CHAPTER 20

"We are here to see Sir Guy," I said calmly to the Thornton, Guy's houseman. Will and I stood together, holding hands, at the door to Gisborne Manor. We had spent the morning as usual at the black market and decided that this afternoon was the right time to address Sir Guy about what his letter meant. I hadn't seen Guy since the announcement of King Richard's death and now that we were here I suddenly found myself quite nervous. As I addressed Thornton, I was aware that I was so nervous my knees were shaking, but I made sure that my voice was calm, and looked at him expectantly.

"Is he expecting you?" Thornton asked kindly.

"I do not believe so, but if he is here, I would like to see him. He asked for me in this letter." I handed the letter to Thornton, who merely glanced at the seal, and then gestured that we should enter.

It was a beautiful space, full of air and light, though many of the windows had been shuttered. I could not imagine having so much space to move about in, and the look on Will's face indicated that he was having a similar reaction. Thornton indicated that we should sit at the table in the dining room, one of the largest I had ever seen. I did as he bade me, but Will shook his head and stood behind me, leaning against the wall. He was very quiet and focused, which I found soothing in my current state of nerves. I took a deep breath as I heard Thornton calling to Guy, and then the sound of Guy's panther like footsteps coming down the stairs and closer to us.

He entered the room at a fast pace, quicker than I had expected, and I stood hastily to show my respect. As our eyes met, his body seemed to take a long breath out, and tension in his shoulders and back flowed out of him like water. Despite looking thinner and slightly disheveled, he was still so beautiful. His astonishing blue eyes were set off by a dark purple, loose fitting shirt that framed his huge shoulders, his long legs sheathed in his usual tight black leather. By sheer height, he dwarfed both Will and I, and his step slowed at he reached the table. The entire space was still and Guy seemed oblivious to anything but my presence. His eyes caressed me, warm and tender, and a worn smile came to his lips.

"You came."

I swallowed. "Yes." For a moment, we simply stared at one another, until Will coughed visibly and glared at Guy.

Guy's eyes darkened. "Why did you bring the boy with you? I was expecting your father."

"Sir Guy, you said I could bring a chaperone. It is my choice to bring Will, as he has some experience with defending me from you, if needed." I hated my rough words, but knew that they must be said. Will watched Guy with a look of warning, and Guy scowled back.

"He can't be here when I speak to you," Guy said. "He has to leave. This is a private matter."

"Will is my confidant in all things," I replied smoothly. "Whatever you have to say, he will keep in the strictest of confidence."

"Your confidant?" Guy said sharply. His eyes flicked to Will, glowering. "Why do I suspect that he is more than that?"

"Because I am," Will replied, still leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "You gave her up, Gisborne. You can't expect her to mourn for you while you marry another."

"You keep silent!" Guy roared. I saw his hand move towards his sword, and reached out to stop him.

"Please, no violence here, not now. You said you wished to speak with me. I have come to hear your words, not argue about the past. Please tell me what it is that you have to say, or we will leave."

Guy's hand slowly dropped to his side, and he prowled, catlike, to sit in one of the chairs at the table. As he had in Morrison's shop, he slung himself into it, draping one leg over the side. His regard had gone from warm to suspicious as he looked at me. I also seated myself, directly across from him, and kept my back straight so that I could control my breathing. My heart was pounding from emotion; how could I have thought that it was a good idea to have them both in the same room? It was too late now to turn back, so I looked up at Sir Guy, searching his face. "Please tell me what you need to say," I encouraged him.

His blue eyes held my gaze, and he sighed. "I am here to ask you, " he said, "if you would be a courier and a translator for me."

Taken aback, I said. "I don't understand."

"There are vast political changes afoot, " Guy said seriously, now sitting up in the chair. "As you now know, Richard is dead. Prince John has a rival for his claim to the throne in his nephew, Arthur of Brittany, who is allied with King Philip II of France. Both of them are set to overtake John's lands in Normandy, and both are attempting to do so from opposite ends of the territory. It does not currently sit well for John in France and he must keep and expand his terrain there if he is to remain King."

My mouth fell open. This was highly sensitive political information, and the fact that Guy would share it with a commoner such as myself showed that he trusted me deeply. Or he was truly desperate - perhaps both. I searched his face for any sign of a prank or teasing, but there was none. His eyes were grave and severe as he continued.

