Chapter XXIX

Nottingham, September 21st, 1194

Two days after Violet's rescue, Guy had sent several trustful guards to the fiefs of the three Black Knights to check on the reactions about their deaths. He doubted that anyone would bring charges against him, as not only Rotherham, Spencer and Buckingham had perpetrated one of the most dishonourable crimes – the abduction of a noblewoman – but they had done it for reasons that, if known, would take them straight to the gallows. Besides, Guy had acted on his right, going to the rescue of his abducted wife with a group who had confronted the barons' group on equal terms and had won after an honourable combat, and not a cowardly ambush.

Ten days later, the two men who had been sent to Rotherham were the first to return and Guy received them at once. When they finished their report, he sent them to grab something to eat, giving them one day off before returning to duty, and then he went to see Violet: He found her in her parlour as she checked the fief's books, something she did once a week.

"The men I sent to Rotherham are back", he announced. Violet gave him immediately her full attention.

"What tidings do they bear?" she asked.

"The baron's cadaver has been carried home four days ago by one of the soldiers who survived the fight", Guy told her. "He justified his sire's death saying they were assailed by an overwhelming number of brigands. He never mentioned neither Buckingham nor Spencer."

Violet nodded, not at all surprised by this omission, as it wasn't in anyone's interest that their dark league would become known.

"And how did Rotherham's family react?" she enquired.

"His wife died a couple of years ago. His only son and heir didn't look much saddened, but considering 'twas common knowledge his father mistreated him, I'm not surprised at all. He had a hurried private funeral celebrated and immediately took the title."

Again, Violet nodded.

"One reaps what he sows", she commented tersely. "Anything else?"

Guy shook his head. Actually, there was something else but, knowing that Violet would feel bad, he had decided he would leave it out of the news. It was about the soldier who had carried home Rotherham's body, the one she had hit in the arm with an arrow she had been forced to leave into the wound, because in the middle of the forest she had no suitable tools to take it out safely. The wound had festered and they had been forced to amputate the arm, but the soldier had died a few hours after the operation. Violet had shot the arrow to hit Much's opponent in a non-lethal place, then she had done her best to cure him, but Guy knew she would nonetheless feel guilty. He didn't want this to happen and thus he had decided he wasn't going to tell her. He recalled he had said that it wasn't right for spouses to keep things from one another, when he had accepted to marry her and had guessed she wasn't telling him something. However, in this case Guy thought that sparing her pain was more important than complete information, and he felt justified.

OOO

The following day, after breakfast, Guy headed for Knighton Hall, which rebuilding had been completed a few days earlier.

When he arrived, he saw the carriage with Locksley's insignia parked in front of the mansion, revealing that Robin and Marian were already there.

G uy got off his horse in front of the stables, which had been rebuilt exactly as they had been as much as the main house. A groom came out and approached him.

"Lord Sheriff", he greeted him with a respectful bow. Guy recognised him.

"Hullo, Jason", he said, handing him Darkshadow's reins. "Give him some water."

"Of course, my lord."

Guy took a scroll from the saddlebag, then he headed for the entrance. He knocked at the door and waited. Technically, he could enter without asking permission, as Knighton Hall was presently his property, but he thought that showing respect for the future owners was no bad idea. The truce with Robin was holding, but they were still on the outs. The would never be friends, but they could at least act civilly, also because neither of them wanted to disappoint his wife.

A middle-aged woman opened the door.

"Welcome, Lord Nottingham", she said formally, curtseying. "Please, come in."

Unlike Jason, Guy didn't know this maidservant's name, though he had seen her other times at Knighton. The woman preceded him and saw him to the great hall, which was furnished with just a long table and a few chairs and benches. An already opened inkpot and a long quill were placed on the table.

"Lord Nottingham's here", the maidservant said, moving aside to let him in. Entering into the room, Guy saw Marian and Robin seated before the lighted fireplace. The room was still rather chilly, indicating that the fired had been just recently lit.

