Did you enjoy the last chapter? Icertainly enjoyedwritig it.
Thank you for all of your lovely, enthusiastic reviews! Your response is half of what makes writing this story so enjoyable. - Jane
That evening's meal was... Difficult.
Sitting across the table from Maria made it impossible for Robin to keep his mind on the conversations around him. He was desperately trying to avoid staring at her but he kept finding himself watching how she lifted the fork to her lips. Those warm lips - which he could now confidently say tasted better than any food even Marmaduke would ever be able to produce - looked a little red, like they were still blushing after their encounter.
Loveday was recounting her first few months as a mother to Susie. Presumably, the fact that Robin's friend was pregnant was no longer a secret.
Miss Heliotrope was whittering on about flowers or something to Sir Benjamin. He was completely disinterested, nodding only occasionally when he noticed a pause in her babbling.
Robin, William and Maria were all eating in silence. Robin feared that William would sense the tension between himself and Maria but he couldn't think of a way to appear casual.
"So," William said eventually, placing his knife and fork down on his plate. "Robin tells me you're a moon princess."
Maria laughed, willingly leaving the remains of her food abandoned on the plate. Robin guessed that, like him, she had a low appetite for supper.
"The moon princess, you mean." She corrected, giving Robin a sneaky glance that could have lasted all night. "That's me."
"He's told me the story of how you met and how you nearly killed yourself to save the valley, but I'd like to hear it in your own words." William admitted, leaning into the table. "If you feel up to it."
"Of course." Maria smiled and folded her hands on the table in front of her. Robin could still feel those fingers in his hair and he coughed to cover up the sudden in take of breath.
"My father had died, leaving me with nothing." Maria explained. "So Miss Heliotrope and I came to stay here, with my Uncle. I was reckless back then and I'd never do as I was told." She laughed, sounding ten years older than she had been when they were pearl-hunting. Robin had to wonder whether she missed her unapproved adventures. "I ended up getting myself captured by the De Noirs."
William chuckled, no doubt marvelling at the new apparent friendship between the two families.
"Robin let me go and -"
"I did not!" He exclaimed, eyebrows raised incredulously.
"No, you're right. You failed to catch a half dressed girl of fifteen as she ran blindly through the forest with no sense of direction or experience of running. Or of trees." She said quickly, giving Robin a playful look.
Did she wink at him?
"No, Robin and his friends failed to return me to his father."
"Better." Robin nodded, smiling dumbly at her.
"The next time we met he decided to help me find the moon pearls."
"You hung me by my feet until I promised!" Robin laughed, shaking his head at her. She was impossible.
"You still decided to help," She pointed out. "So, technically -"
"Okay, okay. Continue." Robin waved his hand, forcing his eyes away from her. He heard her giggling and it made his stomach flip and he no longer had the strength to keep sitting up straight.
"We found them, thanks to his expert knowledge of the forest, and I jumped off a cliff to return them to the sea." Maria concluded, still smiling radiantly. Robin couldn't look at her without wanting to leap across the table and touch her again.
"That's very similar to what he told me. I'm impressed." William laughed, looking carefully at the two young adults. "It would appear he was telling the truth." Robin stared down at the plate in front of him, trying to give nothing away. But William had seen enough of love to understand this purposeful lack of eye contact between the two.
He sighed, leaning back into his chair.
"Tell me about your fiance." William said suddenly. "He's a lucky chap, that much I can guess."
Robin's skin bristled and he stared at the plate.
"There's not much to say, really." Maria said evasively.
"It's more a marriage of convenience." Sir Benjamin admitted, chiming in from the head of the table. Robin looked up at him, wondering how he could be so casual.
"Well, is he a decent man?" William asked, looking back at Maria. Robin carefully remained silent.
"He's tolerable." Maria laughed. "No, he's perfectly lovely to me. And we know it can't be a pretense - Sir Benjamin and Robin's father have vowed that if he ever turns on me he'll be ruined." There was an edge of bitterness in her voice and Robin guessed that she didn't like the idea of being looked after. But he smiled. At least she had her uncle and his father to fall back on, should Robin not be able to save her before the wedding.
"You can tell him that he'll have to answer to me, too." William said unexpectedly, stunning the table into silence.
"Thank you, William." Loveday said quietly. "It means a lot."
"Nonesense. Young ladies should always feel safe." William's smile hid the real reason for his defensiveness - the reason which Robin guessed. His sister.
"You can tell him yourself." Sir Benjamin announced, making the whole table turn to look at him. "Coeur De Noir informed the rest of the De Noirs that we have guests and they sent an invitation to a ball for us."
"How many guests?" Robin asked slowly. Sir Benjamin gave him a steady look.
"Three."
"Excellent." Robin muttered, brow furrowed. This could work.
"You could stay here -" Loveday offered, misinterpreting Robin's uterance.
"No, I'm being sincere." Robin laughed. "It will be a fun surprise."
"I imagine they'll have missed you terribly." Maria said sarcastically. There was silence for a moment while everyone tried to gague the right reaction and then, all at once, the table burst into laughter.
And, with that, Digweed appeared and cleared their plates from the table, announcing that a casual pudding of strawberries and cream was waiting for them in the sitting room.
