XLIII

If Francesca had found it difficult dealing with her father and Natalia, then that was nothing compared to dealing with her father, Winchester and Vaisey.

The sheriff had begrudgingly taken them in at the castle - could do no other since they were there on Prince John's bidding but it was fair to say that he wasn't a pleasant host. It was also fair to say that her future husband wasn't a pleasant guest and so the two men spent much of the day sniping at each other like a pair of old women. Her father had once been good friends with Vaisey; this arrangement came to an end however, as soon as Vaisey discovered his allegiance lay with Winchester.

The atmosphere was one of latent animosity and added to this was Vaisey's continuing punishment of Guy. Francesca had hoped that his spell in the dungeon would be just the one night but Vaisey declared he had no desire to see the younger man at present and so he was to remain in his cell until his master's mood improved.

Francesca knew there was no way in which she could ameliorate the situation and so decided that the best thing she could do was make herself scarce. Fortunately, the grumpy old men were too busy licking their wounds and plotting their next move to care much about what she did so she was free to go catch a breath of fresh air, (so long as she took a couple of guards with her that is).

A servant informed her it was market day in Nottingham and she figured it wouldn't hurt to take a look, perhaps she could find something for Guy, though in his present situation she doubted he would find much comfort in trinkets… but still, you never know…

She quickly found herself overwhelmed. The market was meagre - the people of Nottingham had little to sell and were desperate to sell it, bombarding her from all sides with their wares. She made the mistake of looking at a scarf a second too long, which was an open invitation for the seller to thrust her entire selection at her and rattle off the usual sales patter.

Luckily, she was rescued.

"Good day Lady Francesca, found something you like?"

Unluckily, it was Guy's fiancée.

Well, this was awkward.

Here she was with an armful of scarves, one of which she was considering buying for this woman's fiancé and what had seemed like an innocent gesture to cheer a man in the dungeon, (and improve his taste in scarves because let's face it folks, that yellow thing he currently had round his neck was not the most flattering), now felt very wrong indeed.

Marian noticed her unease and knew the reason why. She'd already guessed why the garment had caught her eye and it wasn't because she'd puzzled at Guy's taste in scarves herself…

No, this woman was in love with him, that was as plain as day.

What Marian couldn't get her head round was why. Putting aside the most obvious reason; the fact that he was strikingly handsome, Marian could not think what he had to recommend him. He was moody, difficult to talk to, bad mannered (pointedly so in his dealings with servants or villagers), permanently frowning or scowling… Yes, he had at times proved himself gallant by her but clumsily so – his gifts and compliments were offered with the awkwardness of a youth. His attempts to get closer to her were strongly at odds with fits of temper that genuinely frightened her and that wasn't even scratching the surface of what he did for the sheriff.

Not ten minutes before he proposed to her, he backhanded her father. That pretty much says it all doesn't it?

And yet… she doubted she would ever forget the way he'd looked at Francesca as she'd tended to him in the forest nor how she'd looked at him. It had been shocking to find them that way, especially after all that Robin had said in his angry outburst but there they were; as tender with each other as lovers and it had horrified and intrigued Marian beyond measure.

How can she…? How can they…? How are they… still…?

She could not know him. That was the conclusion Marian had come to in the interim. Robin had all but spelled it out for her with his rant about Gisborne but how could she take his word for it? That was exactly what Marian had been trying to tell him as she'd taken him out of camp. He'd terrified her – had behaved no better than the man he'd complained about – let's face it, robbery and kidnapping don't exactly make a compelling argument for your cause do they?

Now here they were at Nottingham market and Francesca was as in the dark as ever. Marian had a burning need to rectify this.

"I'm sorry milady; we've not been properly introduced, I'm Lady Marian of Knighton. Perhaps you would care to join my father and I for dinner?"

It had seemed like a good idea at the time but oh, how Marian was regretting it now.

In her fervour to learn more of Francesca's relationship to Guy and open her eyes to the true nature of whom they were dealing with here, she'd forgotten something rather important: that her invitee was engaged to Harold of Winchester.

Not two hours later, she was reminded of the fact as he turned up on her doorstep with Lord Cavendish and Francesca in tow. Francesca's apologetic tight-lipped smile said all that needed to be said as to whose idea it had been. Her behaviour throughout dinner only confirmed that had she been able to attend alone, she would have, and Marian figured that the guards who'd accompanied her to market had been the ones to inform Winchester of her dinner plans.

Luckily, her father was so good as to do the heavy lifting when it came to dealing with Winchester, something Marian was eternally grateful for, as she detested him with a passion. She wasn't to be spared his attention however, for Winchester seem to flaunt his engagement as if to suggest that in rejecting him, Marian was now missing out on something. To say that this made everybody uncomfortable was an understatement.

"You're getting married as soon as you're done here you say?" Sir Edward asked politely.

"Yes, once I've wrapped everything up - business before pleasure so to speak…" Winchester smoothly placed a hand upon his fiancée's as he spoke, though he stared pointedly at Marian.

