Chapter XXII

Nottingham, September 2nd, 1194

Violet woke up, surrounded by a pleasant warmth that wasn't due to covers, but to a body lying next to hers, arms around her. For a moment, she froze, completely dumbfounded: never, in her whole life, had she awakened in somebody's arms.

The sunshine seeping through a window, as the night before they had forgotten to close the shutters, had waked her. From the light, she could tell it was one hour past sunrise.

Lifting her head from the shoulder it was resting on to look at the man who was holding her, she discovered he was awake and looking at her with eyes full of tenderness.

"Good morning, blossom", he greeted her softly. Once more, this name filled her with deep emotion.

"Good morning to you", she returned his greeting, equally softly.

"You slept well?" Guy asked her, gently caressing her arm under the sheet.

"Aye… very well. And you?"

"I, too."

It was true. For the first time in ages – so long ago he couldn't even even remember – Guy had slept peacefully, content and serene. Recalling the apparent reason because this had happened, a shudder travelled along his virility and it began to stir, but before he could make any move, Violet announced. "I'm starving! I think I'll have a very large breakfast, this morning."

She pulled away and moved to get out of bed, but Guy extended one hand to her.

"But, my beautiful wife… aren't you hungry for me, this morning?" he asked in a both teasing and seductive way.

Violet blushed at his ostensible allusion to the conjugal joys they had shared the night before, even if in a limited form.

Her gaze fell on Guy's forearm, which she was now seeing clearly for the first time. On his skin a shrivelled, dark mark like a burn stood out, crossed by a long scar. The night before she had been too distracted and she hadn't noticed anything, but now, her flushed cheeks blanched suddenly.

"Oh my… what did they do to your arm?" she asked, horrified.

Guy fought his instinctive wish to hide the scar, struggling to place his arm on the pillow and keep it in full view.

"A tattoo proving my affiliation to the Black Knights", he admitted in a very low voice, so low that Violet could hardly hear him. "I told you about it, remember?" Violet nodded in confirmation and Guy went on. "After Robin found out I was the one who made an attempt to King Richard's life, Vaisey erased it using an acid Djaq had created."

Violet gasped.

"It must've hurt like fire", she commented softly.

"Like hell", Guy admitted. "It took several weeks and ointments to no end, to kill the pain definitively."

Slowly, Violet reached out and very softly brushed the rippled skin with her forefinger.

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"No… but I lost a little feeling. You have to rub harder, if you want me to feel your touch", she increased the friction and Guy nodded. "There you are."

"Whoever treated you made a good job", Violet commented. "Not everyone knows that a scar has to be cured even after the skin has healed, keeping it hydrated with oils and salves for a long time."

"'Twas Brother Julius, Thurgarton's healer", Guy revealed. "He's also Matilda's brother."

Violet nodded, as she knew him well.

Her thoughts wandered elsewhere, exploring a direction that, for some time, she had abandoned: the problem of Guy's attempted regicide, instigated by Vaisey.

"Guy, tell me… who knows that you were the one attempting at the king's life?" she asked in a low voice, her face very serious.

The question surprised Guy and at first he knitted his brow, but Violet's grave expression persuaded him that she had something in mind. He reflected.

"After Vaisey's death, only Robin and his gang", he answered at length.

"No one of the other Black Knights?"

"No, 'twas solely the old sheriff's plan and he didn't share it with anyone, especially after it failed", he took a deep breath. "This is, regarding the first attempt, when I went alone, but later came the scheme Vaisey plotted with the Black Knights, as a result of which he decided to personally go to the Holy Land and kill King Richard. He managed to wound him with an arrow and he ordered me to finish him off, and that's when Marian intervened to stop me", he tried hard to remember exactly what had happened in the square of that village in the desert, trying to ignore the usual sense of horror flooding him with that thought, despite Marian's forgiveness. "Mayhap King Richard heard Marian pronouncing my name. We were fairly close to where he had fallen… Then, after I had stabbed Marian, Vaisey showed up and shouted my name to run along with him. Thus 'tis possible that the king knows my name, if not indeed seen my face during my fight with Marian. Or else, she and Robin could have told him later."

