Filey Manor, Filey, East Riding of Yorkshire
A cheer went up as soon as the last of Bridlington's convoy disappeared from sight, and Roana turned to Allan, throwing her arms around his neck. All around them, people were smiling in relief, patting each other on the back and embracing. Her uncle and aunt looked like the weight of the world had been removed from their shoulders, and Eleanor pulled Robin into a hug as Robert clasped his hand in thanks. Marian stood by his side, looking radiant.
"And don't come back," Much pretended to call after the retreating group, and everybody laughed.
"We must celebrate," Robert said, decisively. "We will have a feast tonight, and everybody is welcome."
The outlaws cheered, always enthusiastic about free food, and people began to move back up the track towards the house, chatting excitedly. There was an atmosphere of revelry and comradeship that hadn't been altogether apparent before, and Roana slipped her hand into Allan's. He shot a quick glance at Robert, and she squeezed his hand in admonishment.
"It doesn't matter anymore," she said, moving closer to speak into his ear. "We will leave in the morning. I'll tell them and Robin soon."
"Are you sure, Ro?" he asked, his brow knitted slightly.
Roana looked at him, her eyebrows raised. "Well, do you still want me?"
He grinned, saucily. "Damn right I do."
"Well, that's sorted, then," she replied with a smile. "Me and you, A Dale. We'll go back to Nottingham and wait for the others to return." Her smile turned into a smirk. "We'll have the camp all to ourselves."
Allan looked thrilled and glanced around, quickly, before groaning. "Why are all these people here when I just want to kiss you?"
Laughing, she pulled him after her as they joined the small crowd returning to the courtyard. Leaving him with Will and Djaq, she hurried into the house and headed for her bed chamber. Beverly had taken away her leggings and tunic - her forest clothes - with the promise to get them laundered and returned straight away. Sure enough, the maid had left them folded nearly atop her mattress, clean and smelling fresh. Roana smiled to herself. She would thank her before she left. A good maid was a gift from heaven.
With a sudden pang, Roana thought of Alice, last seen clinging to Gisborne's arm on the other side of the gate, accompanying William on his evil mission to burn Filey Manor. Roana missed her so much, but the chasm between them seemed to be widening by the day. Alice loved Gisborne; of that there was no doubt. But would she allow that love to turn her against her friends? It had certainly appeared so that morning, although it was difficult to understand what she was thinking, for they hadn't spoken in so long. Alice had warned Roana and Robin of William's plans only days before; surely her mind had not been changed in such a short space of time. Roana hoped not, and, if that was indeed the case, she couldn't imagine the turmoil Alice must be in, torn between her friends and her love.
Although, maybe Roana could imagine, for her return to Filey had been fraught with worry. She loved Allan and cared for him implicitly. Although he cultivated a casual, unconcerned air, he was a lot more sensitive than people gave him credit for, and she would not see him hurt. She would fight for him, and, if that involved turning her back on her uncle and aunt, she would do it, even while it tore her apart inside. She would do it for Allan.
Maybe she and Alice weren't so different, after all. There must be something very special about Gisborne if Alice was sticking by him, despite everything.
Shedding the beautiful peacock-blue gown and draping it over her bed, Roana pulled on her leggings and tunic and found her boots. She couldn't believe how restrictive the gown had felt after the freedom of her forest outfit. She immediately felt lighter, liberated from the heavy skirts.
Leaving the chamber, she skipped back down the stairs. Reaching the bottom, she looked left and glimpsed Robert and Robin through the open solar door. Perfect, she thought. She could tell them both at once that she and Allan would be leaving the following morning. Heading to the door, she found Allan where she had left him, talking with Little John and Roger outside the barn. She beckoned him over.
"I really don't know how I prefer you," he said, looking her up and down approvingly as he approached. "In a dress, like this, or without anything on at all."
He grinned at her and Roana blushed, but more with the sudden rush of desire than embarrassment.
"Stop it!" she said, feeling slightly breathless, and unable to stop the smile from creeping over her face. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the house. "Come on. It's time to confront my uncle and aunt."
Allan came closer to her, his blue eyes gleaming. "We're really doing this?"
Roana nodded. "We're really doing this."
"Where are we going?" He began to pull her deeper into the house, and Roana laughed at his enthusiasm. Taking over, she headed for the solar, where Robert, Eleanor, Robin, and Marian were deep in conversation. They paused and looked towards the door when Roana entered, followed closely by Allan.