She felt as if she might throw up. Francesca, in a display of self-control that left Marian astounded, merely focussed upon the meal before her as if it held some secrets to the universe whilst Winchester continued talking about wedding plans as if she wasn't even there.

"I don't care much for a large wedding but I doubt it can be avoided what with Prince John in attendance." Winchester chuckled whilst nudging Lord Cavendish jovially and it was then that a reaction came from Francesca. Her fork fell from her fingers and clattered loudly upon her plate. The shock and surprise on her face was unmistakable.

"Must you always be so clumsy?" These words from Lord Cavendish, practically the first he'd said all evening, coupled with the angry tone were all Marian needed to know as to what had happened here.

Well, actually no. She'd known all along. No woman in her right mind would accept Winchester so this was always how it was going to be wasn't it? She'd only managed to avoid a union with him because her father respected her wishes, for Francesca however, it had been another story.

As Marian watched her whispering apologies to her father, the pity she felt deepened. The arrangement was taking it's toll on her, that much was obvious from her gaunt appearance but this news of Prince John seemed to have made things worse.

She excused herself, declaring that she was no longer hungry and could do with a little air. Marian, never one to let an opportunity go to waste, declared she would like to show her the garden. Winchester seemed irritated but Sir Edward was encouraging, so Marian had her out of there before the lord had chance to protest.

They were not alone; the two guards from earlier accompanied them but Francesca did not seem to notice; her mind was elsewhere and Marian wished she knew what she was thinking.

"Are you well? I hope we haven't done anything to upset you, I know your visit to Nottingham has hardly been pleasant so far."

"No, I am well, a little tired perhaps." Francesca did not look at her directly and that is how Marian knew she was lying. She was not well. Far from it.

"T'is no wonder with all that you have been through; it must have been terrible - those men in the forest, did they hurt you?" Marian knew that they had not but was curious as to how Francesca viewed her outlaw friends.

Francesca frowned. Nobody said anything about the forest. How did she know they'd taken me to the forest? She then dismissed the thought, they were wanted men - it was probably well known that they were hiding in the forest.

"No, they didn't hurt me…" Francesca replied, reflexively rubbing her wrists where they'd been tied, remembering how they'd removed her bonds as she'd passed out, "although…"

"Although?"

"They hurt Sir Guy."

Francesca watched Marian's reaction closely. The reason for this was because she found Marian's behaviour strange to say the least. In all the time since their return from captivity, Marian had not been to see Guy once. Nor had she asked about his welfare. In fact, Guy hadn't been mentioned all evening. This was not normal. Francesca tried hard to think why this might be. That Marian hadn't asked about him was not so strange for she'd surely received word from someone but that she didn't visit him… He'd been hurt… did nobody tell her that? He spent the night in the dungeon…

They are to marry… why didn't she…?

Another thing that made Francesca suspicious was what the man she now knew as Robin Hood had said about Guy: "...don't even get me started on what he's doing to Marian…"

What is he doing to her?

I don't understand. They're engaged yes? So… is there something wrong with that? or maybe he meant something else?

And come to think of it, how does he know her? and she him? After he grabbed me, she spoke to him… said his name…

It was all so confusing and she had no idea what to make of any of it. She had not forgotten what he'd said about Guy but had decided to reserve judgement until she'd spoken properly to Guy on the subject. She was not much inclined to believe his side of the story but couldn't deny that this was a man who believed in what he had said - the pitch of his fury convinced her of that.

It was all somehow… off… Nottingham, Guy, Marian, Robin, the outlaws… nothing anybody said or did seemed to add up… and here she was in the thick of it, trying to puzzle it all together somehow… talking to the woman who Guy would spend his life with…

"I thank you for telling me, though I already knew he'd been wounded before they took him, the guards told me. I trust he is being looked after at the castle?"

Why are you asking me? Why don't you go see for yourself?

Marian must have divined what Francesca was thinking for she quickly added, "You must forgive me, I would go see him but I find it difficult dealing with the sheriff."

There was no arguing with that. Francesca understood her perfectly.

"I do not blame you Lady Marian; you are wise to stay away. Sadly, Sir Guy does not have that option; he has been in the dungeon ever since our return."

Marian would like to say that she was shocked but she wasn't. She'd seen it coming. Vaisey had been cursing up a storm after Guy had departed on his "idiot quest to rescue that infernal leper" (as he so put it). She intimated as much to Francesca and the answer she received was a tired sigh.

"Would you like me to take something to him? Since I am staying at the castle anyway, perhaps a note? I am sure something from you would cheer him." Francesca smiled but it did not reach her eyes and now Marian was the one to sigh. How did you answer such a question? Where did one even start? Would she like to? No she wouldn't. If you're all out of convenient lies why not try the truth?

"Why don't you buy him that scarf? I'm sure he will like it."

Ouch. That one hit dead centre just as Marian knew it would and Francesca didn't even try to conceal her mortification. She was about to stammer an apology when Winchester arrived and declared that it had been a splendid evening but it was time for them to go.

For the first time in her life, Francesca was glad to see him.