare yourself for the consequences come night fall!", he said, unable to accept his own mistake. He left the room quickly and shut the door behind him.

-oOo-

"She should have been at the castle two hours ago", he thought as he sat at the table in the Great Hall of Nottingham. Everywhere he looked, men were accompanied by their wives … even Montfitchet had managed to get his wife out of the house … Not he …He sat at the table alone, intoxicating himself with wine. He had threatened her with consequences if she did not come, but he knew there was nothing for him to do. He had threatened to cut her hair, but he liked it too much to do that. He had threatened to strip her naked for all of Locksley to see, but he would never give the other men the satisfaction of seeing such a woman naked. He had heard there were men that beat their wives as punishment, in the same manner you might a child. But he could not do that … It was true … he had hit her when his temper had gotten the best of him but he could not contemplate humiliating her in that manner deliberately.

There was nothing for him to do but drink … And so he did for the next hour. He had placed himself comfortably away from the Sheriff and there had been much to distract Vasey that night … so Guy was left alone with his thoughts.

It was his treacherous mind that finally made his heart leap in distress. He had not thought of the possibility of her running away. He had thought she could have run with Savoy, since he was rich and powerful but it had never occurred to him that she might run when there was nothing to be gained … simply to be away from him.

The thought made him jump off his sit and storm out of the Great Hall, while everyone turned to stare at his sudden outburst. He pushed the guards aside and jumped on his horse, pushing harder and harder.

Despite what he had told his wife, he had made sure to tell the groom to take the long road, around the forest as to prevent her falling into any kind of danger. He took the same route home, even if it meant he would travel longer. He still held the hope that she had remained stuck on the road, from some reason. But there was no sight of her cart on the entire road from Nottingham to Locksley.

He jumped off his horse in front of the Manor and pushed the doors aside, without taking the trouble of closing them behind him. He ran up the stairs and opened the door to his chamber almost knocking it to the ground …

His wife was not there but the noise he produced scared Walaa', who had been arranging some of her mistress's things on the dressing table. She flinched and jumped back as she saw Guy standing in the doorway, breathing hard and looking like a mad man. "Where is she?", he barked.

"Master?", the woman asked innocently.

"Where is she?", he asked again getting closer to the trembling woman.

"She go to you …", Walaa' said but before she could continue Gisborne's gloved hand came crashing down on her. He caught her throat in his hand and forced her on her knees. He lowered his face to her and spoke menacingly: "You do not know me but believe me when I tell you I am not a man to be crossed … Where did she go?"

"She go to you …", the woman repeated stubbornly only to have Gisborne's grip on her tighten.

"No! She did not! She left, didn't she? Where did she go?"

"She not leave!", the woman insisted. "She not leave without me …".

Gisborne laughed in the woman's face. "You do not know your mistress well, heathen! You mean nothing more to her then my dogs mean to me."

"My mistress good wife to you!", Walaa' screamed. "She got into cart like you say!".

Something about the way she had spoken the words made Guy release her. He realized she might be speaking the truth … There was a condemning tone to her answers that made her seem honest. And he remembered Josephine had once threatened to throw herself out a window if Walaa' didn't go with her …He straightened his position and looked down on the woman, as she held her neck and coughed slowly. "When did your mistress leave?"

Walaa' could not remember how much time had passed … but it must have been a while, since there was still day light when her mistress had gotten in the cart … "Hours …" was the only thing she could say.

The answer made Guy's stomach turn to knots … he felt his throat constricted and an overwhelming sense of fear overpowered him. He left the room as quickly as he had entered it and moments later he found himself on his horse, holding a torch, riding out of Locksley and towards Sherwood Forest …

He did not know why, really … It was entirely probable that Josephine had left without Walaa' … Or so he told himself, as he advanced through the darkness of the leaves and the dampness of the muddy ground under him … The wind was howling that night, causing sounds that chilled him to the bone …

Not that far from the entrance into the forest, he found it … The cart … He jumped off his horse and approached it slowly, drawing his sword in the process. The first thing he noticed was a large, heavy trunk placed in the middle of the road, no doubt with the intention of blocking the path so the cart would have no other option but to stop. Near the trunk he saw a body … His heart stopped for a moment … until he assessed that it was a man's … It was the groom … He recognized his clothing.

Any hope that it had been Hood who had stopped the cart, were shattered in that moment. If it had been him, Josephine would have been home by now. Hood was a thief, it was true, but he was a polite one at that … He would rob her but escort her home afterwards … And he did not kill …

He approached the cart slowly, his knees trembling at the thought of the sight he might encounter inside. The door was halfway open and he slowly pushed it aside with his sword. He passed the torch through the interior until his eyes stopped upon a shawl … It was a warm, large purple fabric … He had seen it on her very often. "If she had run away she would not have left her shawl", he reasoned. Winter was upon them and she hated the cold.

The torch moved to the left and revealed a small, silver dagger … You can take him … It was covered in blood. As he moved the flame around it, he could see blood everywhere …

The ground started spinning around him, as a sharp humming replaced the normal noises in his ears. You mean to leave me alone? she had asked him. There's the Butcher …There was fear in her eyes … He remembered. His breathing increased as cold sweat began covering his body … He is no match for you

The torch fell to the ground and his own body fallowed … He fell first on his knees and then he brought the rest of his body down as uncontrollable spasms shook him and he spilled forth the entire content of his stomach … He vomited again and again until there was nothing left, holding on to the cart for dear life.


oh dear me!!!!!!!!!! what have I done ... evil writer, evil writer ... I know, I know ...