Chapter 2

Fate however had a different idea for both of them.

They set up house the next morning like expected to and planned. The villagers soon swarmed to the house to congratulate him. Many had heard Marian say on one of her secret visits that he was marrying a friend of hers, and they hoped that it would do him some good. Perhaps soften him a little. Marian hoped the most.

They fell into a routine over the next few weeks. Everyday before the sun was up Guy left for the castle leaving Margaret to her own devices. Much of the time she spent in the village of Locksley trying to help the villagers where she could.

She always waited up for Guy no matter how later, or at least tried to. A few times he came home and found her asleep in a chair in their room waiting for him. So as not to wake her he would put her to bed. Touched that anyone would be willing to wait for him when they weren't forced by knife point to do so.

One night after that he lay awake wondering why she would do that for him. When if he did come home at a decent time he wouldn't talk and she tried giving up soon. He looked over at her sleeping form, she was beautiful he quickly shook his head. He couldn't or wouldn't let that happen. He could be her friend but that was as far as it would go. He couldn't allow it, he had hurt to many people he'd loved, but he was finding it harder and harder with her. Perhaps tomorrow he would stay longer in the morning before heading to work.

Margaret got up and get dressed not believing that Guy would still be there until she heard his voice from down stairs. Hurrying she tied her hair back in a green ribbon and practically ran down the stairs, where she stood at the bottom mouth open. "Good morning." Guy said making his way across to her. "Sleep well?'

"Yyyes." She said quickly finding her voice allowing him to lead her to the breakfast table. "I thought you'd left for the castle already. If I had known I would have been up sooner."

"I thought you deserved to sleep in. You've been waiting for me late I thought I could wait for you." She sat staring at him while he sat across from her. "I wanted to talk to you about that." He waited dismissing all the servants. "Why do you wait up for me?"

"I want to Guy. I want to know you more and know what you are doing. If you needed to talk or needed help I wanted you to know I was there for you."

A small smile touched his face. "Thank you. I don't want you getting ill though. But I do appreciate it very much." She smiled and they finished in relative silence.

After that she noticed small changes come over Guy. Small infractions by villagers were over looked, taxes weren't collected in their usual way. Guy's own physician had been called a few times to help out a villager who was ill. Marian had told her once it was all because of her but she shrugged it off.

One afternoon they had gone riding together when she noticed a wild rose growing along the path. She had stopped and jumped down gasping at it's beauty. Guy stayed mounted and watched in fascination as she gently touched it. "I love them so much they remind me of my mother." She said wistfully following Guy into the house that evening. When they went to bed Guy noticed the scent still clung to her and he wondered what s he would do if.

The next morning he took a little longer to dress when he heard the squeal of delight he had been waiting for and was startled when their door was thrown open hitting the far wall. He turned trying to hide his grin while he stood their only in his leather pants and undershirt. Margaret stood there for a minute completely at a loss for words. She threw herself at him in a hug. "Oh thank you sooooooo much Guy. You have no idea what that means to me." She kissed his cheek. "I don't know how to thank you."

He smiled a true smile down at her. "You just did." She backed up blushing realizing that was the first time they had been anywhere near intimate with each other, truth be told she rather enjoyed it. "I had better be going before Vasey has a cow. I'll see you this evening." He grinned walking out the door a new spring to his step.

She leaned against the window watching his retreating form. Her heart still hadn't stopped beating as new feelings rushed all over her.

Guy stood behind the sheriff not listening to his droning about something or other. He thought about the smile that had lit up Margaret's face when she had seen the rose, brighter than Marians when he had saved her from the hangman. Guy's smile faltered, he still was comparing them but it was coming farther apart and more than not he found Margaret to be better than Marian. He couldn't help but think about the way she had said thanks, maybe she was falling in love with him, or maybe it was he doing the falling in love.

"Gisborne are you listening?"

Guy sighed. "Yes."

"Your wife has been seen going around the village making friends." Guy didn't say anything. "Seems she's almost become another Marian." Guy stiffened. "Perhaps she'll turn out the same way." Vasey grinned up at him. "Seems she's fallen for you poor girl doesn't know what she's getting into like that other leper." The sheriff pretended to go through some of his paper work enjoying the emotions playing across Guy's face. "Some say she is even in with Hood."