"Gisborne", Robin said frostily, rising to meet him.

"Locksley", Guy returned with equal frostiness. They would never be on enough friendly terms to call each other by given name, but neither were they a stranger to one another as to call each other by their title, that is, Nottingham and Huntingdon, therefore they stuck to the names they had always used.

Guy walked over to Marian and bowed to her. "Marian, you look well."

The pregnancy – now in the sixth month – was doing good to the Countess of Huntingdon, who looked radiant, to say the least.

"Thank you, Guy", she said with a sweet smile. "You too look well", then she turned to the maidservant, still lingering by the door, "You can go, Goda."

The woman curtseyed and walked quickly away.

Guy placed the scroll onto the table and unrolled it as Robin came up to him.

"This is the deed of transfer of Knighton's property", Guy said straightaway. "'Tis been written and signed by the notary, Harper, with my seal and signature. You need only to countersign it her, Locksley", he concluded, pointing to an empty space on the lower part of the document.

Robin frowned and crossed his arms on his chest.

"You cannot transfer the property of something that's not yours to give" he observed in a biting tone.

"The old baron has legally confiscated Knighton, therefore by the law it belongs to me", Guy bit back. "I could demand a hefty sum, especially considering that the house is brand new", he crossed his arms on his chest, mimicking Robin's stance. "However, I won't do that. The transfer is for free."

For once, Robin was speechless. He was expecting a request for money, more or less reasonable, and he was preparing to negotiate fiercely as he had learnt from the Saracens, but Guy's declaration had blown him away.

"Thank you so much, Guy", Marian intervened amiably. "You're very generous."

Guy turned his head to look at her and was about to speak, but at that moment Robin found his voice again.

"Why are you doing this, Gisborne?" he enquired, despite all still sceptic. "How's possible you don't want anything in return?"

Guy glared at him.

"I'm doing it because 'tis the right thing to do", he stated through clenched teeth. "And no, I don't want anything in return, not even your thanks. Marian's are enough."

Once again, Robin had to confront with Guy's transformation. It wasn't easy for him to accept it as real and therefore he kept falling into the same old scheme of enmity and aversion. He didn't like it, thus he decided to do something to change. Of course, always in his ironic style.

"I must admit that I like the new Gisborne", he muttered. "And this frightens me."

Guy stared at him, unsure on how to interpret this statement. Robin returned his gaze, a spark of amusement in his own. A corner of Guy's mouth twitched in the beginning of a lopsided smirk. Robin pressed his lips together, trying to hold back a grin. The corner of Guy's mouth rose further. Robin bit the inner side of his cheek as to prevent himself from laughing, but he couldn't manage it completely and a kind of snort came out. For a moment, on Guy's face appeared a half-smile.

Marian laughed openly instead.

"How much longer will you two insist keeping this absurd little game going on?" she asked them, shaking her head. "You're ridiculous!"

Both stared at her without realising about what she was speaking. Or better, they knew exactly already, but neither of them wanted to admit it. Marian rolled her eyes and moved her hand as if swatting an annoying fly.

"Come on, Robin, sign that document", she invited him in a peremptory tone, surely more an order than a suggestion. "So you'll quit it."

The Earl of Huntingdon pulled a face to definitively erase the smile that obstinately kept tugging at his lips and snatched the scroll. He read carefully – just to show he still didn't trust Gisborne – and then, as he found nothing to complain about it, he seized the quill, dipped it into the inkpot and signed.

"That's settled", he said, placing down the quill. The document would stay in his care, as confirmation of the transaction.

Guy nodded curtly.

"Very well", he said, "Then, we're done her. Have a nice day, Locksley. And you too, Marian", he concluded in a gentler tone, bowing slightly to her.

"You too, Guy", Marian returned, while Robin just nodded towards him.

When Guy left, Robin brought the document to Marian and gave it to her.

"Knighton is yours again", he said.

"Yours, actually", Marian rectified, accepting the scroll. "As my husband, legally you're the owner of all my belongings."