Violet was thinking frantically.

"We must ask them", she concluded. "If the king hasn't heard your name and they haven't told him anything afterwards, there's a possibility that Richard doesn't know about you. You and Robin reconciled…" at his sceptical look, she corrected herself. "You and Robin called a truce, and he and his men are back to a normal life because you suspended the ban on them, therefore I'm sure they'll keep the secret, if you ask them…"

Guy shook his head.

"Why should they do me this favour?" he mused, doubtful, "They don't love me, nor do they have any reason to do so."

"Then I'll ask them", Violet said passionately. "Robin will surely indulge me, and his men will follow his wake as they've always done. Much practically lives for Robin, even now that he's given him the Bonchurch estate; Little John respects Robin highly and would never go against him; Allan A Dale will feel forever forced to prove his loyalty after betraying his companions and thus he'll agree to my request for secrecy all the more. As for Will Scarlet and Djaq, I doubt they'll ever have the opportunity to speak again to the king in the Holy Land, and anyway they don't have any reason to talk to him about you."

She was so enthusiastic that Guy felt sorry he had to temper her hopes.

"'Tis very dangerous", he considered, trying to use a gentle tone. "It takes just a little something, like a fortuitous encounter or a slip of the tongue, and the king will know about my guilt."

Disappointed, Violet fell silent, pondering further.

"Then we'll work it out when the time comes", she concluded. "Robin and his men will keep their mouths shut, therefore, if Richard knows about you, 'tis because he has seen you, or has heard your name during the fight in the Holy Land, or because he's learnt it from Will and Djaq. In this case, you'll ask him for clemency, denouncing the few surviving Black Knights."

"But this implies denouncing his brother, the Prince John, too", Guy objected. "And he'd deny everything, of course. Do you really believe that, with no evidence, King Richard would be willing to trust me, a traitor, instead of his brother?" he shook his head. "No, I'd rather count on Prince John being very careful as not to let slip he has plotted against the rightful king."

"You're right", Violet nodded musingly. "Does Prince John know about your involvement with the Black Knights?"

Guy reflected before answering. "I'm not aware that Vaisey ever informed him about it, but I think he suspects it. Why are you asking?"

"If he doesn't know, or if he doesn't know for sure that you were one of their affiliates, he has no loopholes to blackmail you, when you'll expose the other conspirators to King Richard…"

Guy considered his wife's words. Violet had a very brilliant mind, he thought. Her first husband had been twice an idiot: not only he had mistreated her in bed, but also he had insulted her cleverness, of which Guy was instead very glad to avail himself.

"I'll expose them only if necessary", he reasoned slowly. "That is, in case King Richard knows about my attempt on his life and I'll therefore need something to earn his mercy."

Violet's swift brain was still working hard.

"Aye", she approved. "Keep your allegation as the last resort, but meanwhile, warn the involved people about the fact that, should they betray you in any way, you won't hesitate to betray them in turn. Thus you'll make sure they won't say a word."

Guy appreciated once more his wife's sagacity. However, there was a small flaw in her reasoning.

"They could hire an assassin and send him to kill me", he objected.

"And you let them know you wrote a document where you expose them and that this document is in safe hands", she replied promptly. "Write it for good", she added.

Guy nodded, accepting her suggestion.

"I'm surprised John doesn't know you were a Black Knight", Violet then commented. "I thought he appointed you pro tempore sheriff exactly for this reason."

"No, he's actually convinced that, because I was Vaisey's right hand, I'm a supporter of his cause as much as the old baron was", Guy explained. Violet nodded: this made sense, in fact.

At that moment, she felt something warm and wet gliding along the inner side of her thighs.

"Oh no", she muttered.

"What?" Guy asked at once, a little alarmed by her sorrowful tone.

"My lunar cycle", Violet sighed, rolling off the bed. "Excuse me, I need to take care of myself", she murmured. She was clearly asking him to leave.

Guy understood. He had lived enough years with women, at first his mother, then his grown up sister, to know that in these circumstances they needed to be left alone.

