Part 6
It was fully dark by the time they reached Bonchurch. The village was small a cluster of homes behind the manor house, Much took a deep breath as he remembered the short time he had spent here as Lord Much and puffed out his chest proudly, even if it was a scam of the Sheriff's to catch Robin. It was where he met and fell in love with Eve.
They soon discovered Eve and Tuck in one of the middle cottages and when Robin, Much and Djaq entered, leaving Little John to keep watch, it seemed more than a little crowded.
The woman on the bed was obviously Eve's mother; Much recognised her and whispered to Robin that this was so. Tuck and Eve finally looked up when Robin, Much and Djaq had waded through Eve's many distant relations.
"How is she?" asked Much with a sad smile at Eve.
"Not good," replied Tuck.
"Tell me what ails her?" Djaq said to Eve.
Robin used this opportunity to take Tuck away and out the door to the freezing cold of the night, John continued to look out for anything untoward.
"I need your help," Robin said without preamble and explained about the Gisborne and Eleanor situation.
"Very well I will see what I can do," Tuck assured Robin. "But it will not be until this poor woman is laid to rest. I do not know how long that will be."
"Come we will go back inside and ask Djaq," Robin replied with a nod.
Much was hovering about not quite sure where to put himself, whether he should comfort Eve or offer Djaq assistance or perhaps stand in the shadows out of the way.
"Djaq?" said Robin seriously.
Djaq shook her head. "There is nothing I can do for her, she must have been ill for some time. An illness that physicians are yet to identify I fear," she explained, turning to Eve adding. "We will keep her comfortable; it will not be long now."
"Is there a risk of an epidemic?" asked Much always afraid he might suddenly drop down dead.
"No, this is something not right within her."
"Oh good…I mean not for Eve's mother obviously but… for…well."
"I know what you mean," Eve said softly appearing at his side, her eyes filled with unshed tears that she blinked back.
Eve's mother muttered something and Eve broke away from Much and went to her side, standing she turned to Tuck.
"She is asking for you, her last rites."
As Tuck bent to hear what the dying woman wanted to confess, Robin drew them outside leaving a handful of relations in the stifling little room. It wasn't long before Tuck made an appearance and indicated to Eve that she should go sit with her mother one last time.
She smiled sadly at Much and asked in a soft voice. "Will you sit with me; I do not want to be alone."
"Me?" he asked, looking slightly alarmed.
"Go on," Robin encouraged him. "Eve needs you."
"Yes...yes alright Eve needs me," he muttered following her, the woman who had stolen his heart, back into the small hovel her mother called home.
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Later after she breathed her last, the family members paid their last respects and said their goodbyes leaving Eve and Much alone with the body, now covered, soon to be finally laid to rest.
"I am sorry," said Much sincerely and also as he was lost for words what should he say to her now? Robin wouldn't have this trouble he knew.
"Thank you," she whispered preparing to wipe a stray tear.
"Let me," he replied taking his dirty cuff and wiping her face tenderly.
That undid her and she burst into tears, sobbing silently. Much feeling unsure, uncomfortable took her in his arms and rocked her singing a sad melody of love and death.
When she had composed herself she said to him, "I miss your singing."
"My bad singing," he corrected her.
"But it made you happy, so it did not matter whether you could sing or not."
"I miss your singing…..I mean I miss you. I think about you…often."
"I know," she said placing her hand over his with tenderness. "Marian said as much. I miss you too you know, more than you will ever know."
"One day."
"One day," she repeated.
It seemed wrong to kiss her right then but so right at the same time, their lips met in a soft brief embrace, giving them that extra boost they needed to see them through the time until perhaps they could indeed be together at last.