"We have correspondents in France-"

"Spies," Will broke in, pulling a face.

"Correspondents," Guy silenced him with a look, "who will send word to us of the next military move by Philip or Arthur, but they cannot write simple letters that could be intercepted and discovered. I am acting as John's correspondent here and I will bring him news of anything I can find. He has chosen me because of my noble birth but relative anonymity in Philip's court."

"Then why do you need me?" I asked, still not understanding.

"Regardless of my somewhat anonymous status, John insists that we be very careful, as I have a French fiancé with political connections. He planned to send the letters though Sabine initially, but now no longer trusts the French."

A grim smile spread across my face. "And was it not John who insisted on the match?"

"Yes," Guy bit out, obviously angry. "He did. At the moment, it seemed politically sound, but alliances change like the wind now. I am still expected to wed her once the mourning period is over, or John will certainly make an enemy of the French. But he will only trust an Englishman to carry these messages."

"Or an English woman," I said.

"And you could not have placed this burden on another villager?" Will said quietly, glancing at Guy.

Guy glared back. "She is the only person that I trust in this village who can read. I do not trust anyone else's heart as I do hers."

I breathed in rapidly, feeling that very heart ache at his words. I refused to look at him in that moment, for Will's sake. "What must I do?" I asked.

"You will receive letters from our correspondents that you must memorize and immediately burn. Then you must recite their contents back to me so that I can inform John."

"And she is to do this out of the goodness of her heart?" Will asked casually.

"No, she will be paid, and paid well-" Guy snapped, then said to me, "Why does he continuously blather on?"

"Because he cares for my safety," I replied sweetly.

Guy rose and immediately reached across the table to put his hand over my arm. "I will let no harm come to you," he said deeply. "I will have armed guards near your home and person at all times, or I will come myself."

"How convenient," Will said testily. "Nyssa is never to have a moment's peace, to risk her life for a possible payment, and to have incessant contact with you. And this is all to help a tyrant rise to a throne that may very well not be his." Arms still crossed, Will glared at Guy with true hatred in his eyes.

"Be careful what you say, Scarlett," Guy growled. "That is treason, or will be soon."

"Then I happily count myself among the Sherwood forest outlaws of Robin Hood," Will shot back. He peeled himself away from the wall and jerked his head at me. "Come, Nyssa," he said. "We are leaving this foul company."

I looked up at Will and kept my gaze steady, though my hand was still trembling. Guy had not yet released my arm, and his fingers tightened ever so gently on it as Will waited for me. I took a deep breath. "Will, this is my choice, and not yours."

Will's eyes widened. "Nyssa!" he exclaimed. "You can't be serious about doing this! You're aiding a madman and a royal despot! After all of these years, you can't possibly side with John; he cares nothing for the people as Richard did!" He searched my face, desperate. I forced myself to remain calm as I spoke.

"Will, my choices are my own. If I choose to help, it will be to help England, and the King I think will rule it best, not make it a vassal to France."

A strangled noise came out of Will's mouth. "And you think that is John?"

"I think it is not Arthur," I replied. "If he has allied himself with Philip, Arthur has agreed to be his vassal. Do you honestly think Philip will allow him to keep all of his French lands? That he won't try to take them for his own, and eventually all of England too?" I asked. "Do you want to start speaking French, Will? Because I do not."

Will's expression was like granite carved onto his handsome face. A muscle throbbed in his cheek as he clenched his teeth, glaring at me, unbelieving that I would disagree with him on this issue. I felt his anger come at me in waves, ready to explode.

"Perhaps you should wait outside, Will," I said. "I do not wish to fight about this. Please just take a moment and wait for me."

Incredulity spread across Will's features before they wrinkled into a scowl. Still glaring, Will stormed towards the door, nearly knocking Thornton over, who had just brought a plate of fruit into the room. I heard the front door slam angrily and winced. Guy's eyes flicked from the door to me, and to his hand on my arm, which he had not moved. If anything, I felt his warm fingers begin to caress my arm gently. I stiffened, starting to pull away.