"Uncle Robert. Aunt Eleanor," she began, haltingly, and paused. They were looking at her in bewilderment, taking in her change of outfit, and Roana felt a sudden wave of sorrow, thinking of the closeness they had once shared, but which had suddenly gone awry. It all came out in one unstoppable sentence, everything that she had wanted to say the night before but had been reluctant to do so for fear of Robert's obvious disapproval, and everything that she had decided on since.
"I love you both so much, and I am so grateful for everything you're done for me, please believe me when I say that, and I know that you are going to disapprove of what I say now, and I'm not doing it to hurt or disappoint you, but I'm with Allan and I love him and we want to be together more than anything, and you don't seem to be able to see that, so we are leaving tomorrow." She paused for breath and looked at them both, pleadingly. "I'm sorry."
"Oh, Roana."
Eleanor's expression was distraught, but Robert's face had settled into a pensive scowl. He ignored Roana very deliberately and regarded Allan instead for a long moment. Allan stared back at him, boldly.
Roana approached her aunt and placed a hand on her arm. "I really am sorry, but I'm going to follow my heart. Being with William made me realise that I can't enter into a marriage of convenience. You've always known this about me." She looked at Robert. "Uncle Robert, please understand."
Robert's lips tightened but he continued to look at Allan, rubbing his chin, thoughtfully. When he spoke, his tone was cold. "What can you offer my niece?"
Allan looked startled and shrugged. "I know I'm not a lord, but I love her and I'll look after her. I'm not being funny but that's a lot more than Bridlington ever did."
"But you're an outlaw," Robert replied, sternly. "I don't really think life in the forest is good enough for a lady, and with a thief? It's not ideal. Surely you can see that. She deserves better."
"Now, hang on a minute," Allan said, becoming irate.
Robin intervened, quickly, holding up a hand. "Allan," he said, warningly. Allan backed down but continued to glare at Robert, his blue eyes flashing with anger.
Robin turned to Robert. Looking at them standing face-to-face, it was easy to see the family resemblance for it was reflected in their stature, the nut-brown hair, and the intensity in their blue eyes, Roana thought. She hadn't noticed earlier, had been preoccupied with other things. But, now that she was leaving, she could see it, was noticing details to savour once she left them behind.
"Robert," Robin said, patiently, the amenable mediator. "Give Allan a chance. He's a good man."
"I've given Allan a chance," Robert stated, firmly. "I have nothing against him, as a person. I've welcomed him into my home, as with all of your friends, despite the fact that you are all outlaws. But he is not good enough for my niece, and that is my final say. And, as your guardian," he spoke to Roana, "I will not allow you to leave this house with him."
Roana looked at him, aghast, and turned to find Allan, but he was beyond reach, thrumming with rage.
"Maybe you should take the stick out of your arse and actually get to know me, instead of judging me for the mistakes I've made in the past," he shouted, furiously. "But I'm not going to stick around and waste my time trying to talk you round. Ro?"
Roana looked at Robin, imploringly, not wanting to leave things like they were, torn between Allan and Robert and Eleanor.
"Wait outside," Robin said to Allan, quietly and firmly. "She'll be with you after we've spoken amongst ourselves."
Without a word, Allan turned and stalked out of the room, slamming the door after him.
"Allan!" Roana made to go after him, but Robin stilled her with a hand to her arm.
"Leave him. Let him cool off. He won't go far."
Devastated at the thought of Allan alone with his anger, Roana nevertheless took Robin's advice, keen to conclude her conversation and hurry after him. Her mind was made up; she would leave Filey today whether Robert agreed with it or not. She would leave with Allan.
Slamming out of the solar, Allan paused in the hallway, looking left and right. He wasn't thinking straight; he knew that even from the depths of his wrath, and he needed to get out of the house before his temper was riled to even greater heights.
He had no idea if Roana would follow him. His greatest fear was that she would turn her back on him, but he had to trust that she had chosen him. Part of him was certain, but there was a small kernel of groundless doubt within him that had taken root when they had first arrived at Filey, and flourished malignantly with every rebuke Robert threw at their union. Allan had to believe that Roana would choose him; if she didn't, he wasn't sure what he would do.
Right now, he needed something to take his mind off things. Making a decision, he headed right, walking through the house, purposefully, until he found the kitchen. Inside, the servants were preparing for the evening feast, and Allan walked in with a nonchalant smile and smoothly plucked a flagon of wine from the side table on his way to the door that lead out onto the courtyard. There were people milling around outside, and he registered various greetings, acknowledging them with a wave of his hand, but continuing on his way. He didn't want to socialise; he wanted to drink himself into oblivion and feel sorry for himself. After that, he would fight for Roana, but he needed this time to himself. He needed a moment, Allan thought to himself; Roana's own words from earlier that day.