"Sure", he therefore answered, getting up. Of course, he was sorry that, because of the bleeding, their love games had to be postponed, but neither he nor his wife could help it.

He got dressed quickly as Violet headed for the niche covered with doors that served as a built-in cabinet, evidently looking for what she needed in her conditions.

"Shall I send for Sally to help you?" he asked, his hand already on the doorknob.

Violet appreciated his thoughtfulness and turned with a slight smile.

"No, I'm used to do it myself", she answered. "But you can tell her that from this morning on I resume having my meals in the hall."

"Fine", Guy agreed, opening the door to leave. "I'll wait for you for breakfast, then", he concluded. His gaze landed on the table where they had dined. "Mayhap 'tis good I send the servants to clear the table", he added, pointing. Violet turned her gaze and saw where he was indicating. Realising the reason the table was still cluttered up with the remains of their evening meal, she felt her cheeks turning aflame, both embarrassed and thrilled. She nodded quietly, then Guy left.

Violet returned to her situation. From the closet, she retrieved a few cloths of linen gauze, very fine and soft, and dried bog moss, as well as the straps that, hooked to a thin belt under her dress, would keep in place the tampon she would create with the moss wrapped in the linen cloths. It was a discomfort, each time it happened, but luckily only at a practical level, because it prevented her, for instance, to ride easily without risking getting dirty. Other women could confront more serious discomforts, such as abdominal pain or cramps, or a general malaise, even nausea, troubles that she could alleviate with her herbalist skills but that nonetheless created distress, sometimes even major ones. Rebelle, for instance, suffered sporadically from excruciating pain, which passed in a matter of hours with the help of a warm stone placed on her belly and a tisane of yarrow, chamomile and balm. Luckily it happened less than once a year, especially in the cold season, but in those occasions she had to stay in bed, incapacitated even to get up because of the cramps.

Adèle had taught her daughter the importance of personal cleanliness in general, and particularly in this case, therefore Violet cleansed herself thoroughly before positioning the tampon and securing it with the belt. Then, she dressed and finally she went downstairs to the great hall, where Guy was waiting for her to break their fast. The first meal of the day had no set time, because there were people beginning their jobs before sunrise and other ones later, so usually the hall wasn't crowded. This morning was no exception, with just half a dozen people intent on eating at the lower tables and Guy, sitting at the high table but still with no food before him. As soon as he saw her appearing on the threshold, he stood up to welcome her.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long", Violet said in an apologising tone, taking her seat next to him. "I got here as quick as I could."

"'Twas me telling you I would wait", Guy reminded her, feeling bad that she was apologising when there was no need to. Certainly, a consequence of the treatment she had received from her first husband, which made her feel on edge even now. He hoped with all his heart that Roganton was burning in Hell.

Violet nodded, acknowledging he was right, then the servants arrived with their breakfast and she got distracted.

As they were finishing eating, Drastan arrived with Gilbert who, apparently, had just returned from Stafford, where Guy had sent him to look for Isabella.

"Good news, Guy!" Drastan began exuberantly before the captain of the guards started to speak, "Come on, Gilbert, report what you got!"

"My lord, I found your sister!" the soldier said quickly. "She lives just outside Stafford, in a well-kept manor, along with her husband Sir Stephan of Thornton and their three children, two lads and a girl. Following your instructions, I didn't approach her and I simply gathered information. It seems that Sir Stephan is a wealthy enough man. He treats well his wife and children, and she's a proud but respectful woman. Their elder son, Marcus, is fourteen years old and shows a disposition for weapons; Roland, twelve, looks like having a head for studying; and Gwen, who just turned nine, is a very lively lass."

Guy was listening avidly to the news regarding his sister. As Gilbert was continuing talking, the sheriff felt more and more relieved. His worse fear had been that he had judged Thornton wrongly, when he had given him Isabella as a wife in exchange for enough money to purchase his knight equipment and begin the recovery of his social and economic status. At the time, Guy had been driven by need and ambition, but he would never entrust his sister to a man who could mistreat her. He had accepted Thornton's proposal because he had made an enough good impression on him, but he couldn't be sure he was right. In all these years, Guy had buried his fears in the most hidden corner of his soul, focusing on the way to take back his station. Now it was a great comfort to learn that things had worked out well for Isabella. He just hoped that it was truly like this, and not just appearance.

