Marian viewed with pleasure her reflection in the polished sheet of metal hanging on the wall of her castle dressing room. "Thank you," she told her maid servant, turning to face the young woman. "I love how you fixed my hair."
Marian also loved her new blue silk gown she wore for tonight's banquet and ball. It had a scooped neck, not as low as most of the ladies' gowns would be, but lower than her day dresses and edged with a band of pearls. Its hanging sleeves were lined with pearl colored satin, and Marian gracefully gestured with her arms to watch the effect. "I feel beautiful," she admitted.
"You are beautiful, milady," her maid servant insisted. "But it innit the gown what makes you, nor the way I fixed your hair."
"You're very kind. Thank you again. Goodbye!" Marian left her rooms and made her way toward her father's.
Tonight, she didn't mind staying in the castle rather than at Knighton Hall. Her Aunt Mary had insisted on living in Nottingham Castle during her visit, and so Marian and her father both been required to remain here as well. But Marian would have slept in her castle suite tonight anyway, with the ball probably going to last all night.
Before reaching her father's rooms, she made a detour to visit Lady Gladys, a friend two years older who was also an "engaged woman." Gladys had wanted to see Marian's new gown, and also the way she would wear her hair.
"You look divine!" Lady Gladys gushed, not yet dressed herself. "Spin around. May I see your stockings and slippers?"
"Both silk," Marian told her, lifting the hem of her dress a few inches from the floor.
"Perfect! If I had your bust, though, Marian, I wouldn't hide it. It's your father, isn't it, who won't let you show off your... assets?"
Marian laughed. "I like my necklines high. No sense in catching a chill."
"But what does Robin think?"
"Ask him yourself. He's never complained before."
"Robin's so polite. Unlike your aunt, who's a harridan, by the way. How your old dear of a father could have such a bitter nasty sister, I'll never understand. Just see what Ralph sent me to wear tonight," Gladys told her excitedly, opening a handkerchief. Within its folds lay a beautiful jeweled necklace. "He loves me very much."
Marian eyed the necklace with awestruck eyes. "How lovely!"
"I knew Ralph was planning something when he asked me what color I was going to wear! Did Robin hint anything to you? "
"No."
"Never mind, Marian. He more than makes up for his lack of gifts. What's it like, kissing him?"
"What's it like, kissing Ralph?"
"You really don't want to know. But Robin! He's so...!" She sighed, hotly. "Go on. Tell."
Marian smiled under a light blush. "It's very nice," was all she gave away. "I'll see you at the banquet. Goodbye."
She left the room and continued on her way. Reaching the sheriff's quarters, she smiled at the sentries who respectfully stood aside to allow her admittance.
Her father was not alone. He was in conference with a man she had never seen before.
"My daughter!" Lord Knighton said, looking pleased. "You look lovely! Marian, may I present Lord Sheridan, trainer of the king's knights. Lord Sheridan, my daughter, the Lady Marian."
"Charmed," Lord Sheridan said, bowing his head slightly, before eyeing Marian in a roguish, ungentlemanly manner.
Marian grew uncomfortable under his piercing gaze. It felt as if he could see right through her gown! And he, such an old man, too...nearly as old as her father! How dare he? But then she remembered something, and grew interested.
"You're the man who trains Robin of Locksley, aren't you?"
Since Robin had turned fourteen, he had spent intermittent months at the king's court, usually two or three months at a time, to train as a knight. His training was nearing completion and Marian was glad, missing him as she did whenever he went away.
"The most apt pupil I've ever taught," Lord Sheridan said, "other than Prince Richard."
"Is the prince as skilled as Robin, my lord, with the bow?" Marian asked, making a point.
"No one is as skilled with the bow as Lord Locksley. But I teach the use of other weapons, as well as how to kill using only one's hands."
He lifted his own meaty hands in a brutal gesture, causing Marian to shiver slightly. But she did not behave the way Lord Sheridan expected. She continued to meet his gaze, with beautiful, brave, only slightly troubled eyes. Her look only enflamed Lord Sheridan's burning desire for her.
"Before tonight ends," he was thinking, "I'll have you in bed."
"My daughter is engaged to marry Lord Locksley," Sir Edward innocently explained.
"Is she? I must congratulate him." That made matters a bit more complicated for Lord Sheridan. But no matter. Locksley, though bold and brave and skilled in all manners of fighting, was still only a pup after all.
"Go ahead without me, dear," Marian's father advised. "I have a bit more business to discuss with Lord Sheridan, before the banquet. Could you accompany Aunt Mary to her seat at the table?"
"Of course." Marian knew it her duty to escort her aunt when her father was occupied, but she did not look forward to it.
She left her father and the large, bluff, bald and bearded soldier she had just met, warmed by his praise for Robin. Only Prince Richard was better skilled! High praise indeed!
Along the way, she caught her breath and turned furious eyes on the man who had surprised her by stepping into her path. He had seemed to come out of nowhere, and stood chuckling at her discomfort.
"Sorry," Robin said, his voice as warm as his smile. "Didn't mean to frighten you."
"I'm not frightened. Don't you know it's rude to appear before the daughter of the sheriff, unannounced?"
"You want me to whistle first, as I do outside your window at Knighton? I would whistle, seeing how you look, but that really would be rude."
Her anger was quickly melting away. "And how do I look?" she asked, smiling.
"Stunning. You take my breath away, Marian. I mean it."
They kissed, and she thought of her recent conversation with Gladys, and then how very satisfying and lovely Robin's kisses were. Well, satisfying to a point. They did have a quality of making her long for more.
"I brought you something," he told her, in that warm and charming way of his.
Marian caught her breath as she watched him pull out a white handkerchief and begin to open it. What could it be? she wondered. A necklace, like Ralph had given Gladys?
Her mouth fell open in disappointment when she saw it only contained strawberries.
"Seeing as how you're stranded here in the castle," he told her, "I picked these in your garden at Knighton. No sense letting the birds get them, before you and your father return home."
"How very thoughtful." She tried to be gracious and not show her disappointment, then truly smiled, loving him anyway for his gesture of kindness. "Share some with me?"
They fed each other the berries, leaving a few for her father. It was extremely pleasant, touching their lips to one another's fingertips. Pleasant and exciting!
Neither could speak, but only stood gazing fondly into each other's eyes, until they heard Much clear his throat and say, "Master?"
"Has he been here, all along?" Marian asked, horrified. "He has, hasn't he?"
Robin shrugged, enjoying the angry look that sprang again to Marian's face. But he had to admit, he enjoyed her smiles even more.
"Master," Much repeated, wishing he could partake in eating berries, without the finger nibbling, of course. "The banquet! Hadn't you better both be going?"
"My Aunt Mary!" Marian realized. "She'll be cross at me again."
"Why?" Robin asked.
"For being late! Not that it matters to you. You're consistently late!"
"I was on time tonight."
"You were, until you stopped me in the corridor. Now we're both late."
"Don't worry about your aunt," Robin told her. "I'll charm away her anger."
Marian rolled her eyes. "Good luck. I doubt she'll be susceptible to your charms, such as they are."
"Master?" Much said again.
"Lead me to your aunt," Robin said, smiling, welcoming the challenge of the old woman's scorn.
Hurrying with him through the castle, Marian remembered, "I forgot to tell you. A Lord Sheridan is here, meeting with my father."
Robin stopped. What, he wondered, could Sheridan be doing in Nottingham?
