When Robin returned to Locksley with Ellen seated before him on his horse, he was pleased to see his village looking peaceful, prosperous, and happy.
What had disturbed him most when he had moved back into his home with Marian as his wife, had been the silence and the absence of children playing outside their cottages. Under Gisbourne's tyranny, parents kept their children indoors to escape their master's wrath. No one knew when his fury might erupt, or when he might send his guards to demand more and higher taxes. The people of Locksley lived in fear, and an entire group of children had known nothing else.
But since King Richard's return, Sheriff Vasey's removal, and Robin's restoration, Locksley had slowly awakened to its former happy state. No one went hungry, people felt safe, and children's laughter once again rang out.
One of those laughing and playing was Robin's younger daughter Grace. Marian was outside the manor with her, pretending to give chase while Grace tottled about on her sturdy little legs.
How could anyone call her a "wailer," Robin wondered. She was so cute, with round blue eyes, chubby cheeks, and hair only beginning to grow. Just because she had a temper and a stubborn streak...! She was only a toddler, after all.
Marian held Grace by her hand when she saw Robin guide his horse to them. The sun shone in her eyes and she had to squint while gazing up at her husband, smiling. Her hair was loose and she was dressed very simply, and she was just beginning to "show," a tiny bulge under her gown the only indicator of a new and precious life. Robin thought her breathtakingly beautiful.
Grace was hopping up and down, saying, "Me, me!" wanting her turn to ride. Robin unbelted Ellen and handed her down to Marian, who smilingly hugged her, then set her on her feet. Robin leaned way down from his saddle to kiss his wife, reminding Marian of their first kiss after he had returned from war. The looks they gave each other were the same looks as then.
"Me, me!" Grace called again, and Marian lifted her up to Robin, who placed her before him before fastening his belt around them both.
"Say 'Please,' " Marian instructed, even though Grace was ready for her gallop.
"Peas," Grace responded.
Robin steered his horse around then urged him to a canter. He rode with Grace up the hill over his village then stopped short of the cliff over the River Trent, where Gisbourne had once flung his body, confident he was killing him.
But Robin had miraculously survived, just as Marian had in the Holy Land, though Robin had not known it for many agonizing months. Robin now mistakenly believed Gisbourne dead, shot through the heart by Marian's arrow after having abducted Ellen. But Gisbourne, just like Robin and Marian, was hard to kill.
Grace was squirming in the saddle, pulling Robin from his thoughts. "Come on, Gracie. Let's go home," he said, holding the reins with one hand while wrapping his other arm around his daughter for their downhill descent.
"Bunnies, Daddy. Peas." Grace, Robin knew, was asking him to ride to the meadow before heading home. They had often seen rabbits scampering there.
"Since you said, 'please,' " Robin said with a grin, "and, since we're sure to see rabbits..."
Grace squealed with delight as Robin steered his horse toward the meadow.
But it wasn't rabbits they saw in the meadow today, but a ghost from Robin's past. Even before arriving, Robin recognized Isabella of Gisbourne standing alone in the meadow, as if she was waiting for him.
"What are you doing here?" Robin demanded, without getting down from his horse.
Isabella's eyes lit up with a strange fire. "Hello, Robin Hood," she said, her voice low and seductive.
"We are Wobbin Hood!" Grace announced, in her best imitation of Little John.
Grace waited for the laughter that typically followed her announcement, but neither her father nor the beautiful lady were laughing.
"Is it yours?" Isabella asked Robin, referring to Grace. Her lip curled in a sneer, reminiscent of her brother's frequent expression.
"My younger daughter," Robin said proudly, being careful not to tell Isabella her name. "I asked you before. What are you doing here?"
"Just reminiscing," Isabella answered. "You haven't forgotten, Robin, have you, how we used to meet here? Funny that you should find your way here now, just when I was thinking of us."
"There is no us," Robin told her.
Isabella gave him a look that indicated she disagreed. "There will always be an 'us,' " she told him. "We are enemies, but there's a fire in your blood for me that can never be quenched."
Robin laughed derisively. "I told someone today, that Locksley was close to Eden. I meant it, but I'd forgotten about the snake in the story."
"Snake again! Why must you always think of me in those terms? Since the king's return, I've been living in Kirklees Abbey, Robin, among the nuns. They think me an angel."
"You, in the abbey?"
"You find it so hard to believe?"
"I find it impossible. I know you, Isabella. You're no nun."
She laughed seductively. "I never said I took holy orders. But what about you? Still as handsome and tempting as ever. Is your life safe now, Robin? Safe and boring?"
"Never boring."
"I wonder." She stared intently up at him. "If you find yourself craving adventure, you know where to find me."
Unable to understand his own level of anger, Robin turned his horse around and galloped toward home.
Marian could tell immediately something had disturbed him, but she held back her questions until they could be alone. All through supper, the girls' baths, family prayers, and putting their daughters to bed, Marian watched her husband as he tried to behave as if nothing had affected him. But she knew something had.
"Walk with me," she requested. "It's a lovely night."
Robin was pleased to accompany her outside, to share a walk in the moonlight. Frogs were croaking in Locksley Pond, and the sky was sprinkled with stars. Marian held his hand as they slowly walked through their village.
Robin was struggling within himself whether or not to tell her he had spoken with Isabella. They were so happy together, and Isabella had always had the uncanny ability to drive a wedge between them. But Marian's astuteness, and her knowledge of him, gave him no choice.
"What happened on your ride with Grace?" she asked, coming straight to the point.
Robin stopped walking. Taking both her hands in his, he admitted, "I came across an old enemy, my love. Isabella."
"Isabella of Gisbourne? She's here?"
"And just as wicked as ever."
"What happened?"
Even in the moonlight, Robin had seen Marian's face turn pale. His thumbs stroked the tops of her hands as he held them in his. Gazing deeply into Marian's eyes, he related his surprise meeting with Isabella in the meadow, leaving out her invitation.
He didn't know why he felt guilty. There was no cause, other than his past brief yet passionate relationship with her, when he'd believed Marian dead. But just speaking with Isabella made him feel dirty. And telling Marian he had seen her again felt like a guilty confession.
"Are you alright?" he asked, concerned by her unhappy expression.
"I'm worried about the girls," Marian said. "We're leaving tomorrow for London. Maybe I ought to stay here."
Both of them were remembering how Isabella's brother Guy had abducted Ellen as a means of revenge. But Robin was sure their daughters were safe.
"Come with me, as planned," he told her. "Isabella isn't interested in our children. She barely gave Grace a look. But just to ease our minds, I'll tell Thornton, and Will and Djaq, I've seen her."
"Tell everyone. She lived here for a time, in our house. If she dares set foot in Locksley, she'll be driven out."
Robin could tell Marian had recovered from her shock. Her spark was back, and she almost seemed eager to drive Isabella out of their village herself.
Happy again, with the shadow of Isabella gone, he wrapped Marian in his arms and enjoyed a long, slow, deep kiss.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, wanting more after the kiss, but conscious of her condition.
"The same way you are, Handsome," Marian answered. "Hadn't we better go to bed early, considering the long trip we have to make tomorrow?"
"That sounds like a plan," Robin agreed, grinning happily.