Gilbert had finished his report and he was now silent, awaiting Guy's reply. Sensing her husband's uneasiness, Violet intervened.

"Good news, I'd say!" she cried. "Don't you agree, Guy?"

Guy turned to look at her, taking his mind off the whirlwind of his thoughts.

"Aye… or so I think", he answered in a low voice.

"What about going and make sure of it?" Drastan suggested. "Stafford is about half a day on horseback from Nottingham. We can leave tomorrow and be back the day after."

"Excellent idea", Violet approved, encouragingly. She knew that Guy was torn between the wish to meet his sister and the fear to be refused with contempt by her because of what he had done to her, but it looked like Isabella had a good life and this gave hope for a friendly, if not exactly warm, welcome.

"It can be done", Guy admitted, without going too far. "Let's see before what schedule we have."

"Nothing that cannot be moved up to today or postponed to Monday", Drastan answered promptly. As Guy's deputy, the fair-haired knight was a formidable planner.

Having already received his wife's backing, Guy made up his mind.

"Fine: we leave tomorrow in the early morning", he announced. "We take spare horses as not to wear out our mounts…"

Guy was busy all day with his duties as the lord of the manor. With Drastan's assistance, he accomplished all the activities they couldn't postpone to the following days.

During the midday meal break, he asked Violet's opinion about the way he should show up at Isabella's. "Shall I go directly to her, or shall I sent Drastan before, announcing my arrival?"

Violet pondered that she, personally, would have very much appreciated Jeffrey giving her a big surprise. The thought of her later brother caused briefly a lump in her throat, but she struggled to overcome it in order to answer, reasoning that Isabella's and Guy's situation was very different.

"If you go to her without notice, you run the risk of her dropping dead", she considered. "So mayhap 'tis better if Drastan precedes you, paving the way for you, so to speak."

Guy nodded slowly. "You're right, I'll do that."

"Just one more thing", Violet added. "Get her a gift."

"You think she'd appreciate it?" Guy asked, and seeing her nodding firmly, he pulled a face, uncertain. "What would you suggest?"

Again, Violet pondered before answering. "Something she liked very much as a little girl, something that reminds her about your shared childhood."

The sheriff thought about those times, that had been carefree at least until their father had left for the crusade, from which he had returned disfigured by leprosy.

"She was crazy about pain d'épices… gingerbread. My mother used to bake it often, but I don't know the recipe", he complained.

Violet beamed.

"But I do!" at her husband's surprised look, she explained. "My mother loved sweets very much and she had a number of books with English, Italian, French and German specialties. I don't remember by heart the recipe of gingerbread, but I can get it from those very books and give it to Joanna."

"Wonderful!" Guy cried, taking her hand and lifting it to his lips. "Thank you, my lady wife, you're truly precious."

Violet felt his genuine appreciation wrapping her like a warm blanket. Not even once had Charles made her feel this way. Another lump formed in her throat, but she swallowed it down.

"Oh, come on, nonsense…" she tried to minimise.

"'Tis no nonsense in my eyes", her husband contradicted her. "On the opposite, 'tis very important, because I hope it'll help me to make an impression on my sister", he returned to his cutting board and to the piece of smoked salmon placed on it, "I'll invite her to come and visit us along with her family, so you can meet her", he concluded.

"I'd love it", Violet declared, before going back to her food.

After finding the recipe of her mother's gingerbread, Violet brought it at once to Joanna. Ignoring the cook's protests about being inappropriate for a baroness to stay and work in a kitchen, she assisted her in the baking of the cake, making two of them because she wanted to serve one to her husband at dinner, so that he could tell if it was enough alike to the one Ghislaine used to bake.

When he was presented with the pain d'épices, Guy savoured it carefully.

"Absolutely delicious", he declared then.

"Thank you… but does it taste similar enough to your mother's?" Violet insisted, a little anxious.

