Part 19
Guy sighed and looked across the bed to his wife, who now lay sleeping. With her eyes shut, he could forget she was of Hood's blood, when he touched and caressed her skin he had in the end asked if she would shut her eyes during the course of their intimacy, then he could forget about Robin Hood. She was a pleasant wife he had to admit, not as favourable as Marian but she knew her place and acted within the restrictions that were placed upon her. He wondered if it had been a blessing that she had been married before or a curse. She certainly knew what to expect in the marriage bed and also on the running of the household both of which she undertook with an experience which surprised and amazed and often pleased him.
Tonight though as he watched her, sleep failed him, before they had retired to bed they had discussed the severity of the weather and he had felt a mere pang of guilt for outing a family of six out of their home that afternoon, however he convinced himself as he lay there that it was none of his concern. Even though Eleanor had taken upon it herself to provide them food and comfort and they were now spending the night in a barn within his very manor, hardly a satisfactory result at all in the eyes of the Sheriff.
Thinking of satisfactory results brought his attention to Marian, there had been no word that she had tried to escape, and no news that Robin Hood had tried to rescue her either which was even better. The weather would prevent such an attempt for the foreseeable future as well and he hoped upon hopes that Robin Hood would never lay eyes on his wife when she was alive again.
----------
It was a week later when his curiosity got the better of him and he decided to make enquires on and if Marian was still indeed where he left her. The weather conditions, although still freezing had ceased snowing. The snow which lay on the ground was cemented in by a hard layer of frost which made riding on horseback a peril, even to accomplished horsemen like himself, so instead of undertaking the mission he organised a soldier to go on his behalf.
Eleanor slipped silently down the stairs, preparing to steal into the village of Locksley to attend the poor and sick when she caught sight of Guy and a young soldier in the room off the great hall, moving close to the door she prepared to listen, perhaps what they were conversing about would be useful. She moved away quickly when the soldier took his leave and hurried out to the bitter cold day, perhaps her mission to help the poor might have to wait a day, the need to get word to her cousin was of far more importance and the utmost urgent.