"Wait." Guy released me, then walked around the side of the table, and knelt down next to me so that our height was more equal. He took my hand again and stroked it with his thumb, looking at me gently.

"Thank you," he said.

I could not remember a time, even in our previous relationship, when he had thanked me for anything. My hand shook a bit, and I looked back at him. "I do this for England, not for you," I said.

"Can you not still love me, even a little?" he asked, drawing closer, his hand at my shoulder. His beautiful eyes pleaded with me, and I could not look away. "My feelings for you have not changed. They never will."

"Then you will torture yourself with this assignment," I said sadly.

"Oh, no," Guy said his voice soft and gentle. "I will make this wretched life more bearable. And I will assist my King."

"If you are so devoted to your King, then I have additional terms of payment, Sir Guy," I said. Guy's eyes widened, looking interested, and devilish in their usual way. "Yes, my lady?"

"My terms," I said delicately, "are that you continue to give tax relief to the five families you have been kind to for two more years. And I want a two year tax relief for five more families, including the Scarletts. I want no children sent into hard labor and I want no violence done to Will or those he cares for."

Guy looked like he had swallowed something bitter. He shook his head. "You are rough negotiator, my lady," he said softly, looking at me with a mix of admiration and irritation. He considered my terms for a moment, then spoke. "I give you my word. It shall be done." His eyes continued to hold my gaze, and I knew my nearness was intoxicating him. "Is there nothing more you want for yourself, my lady?" he asked seductively.

Overcome with emotion, with the nearness of him, his voice, I could not stop myself; I reached out to touch his cheek. As much as he had hurt me, he had done so for his beliefs and his monarch, not out of sheer cruelty. It still did not excuse his actions. He had loved me. It was only that he loved John more.

Guy closed his eyes as I touched him, pressing my hand to his face. "I cannot tell you what this means to me," he said. "To see you again. To hope that we may be friends."

"Our friendship will end on your wedding day, Sir Guy," I said smoothly, removing my hand from his face and standing. "Or mine, whichever comes first. It must." Feeling faint and sick but determined to win this negotiation, I turned away to head towards the door, fighting back my emotions as I did. I heard him stand and follow me. He gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I need to know one more thing," he said quietly.

"Yes?"

"I need to know if you read the poem I sent you, and if you understood it," he said intently, his eyes searching my face.

He wanted to know if I had understood the code. I nodded.

"Yes, I read and understood it, though I believe the coded message was much mistaken in its claim of ownership," I replied.

Guy's eyes flicked away, pain flashing in them for a moment before he looked back. "What did it say?" he asked me, stepping closer into my space. "I need you to say it back to me so that I know you understood." He held my gaze a moment more before I looked away.

"It said, My Nyssa," I replied tonelessly. I would not the emotion it had caused in me. I could not now.

"Good," Guy replied, watching my face with predatory elegance. "I am glad you understood. What you read from now on will be much more difficult than that, and you must remember it precisely before burning it. Once you have retrieved the letters from the specific location, you will send me word and we will meet to discuss them." He withdrew a heavy purse from his waist and put it into my hand. "That is the first payment. You will get more upon delivery of the next message."

"Then you must tell me where they will be left for me," I replied. "Did you find a location?"

"Yes." He gestured to the purse. "In there is also a wrapped package. Let this be your sign as to the location." He then turned and left me as Thornton opened the door.

"Will?" I stepped outside, to find him nowhere in sight. "Will, are you here?"

Nothing but silence and an empty field greeted me. My stomach sank, knowing that this was quite serious. Will had never deserted me before. Now that I was out of the Manor I felt I could breathe, but inside I was painfully alone. I would not cry, I told myself. If Will deserted me for his politics than he was no better than Sir Guy.

To distract myself, I opened the purse Guy had given me and found in it enough gold to support my family and the Sewards for over a year. I had never seen so much coin in my life and closed the purse, feeling a bit dizzy. As I focused on a single deer in the forest edge, I suddenly remembered the package Guy had said was inside. Forgetting myself, I opened the purse again, found and began ripping at a packet, wrapped in fine red paper. My fingers shaking from the entire meeting, I peeled away a layer of the paper and gasped.

A beautiful white flower lay in its embrace, and it could only have been from one place.

The lily grove.