"Many years have passed, but I'd say that, if 'tis not exactly identical, it tastes pretty similar", he reassured her.

"I hope you'll bake more!" Drastan intervened, devouring the last bite. Watching him sucking on his fingers with a contented face, Violet laughed.

"I got it! I'll give the recipe to your cook at Rivendale."

Rebelle hated cooking, even if she could prepare the simplest food, so the cook had been the first person engaged when she and Drastan had begun to fix the estate in a view to their wedding.

"That was what I wanted to hear", the blond knight approved, beaming.

OOO

Early in the following morning, Guy and Drastan left Nottingham Castle on their horses, taking with them a spare mount each. In one of the saddlebags, carefully wrapped in a linen cloth, the sheriff carried the pain d'épices meant for Isabella.

They reached Stafford in the early afternoon, after a short stop for the midday meal at an inn along the road. Following Gilbert's directions, they crossed the town and headed for Thornton's estate. As Gilbert had reported, the mansion was well kept, with a fine vegetable garden and a lush flower garden. The stables were located in a small building set aside the main house, and a little further stood a cowshed, a pigsty and a henhouse. At a distance, they could see cultivated fields and orchards. The estate wasn't very large, roughly like Bonchurch now or Gisborne once, but it was certainly enough to support Thornton's family, its sharecroppers and the few crafts workers whose shops they could see there.

Guy's anxiety had steadily grown as they were approaching and now it reached the highpoint. He felt the urge to turn Darkshadow and beat a retreat, but he mastered himself. He had never been a coward and he wasn't going to begin now.

He halted in front of the stables, with Drastan at his side. They got off their horses and tethered them to the provided poles, then the blond knight headed for the entrance to the main house. He had taken just a few paces when a woman come out from behind a corner of the mansion. She was dark-haired and tall, and carried an oblong, flat basket full of flowers, evidently collected in the garden. Catching sight of the two men, she stopped dead and watched them with an inquisitive gaze.

Guy felt his heartbeat increasing. Seventeen years had passed, but he recognised Isabella at once. Instinctively, he moved forward, fast at the beginning, then slower as to not scare her.

Isabella kept staring at him. As he was coming closer, her expression became increasingly shocked.

"Guy..." she whispered. Her basket fell from her suddenly weak hands, and the flowers scattered on the ground in a multi-coloured heap.

" Isabella..." Guy answered softly, halting in front of her. He stared at her unforgotten face, seeing the changes that had come with age, like the small expression lines around her eyes, the finer features, the softer curves of her body.

Isabella scrutinised her brother's face in the same way, noticing its changes. Its more serene expression was what struck her the most.

Drastan had stopped and was now watching them, waiting in a discrete silence, his breath bated, unwillingly affected by the nervousness he had perceived in Guy during the whole way from Nottingham. From his friend's behaviour, he had realised that this woman was Isabella. Appearing all of a sudden, she had nullified the reason of his presence here – that is, announcing her brother's arrival as to avoid the shocking surprise – but now it was done, and he could only wait and see what happened.

With a sob, Isabella moved a step forward and slung her arms around Guy's neck. Immensely relieved, the black-clad baron crushed her to him, a lump closing his throat because of his deep feeling. He heard his sister bursting into tears and laughter at the same time, and his eyes dampened.

Drastan crossed his arms over his chest, smiling content for his friend, and patiently waited on.

After the emotional storm had calmed down a little, Isabella withdrew from the embrace and wiped her wet cheeks with her hands. Then she took a step backwards and abruptly slapped Guy, so hard, he turned his face to the side. Stunned rather than sore – Isabella's strength was nothing, if compared to some blows he had received in the past from Vaisey or from adversaries – Guy brought his hand to the struck cheek and turned to look at his sister, completely bewildered.

"This is because you didn't show up for seventeen years!" Isabella cried as an explanation, then she laughed joyfully and threw her arms again around his neck. "I am so happy to see you, brother mine!"

After a moment of understandable hesitation, Guy hugged her again.

"I deserved it", he admitted softly.