Robin shrugged.

"Legally, aye, but for me, Knighton will always be only yours. You'll run it in whatever way you deem right, and you'll bequeath it to any of our children. Or you'll give it to the Church. In short, you're free to do whatever you want with it."

"Thank you", Marian answered, aware that very few husbands would be so liberal. She caressed her baby bump. "Our firstborn son will inherit Huntingdon, of course, therefore Knighton will go to our second born son, or to our firstborn daughter as a dowry", she decided. Robin smiled: Marian always knew what she wanted. Her strong-willed character was a quality that had drawn him to her since the beginning, despite being it sometimes the reason of arguments between them. However, he liked it because it allowed him to have a different point of view that, very often, was better than his own, or they melted to form a shared one that was more effective than the two separated points of views. Theirs was not only a shared love, but also a partnership between two people who wanted what's best for each other and that therefore brought benefits to both.

"This is a long-term plan", he observed, back to practical things. "In the meantime, how do you want to proceed?"

"I'll entrust the old steward, Harold, with running Knighton. I trust him completely, I know he'll do a good job."

"I agree."

They kept making plans for a long time, starting to issue orders in consequence. Harold was very happy and honoured that Marian had chosen him for running the estate and assured her he would have Knighton and its inhabitant thrive. Marian only recommended to hire again the staff that had worked in the mansion before the fire – Goda was among them – and then she would leave entirely it to him.

When they left Knighton Hall to go back to Locksley, the Earl and Countess of Huntingdon were content. Things were going very well and the sole remaining shadow cast over them was the ban still lingering on Robin's head, but that King Richard would surely lift as soon as he would return to England.

OOO

Guy returned to Nottingham, where they were holding the twice-weekly market. Passing in front of the booth of Locksley's potter, Rebecca, he was struck by a basin decorated with a floral pattern of violets. It came with a ewer equally decorated. Impulsively, he halted his horse and got off the saddle.

"How much for these?" he asked Kate, Rebecca's daughter, who promised to become as skilled as her mother was in the art of manufacturing earthenware.

"Three silver coins", the blonde girl answered in a bold tone. It was a definitively excessive price, but Guy appreciated her audaciousness.

"I'll give you one", he therefore said, hiding his amusement under the usual frown. "And five copper coins if you have them taken to the castle, directly to my wife the Lady Violet", he added, fishing into his pouch.

"We have a deal, Lord Sheriff", Kate accepted. "I'll send my brother Matthew at once."

Satisfied, Guy gave her the agreed sum, then he got again on his horse and resumed the path to the castle.

Rebecca, who had followed the exchange a few yards away, stepped beside her daughter.

"I bet 'tis a gift for his wife", she commented, looking at the baron who was riding slowly away. "'Tis rumoured he's madly in love with her."

"Yea", Kate confirmed. "If just six months ago someone would tell me that Guy of Gisborne would change so much, I'd call he or her crazy."

"Me too", Rebecca admitted, shrugging and turning to the counter. "Come, let's put the pieces into a basket and then we send Matthew to the castle with it."

Kate nodded and helped her mother to place the ewer and the basin into a wicker basket, and then her younger brother ran off to deliver it to the sheriff's wife.

OOO

After finishing of taking stock with Joanna about the supplies they had to order, Violet had retired in her small sitting room – which she also used as a study – to accordingly update the books. Sally's arrival interrupted her as she knocked on the door, announcing a boy with a delivery for the baroness. Matthew entered carrying the basket and, blushing profusely, he handed it to Violet with a deep bow.

"Fro… From the Lord Sheriff's part", he stuttered, feeling overawed at being in the presence of the very Baroness of Nottingham.

"Thank you", said Violet, pleasantly surprised. "Sally, take this young man to the kitchen and tell Joanna to give him a slice of cake or, if she has none, bread and sausage."

"Tha… Thank you, my lady", the boy babbled, taking his leave along with the maidservant.