Sloping around the side of the furthest barn, he walked to the end, looking out over the surrounding fields, and leaned against the wall, sliding down until he was sat in the dirt. He took a huge gulp of the wine, followed immediately by another. It was good stuff. Trust Robert to only serve decent wine. Maybe Allan wasn't good enough to drink it, being just an outlaw.
He took another swig, feeling the alcohol begin to warm his insides. He had barely eaten that day, and wine was rarely a good idea on an empty stomach. But he really didn't care at that particular moment in time. He needed the oblivion that alcohol provided, and he would deal with life come tomorrow. Hopefully, he and Roana would be leaving for Nottingham, and they could get back on track.
There was a well beside the barn, and Allan vaguely registered one of the maids collecting water, but he didn't pay much attention. He was too immersed in his thoughts, playing back Robert's words and imagining comments he could have retorted with instead of losing his temper. But what was done, was done, and he could only trust that Roana and Robin had his back.
"You alright?" It was the maid from the well. Allan recognised her; it was the girl who had brought them food that morning. Laney, or something. He had heard the talk about her between the Nottingham men. She was comely, there was no doubt about that, and with few morals, making her very popular with the menfolk of Filey. Allan knew her type. Once, he would have had no issue sampling her wares. But he had changed, and plus, she wasn't a patch on Roana.
He nodded at her, noncommittally, and lowered his gaze to the flagon, lifting it to take another gulp.
"Want some company? I've just finished for the day." Without waiting for a reply, she sat down beside him, so close that she was touching him. She smelled of flour and woodsmoke, and something slightly sour.
Deliberately, he shuffled to the side, leaving a gap between them. "Not being funny but I'm not in the mood to talk."
"S'okay. I can talk fer both of us." She gave a loud sigh and then reached her hand out for the wine. "Can I have some?"
Rolling his eyes, Allan handed the flagon to her, unceremoniously. She took a long swig and then smacked her lips.
"That's nice! I'm not used t'the good stuff. Drink ale, mainly. You?"
Allan took the flagon back off her and drank. He was becoming quite light-headed, and was beginning to relax a little, the tension leaving his shoulders. He leant his head back against the wall of the barn. "Occasionally. Depends what's on offer."
The maid - Laney? - laughed, bawdily, and nudged him with her shoulder. "Oh, really?"
Allan scowled. "I didn't mean it like that. I've got a girlfriend."
"Lighten up, Allan! It is Allan, in't it? I'm Laney." Without waiting for his reply, she continued. "I've seen you with Lady Roana. I wouldn't 'ave put you with 'er. I mean, she's pretty an' all, but she's a bit stuck up, in't she?"
"No, she isn't," Allan replied, crossly.
"Alright, alright. Sorry!" She laughed again. "What's wrong with you anyway? Wanna talk about it? I'm a good listener."
"Not really," Allan said, dismissively. But, next minute, it all came out in a huge torrent of words; his love for Roana, his hidden feelings of inferiority, his frustration at Robert's dismissiveness, and his fear that he would lose her. Somewhere along the way, Laney disappeared and reappeared again with a full flagon of wine, and he carried on drinking and talking.
Much eventually arrived and attempted to coax him away with the promise of food and sleep, but Allan waved him away. The shadows were growing longer over the fields, and he realised with a start that it was probably early evening. He wondered where Roana was, and if she had been looking for him. She wouldn't have thought to look here, in this secluded corner. He yawned, loudly. Sleep did sound like an excellent option. Part of his brain was aware that he was extremely drunk, and he was finding it difficult to string a sentence together. He wasn't a big drinker at the best of times, and he could feel the wine sloshing around his empty stomach.
Realising that Laney had moved closer and closer as the day progressed, and was now draped over his left side, Allan shrugged her off, clumsily, and stumbled to his feet. He needed to sleep.
"It's been fun, girl, but I'm out of.. I'm going to.. I'm tired." He swayed on his feet, and Laney leapt up, inserting herself under his right arm.
"Whoa, hold up. Let me help yer."
Allan tried to protest, weakly, but then gave up and allowed her to help him stagger around the back of the barn and in through the back entrance. He was bleary-eyed but managed to make out bales of hay surrounding him on all sides before he sank into a soft bed and fell straight to sleep.