Drastan had instinctively taken a step towards the two of them, fearing Isabella had suddenly transformed into a wild cat ready to gouge Guy's eyes out, but now he saw her hugging him again, and Guy reciprocating her, therefore he stopped.

After a minute, Isabella withdrew again and recovered her composure.

"Welcome to Thornton, Guy", she said, the formal words tempered by a warm tone.

"Thank you, little sister", he answered, struggling to keep his emotions under control. "You look great, you're gorgeous."

"Thank you... You, too, look much better than seventeen years ago", she answered, tilting her head to one side to watch him closer. Yes, his features were definitely more relaxed than at the time, though they bore the signs of the years that had passed. "But what are you doing here? And what did you do in all this time? Why did you never look for me?" seeing him opening his mouth to answer her string of questions, she hushed him with a gesture. "No, one thing at a time... Let's go inside! Your friend too, but before, you must introduce him to me."

She slipped one arm under her brother's and, forgetting the flowers, she headed for Drastan. Guy couldn't but walk along with her.

"This is Sir Drastan of Greenmere", he said once they had joined the fair-haired knight. "My friend and my right-hand man at Nottingham. Drastan, this is my sister, Lady Isabella of Thornton."

Drastan bowed politely.

"I'm very honoured, Lady Isabella", he said.

"The honour's mine, Sir Drastan", she replied lively. "Please, come!"

They got into the house and Isabella led them to the small hall, then she went looking for a maidservant, ordering her to bring a carafe of wine.

Returning to the hall, Isabella seated herself on the bench beside her brother. Drastan chose to remain standing next to the window, at a certain distance so he could give them some privacy.

"Why didn't you come earlier?" Isabella asked. "I missed you so much..."

"And I missed you", Guy confessed, grasping her hands. "If I'm here today, 'tis only thanks to my wife..."

"You got married?"

"A little over one month ago", Guy confirmed. "To Violet of Chetwood."

"Violet? The apple lass?"

"Precisely her; and it was she who encouraged me to look for you. I felt too ashamed, because I knew you weren't happy to marry Thornton and I thought you could hate me..."

"In the beginning I actually detested you", Isabella admitted. "You had sold me to him like a property, an item, and I thought that yours had been an execrable and unforgivable behaviour. And of course I was terrified about what could happen to me in the hands of the perfect stranger you had given me to. However, it turned out well, because Stephan proved kind and correct towards me."

Guy didn't conceal his relief from his sister in hearing that what he had hoped for was confirmed.

"I chose Thornton as your husband because he impressed me favourably and not only for the money he was giving me in exchange", he explained. "After all, I could obtain that money even from someone else, or by other means", he smirked bitterly as he recalled Violet's words, when she had pointed out that he could have forced Isabella into prostitution, instead of having her honourably married off, but he didn't say that aloud. "Anyway, 'twas a risk, as after all I didn't know well my brother-in-law-to-be and I could be wrong", he looked into Isabella's eyes, his hands still holding hers. "Believe me, this thought haunted me, but I chose to hide it deep down and to pursue my ambition to gain back Gisborne. For years, I pretended with myself that I didn't care about you or anyone else, in order to fulfil my purpose, and I damned my soul to achieve it."

"And... did you succeed? In your purpose, I mean?" Isabella asked softly.

"Aye, but no thanks to me."

At that moment, a middle-aged woman came in and Guy paused. The servant carried a tray with a jug and three goblets, and she placed it on the table.

"Our best wine, as you ordered, m'lady", she announced.

"I'll serve it myself", Isabella decided. "You can go, Berta. And send Noah for Sir Stephan, asking him to join us here."

The servant curtseyed and exited as Isabella poured some wine to her guests. At that moment, Guy recalled the gift he had brought for her.

"I forgot something in my saddlebag", he said, then he turned to Drastan. "Could you go and take it for me, please?"

"Of course", the fair-haired knight nodded, heading swiftly for the door. He returned a few minutes later and handed the bundle to Guy, who gave it in turn to his sister.

"Violet made it for you", he announced. Intrigued, Isabella quickly opened the packet and, as soon as she recognised the contents, she smiled, delighted.