V iolet placed the basket on the table and removed the jug and the basin from it. She appreciated the workmanship, solid but also refined. When she caught sight of the violets painted on them, she felt a lump of emotion in her throat. This wasn't the first time Guy would surprise her with gifts clearly thought for her. He had started with the engagement rings, when he had small amethysts set into them to refer to her name and to her favourite colour. From that moment on, other gifts had come, from very simple ones like flowers or fruits, to more costly items like a silver necklace with an amethyst pendant he had expressly ordered to Drewmore to match the ring that had been Adèle's, or subtler gestures, like ordering her favourite cake instead of his at dinner. Tears of joy and gratitude welled up in her eyes as she considered that, when she had learnt she had to remarry, she would never hope in such a happy marriage. Her tears soon stopped as a naughty grin curved her lips at the thought of how she would thank her husband tonight…

OOO

Violet threw back her head as pleasure shot through her, so deep that it robbed her even of enough breath to scream. Under her, Guy trembled, clutching her hips as he joined his wife in the ecstasy of fulfilment.

Their conjugal confidence had greatly increased during the last three weeks, as they had spent every single night together, making love even several times in a row. Guy had invited her to show how much she desired him each time she would feel like it, exactly as he did. Therefore tonight, with the excuse to wanting thank him for his gift, Violet had taken the initiative and decided to repeat an experience she had very much appreciate when her husband had made her try it first: she had straddled him, and Guy had been very happy to indulge her.

Violet descended slowly from the vertiginous height Guy had led her. Trying to calm her breath, she lay down on him, stretching her legs beside his.

"My husband", she whispered. "You leave me each time stupefied."

Guy had felt her shuddering in pleasure around himself and this had satisfied him more than his own fulfilment. He dragged up the covers, which had slipped down during their lovemaking, because despite the blazing fire, the room wasn't exactly warm, as they were now at the end of September.

"And you leave me stupefied, my blossom", he returned sincerely her statement. Encouraged and guided by him, Violet was learning to enjoy freely the conjugal love, getting over qualms and modesty, letting herself go to passion, and all this because she trusted him completely, with no reservations. When he thought about it, Guy still hardly believed to his luck.

Violet drew back and nestled into Guy's arms, resting her head on his shoulder. He kissed her lips, tenderly. They relaxed for some time, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking as they always used to do.

They had made love several times also during the day, and not only in Violet's or Guy's bed, but taking advantage of some hidden corner somewhere in the castle, and once even in Guy's workroom. Violet had dismissed the guard that always watched the door, then she had walked in and had pulled the latch, seducing her husband, which hadn't requested much effort. She had tried out one of the positions Rebelle had told her about some time before, so she had sat in Guy's lap, and she had found it exciting and very agreeable.

That had been the first time she had shown so much initiative and cheekiness, following her husband's exhortation to show him all of her desire for him, exactly as she had done now. Recalling the episode into the study, Violet chuckled.

Guy loved the sound of his wife's laugh. Guessing the reason could be rather brash, he chuckled in turn.

"What's so amusing?" he enquired.

"I was thinking about the time I came to your workroom to… play horsy", Violet explained, chuckling harder. Guy's grin broadened.

"I hope we'll do that again soon", he murmured.

"You can count on it", Violet assured him with yet another giggle, then she sighed. "But now 'tis best if we sleep. Tomorrow morning I have to get up early to take care of the preparations for the weekly laundry."

"Sometimes I curse the nobility obliges", Guy grumbled. He saw Violet raising her head from his shoulder and looking at him impishly. "When you make that face, my wife, you're thinking about something very naughty", he affirmed, lifting one corner of his mouth in his typical lopsided smile.

"Actually, that's precisely the case", Violet admitted. "Drastan is a very competent deputy and he would easily cover for you for a couple of days. We could go and lock ourselves up into Vaisey's hunting lodge, the one Rebelle and Drastan brazenly used for their lovemaking before marrying. We could stay in bed the whole time..."