"A pain d'épices!" she cried, "I tried so many times to reproduce the one our mother used to bake, but not knowing the original recipe, I never succeeded... Is this similar?"

She looked at Guy quizzically and he shrugged. "Very, as much as I can tell. Do you want to try it?"

"Of course! But I need a knife..."

"I can take care of that", Drastan offered, taking his hunting knife from his belt. Isabella nodded and placed the open bundle back on the table. While the knight busied himself cutting three slices, she handed one goblet to Guy and another to Drastan. The latter took it with a thanking nod and, grasping one slice of the sweet bread, discreetly walked again to the window.

Isabella bit into her slice and savoured it carefully.

"You're right, it tastes like our mother's", she affirmed, delighted. "Thank you for the thought, Guy..."

"Again, 'tis thanks to Violet, 'twas she who suggested it to me."

"How nice of her! I always liked her, and now I like her even more", Isabella declared. She took a sip, and Guy did as much, then both placed their goblets on the table and resumed their chat.

"What do you mean, you achieved your goal but not thanks to you?" Isabella queried, then she wrinkled her brow, recalling something else Guy had said. "And what do you mean, you damned your soul?"

"I put myself to an evil man's service", Guy told her quietly. "Vaisey of Nottingham. Promising me his help to regain Gisborne or to give me another estate, he made me do wicked things. Then he died and I ended up taking his office."

"You became sheriff in his place?" Isabella blurted, amazed.

"Aye, a pro tempore office Prince John appointed me to. And that's not all, as by marrying Violet, I became the new baron."

Isabella's eyes widened in astonishment. "How's that possible?"

Guy proceeded to explain the dynastic reasons that had placed the title of Baron of Nottingham in his hands.

"I would have never thought that the sweet Violet could have the boldness to ask a man to marry her", Isabella commented in the end, without hiding her perplexity.

"Violet is actually a sweet woman", Guy confirmed. "However, she knows her stuff, and under her sweetness, there's a strong and intrepid character. As I told you, she was the one to convince me to look for you and then to come here", he nodded toward his friend, who was sipping at his wine in front of the window. "She also suggested that Drastan should announce me, as to avoid giving you a stroke..."

"But I messed it up", Isabella chuckled. "Actually, I had a stroke, when I saw and recognised you... At the beginning, I wondered if I should hug or slap you, and I ended up doing both!" she caressed his cheek, where she had struck him. "I'm sorry..."

He shook his head, placing his hand over hers.

"As I said, I deserved it. I should have come for you much earlier."

"That's for sure, but now, what's done is done."

Guy stared into her eyes, which bore a slightly darker nuance of blue than his.

"You really don't resent me for forcing you into a marriage?" he enquired.

Isabella drew a deep breath before answering. "No, I don't, Guy. It took me time – years, actually – but I eventually realised you couldn't keep me with you and protect me forever. As you were my elder brother and my guardian, the law allowed you to decide for me. You had two options: put me into a convent or marrying me off. You chose the second option, providing me with an honest and well-off enough husband who, in one go, got us both settled. I became Lady Thornton, you a knight..." she frowned as a thought struck her. "After all, thinking about it, I got it better than you,as I acquired a good husband, wonderful children, a serene life, but you instead… you ran into Vaisey of Nottingham's infernal claws..."

Guy too furrowed his brow. Isabella was right: between the two of them, she had been the luckiest one. Probably, if he would have made different choices, he too would have been luckier. For instance, at the service of another lord he wouldn't have to do what he had done for Vaisey... but no other lord could have given him Gisborne back. Blinded by ambition, but also by bitterness and anger, he had even perpetrated the crime of attempted regicide in order to achieve his aim. In addition, by some incredible twist of fate that had decreed Vaisey's demise, he had ended up becoming baron.

T he door opened and a man around forty years old appeared on the threshold, his dark hair greying and a short, well-trimmed beard adorning his handsome features.

"Good afternoon, my lords", he began, then he frowned. "Gisborne?"

Guy stood up, because even if he was a baron now and Thornton a lesser noble, the latter was the lord of the manor and deserved this sign of respect.

"Good afternoon to you, brother-in-law", he said in a neutral tone, unsure about the welcome he would receive.

At Thornton's appearance, Drastan had placed down his goblet, quickly joining his friend, his left hand casually resting on the hilt of his sword as if wanting to steady it while walking, but actually ready to unsheathe it. He never forgot that, among his duties, there was also acting as a bodyguard for the new baron and, though it didn't seem to be any danger afoot, he didn't know Thornton and didn't want to take any risk whatsoever.

Guy cast him a sideway glance, appreciating his move, and used it to introduce him. "Sir Drastan of Greenmere, my deputy. Drastan this is my brother-on-law, Sir Stephan of Thornton."

Drastan and Thornton exchanged small bows, politely but distant.

"I see my wife already provided you with a drink", Thornton observed, taking his seat at the head of the table and gesturing to his guests to sit down with him. "Well, this can surely be called an unexpected visit, Gisborne."

"Lord Nottingham", Drastan corrected him, quietly but firmly. Thornton cast him an icy glance before returning to look quizzically at his brother-in-law.

"I became the baron through marriage", Guy explained. Thornton frowned.

"The Baron of Nottingham had a daughter?" he enquired.

"No, she's the daughter of his cousin, his only heiress by royal decree."

"Ah. That's pretty lucky, I'd say..."

His remark, expressed with cold cynicism, irritated Guy, but he restrained a harsh reply, because he was in his sister's house and because, after all, Thornton had no idea which feelings he actually had for his wife.

"Tell me about you two during these years, and about your children", he invited the Thorntons, wanting to know more.

He and Drastan learned that Isabella and her husband had settled in the latter's estate immediately after their wedding and had remained there since, except for Thornton's occasional business trips to Wolverhampton or Birmingham. Three years after the wedding, Isabella had given birth to Marcus, their eldest son, then later to Roland and Gwen.

During the whole time, Thornton's demeanour was impeccably civil, but cold. It was apparent that he didn't like much his brother-in-law and even less his right-hand man, therefore, when Isabella invited the guests to stay for dinner and for the night, Guy nearly refused, changing his mind only because his sister was looking at him with pleading eyes.

Guy met his nephews and niece, too. Influenced by their father's attitude, the two boys treated their uncle with mistrust, unlike the girl who instead showed great curiosity about him and showered him with questions throughout the meal.

When the three children were sent to bed, Thornton too said goodnight.

"I'll leave you alone: you surely have still a lot of catching up to do", he declared, with unexpected tactfulness despite maintaining his detached demeanour. "Good night."

Drastan too stood up.

"If you don't mind, Guy, I'd retire for the night", he said, looking at his friend awaiting for his permission. Guy nodded, raising to show respect to Thornton, who nodded towards him in acknowledgment.

"I call for a servant to show you your chamber", he then said to Drastan, who nodded curtly. Apparantly he returned their host's cold feelings.

When everyone was gone, Isabella and Guy sat next to one another upon two chairs in front of the fireplace, where the servants had lit a small fire. The two siblings chatted well into the night. Isabella reassured her brother once more that she had a good life: Thornton had proved a good husband and father, authoritarian but just; he allowed her running the household at her leisure; he never let her or their children want for anything; he didn't beat any of them or their servants; and he went regularly to church. She wasn't in love with her husband, but she felt affection for him, and very pragmatically, she recognised she had more than most noblewomen.

Guy had no words to express his relief and mentally thanked Violet for having encouraged him to look for his sister and meet her. His decision to marry her off, though mostly born from his egoism, had luckily proved right. Differently than other decisions he had made, he thought bitterly, but he wouldn't say this to Isabella.

It was then his turn to tell her about himself. As he didn't want to upset her too much, he skipped the darkest aspects of his career as Vaisey's right-hand man, and of course he didn't mention his trips to the Holy Land. Instead, he talked extensively about Violet and about how their relationship had begun, developing then into marriage, and he finished with an invitation to his sister to come and see him in Nottingham with her family. Isabella happily accepted, upon prior consent of her husband.

Finally, late in the night, the two siblings kissed each other goodnight and went to sleep.