"Now that's an excellent idea", Guy murmured. Just imagining the situation stirred his virility in a new erection, despite the recent fulfilment. Good heavens, he had never enough of his wife... and seemingly she had never enough of him either.

"Then we're going to do it soon", Violet suggested. "If some kind of emergency happens that Drastan cannot manage – but I can hardly imagine it – he'll know where to find us, and he'll send for you. From the castle, 'tis just half an hour away on horseback."

"Looks like you were thinking about it for some time", Guy insinuated, arching an eyebrow.

Violet shook her head. "Only about the fact I'd love to be alone with you, but as for the details, they're coming to my mind just now. As much as concerning food: let's take with us only already prepared things, so we won't waste time cooking..."

At this point, Guy laughed heartily, a pleasure he had forgotten for almost twenty years, precisely from the fire in which his parents died, a pleasure that he had found again thanks to Violet and her love.

"You're truly a shameless little imp, my lady wife... and you have no idea how much I like that!"

In spite of her new boldness, Violet felt her cheeks heating up. As much as her level of modesty with Guy was now extremely low, it would never disappear completely, because it was part of her personality. However, though she had blushed a little, she didn't look away from her husband's gaze, because she knew he truly appreciated her straightforwardness in their intimacy. She smiled at him, pleased, and kissed him once more, before preparing to sleep.

OOO

On the following day, Sir Much of Bonchurch and Eve got married. Robin, Marian, Guy and Violet attended the wedding. Little John and his wife and son were there, too. Allan A Dale, still convalescent, to his great regret wasn't able to go, but Sally cheered him up with her presence. The two of them had developed a bond in those days and Violet had begun suspecting that there was a thing between them.

The wedding ceremony and the following feast were very similar to those held in Rivendale for Rebelle and Drastan, with the difference that Robin and Little John succeeded in getting Much drunk – or so they thought, because when the moment came to rise and head for the nuptial chamber, the Lord of Bonchurch, ostensibly plastered, took his leave from everybody in a perfectly lucid way, and then walked away steadfastly and without staggering at all. His two friends were so knocked out, they forgot to escort him like the custom demanded, and their faces were so comical that Violet, Marian and Alice – Little John's wife – split their sides laughing, and even Guy grinned.

The shy Much had played them all!

OOO

A couple of days later, the two guards sent to Buckingham returned to the castle and, three more days later, also the two sent to Spencer's fief. The news they were bringing were identical to those that had come from Rotherham: bandits had assailed the two noblemen and their escort. Spencer's wife and five sons seemed to genuinely grieve over his death, while apparently no one mourned for Buckingham, who was a bachelor, not even his brother. The latter had been forced to take the vows as not to share in the fatherly inheritance and he was now a bishop, but he would leave the ecclesiastical post to take up the barony.

"So you don't have anything to worry about anymore?" Violet asked her husband anxiously.

"From the part of the Black Knights certainly not", Guy answered. "However, the issue with the king still stands."

Violet shook her head.

"Marian was categorical", she said, reminding him of a conversations she had told him she had had with the Countess of Huntingdome some time before, "The king passed out after falling from his horse. No way he's seen you."

"I know, but until the king won't be back and doesn't prosecute me, I cannot feel safe."

Unlike Guy, Violet was an optimist. However, she was a realistic person, too, and she knew perfectly that there could be a chance, even if just the slightest, that Richard had seen Guy's face.

"In this case, Robin and Marian will testify in your favour", she affirmed. By now, her childhood friend was convinced that Guy was sincerely repentant about his past misdeeds, though the two still bickered like spiteful children. At this point, however, it was clear that they behaved this way because they liked posing this way, while actually it was no longer hostility.

"In this case, I hope it'll be enough", Guy sighed. Violet clasped his hands firmly.

"I want to believe it", she affirmed. He brought her hands to his lips, turned them and kissed her palms.

"Thank you, my wife", he whispered. "You're my strength…"

His assertion moved Violet deeply. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him desperately.