Guy stormed home that night after listening to Vasey continually put doubts into his head about Margaret. It was true she was spending a great deal of time with the villagers but no she wouldn't betray him. Not after he had started to allow himself to feel again. He felt himself growing cold again. She was turning into Marian, he had turned her into that all over again and he was going to lose her.

That night Margaret lay in bed confused as to what had happened. Guy had come home and not said anything to her. Their house felt cold she wondered if the sheriff had done something or if she had. But she knew not to broach the subject yet, at least not until morning.

"Guy." She said tentatively at breakfast. "Did I do something wrong?"

He glared at her but kept on eating his breakfast.

"Please tell me what I've done so I can fix it."

"You've been seeing Hood." He growled.

"No I haven't Guy. I wouldn't do that to you."

Guy sat his knife down carefully controlling his anger. "Then explain why you have been in the village talking to the villagers." He didn't look at her.

"I am trying to help them so that they can turn a profit for you. There is no harm in."

"There is when it undermines my authority. When it turns you against." He stopped and looked away. "I won't let it happen again."

"You don't want me to be her. Well I'm not her." She stood up.

"What do you know about Marian?"

"Enough to know the truth Guy. She didn't love you and she didn't mean to hurt you."

"I won't let it happen again. I can't." He yelled back at her. He went up the stairs to their room, Margaret following close behind.

"And what am I supposed to do?" Lady Margaret asked as Guy stormed around their room.

"Nothing you are to do nothing."

"Nothing?" Her voice raised. "What and sit here and watch my husband and the man I've fallen in love with kill himself over something he cannot change? But can do something about now? I suppose I'm just supposed to sit here and worry about nothing other than making sure I bear plenty of children to make him happy or should I say the sheriff. After all you are never do have your own opinion. I'm just supposed to let the sheriff destroy what we have like he did to you and Marian? So he can keep controlling you while I watch you get destroyed. By lying to you, by making you not trust me, putting doubts in you head that are lies. To keep you from being happy from loving because he can't be. You can Guy. "

Guy stared at her for a minute torn between being angry at what she had said and stunned at it. She shook her head. "Never mind. Just go do what you have to." She brushed past him and out the door.

Later that afternoon Guy stood outside his house, he'd left the sheriff in an angry mood and had stormed home only to find Margaret still gone and his temper not much better than earlier that day. After a few hours of pacing he'd calmed down and realized what she had said was true. He was angry with himself, she had been just trying to help and instead he'd been rude to her just like. He shook his head no he would not think of her or that he would stop comparing the two for there was no comparison. He knew Marian had tricked him into believing she had died. He couldn't blame her he wouldn't listen to her so she did the only thing she thought she could.

His eye caught sight of Margaret walking along the grounds she seemed deep in thought and hadn't noticed Guy was home yet. The sun was setting ringing her in a light that took his breath away, he found himself falling in love with her, that was when he realized what he and Marian had had was not love but simple power over another. And he also realized that Maggie loved him in return and it was not because he forced her to he realized he couldn't force her to do anything she didn't want to. Maggie he smiled thinking at her nickname.

He watched in fascination as the children ran up to her, they always ran from him. She bent down to talk to them at their level and laughed at something one said and gratefully took the flowers and the wreath they gave her. Allowing one of the young girls to place the wreath atop her head. She waved as they dashed off home and continued on her walk till she looked up and noticed Guy and smiled making her way to him. When she got to him she stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you're home Guy." She smiled sweetly at him.

"So am I." He touched her cheek and pulled her in by her hand. He shut the door and stood his back still to her. "I'm sorry about this morning Maggie."

She smiled it was the first time he'd used any term of inderment for her. "So am I. I should have thought as to why you'd be upset. And I am sorry Guy."

He turned and walked over to her gently brushing her cheek. "I'm not you spoke the truth. I am sorry." He leaned down and gently kissed her. "Why did you ever agree to marry me?"

"If you remember I didn't have much of a choice." He nodded.

"Yes your dear father."

She rolled her eyes letting Guy pull her into a hug. She rested her head on his chest and smiled. "He would make a deal with the devil himself if he had to to get where he wanted."

"Some might say he did."

"With the sheriff yes you no." She stood on tip toe and kissed him and smiled. "Never you."

He pulled her into a hug. "Maggie." He heard her grunt into his chest. "I love you."

She pulled away and looked into his blue eyes stunned. She had never expected to hear that come from him, but she couldn't help the smile that lit her face. "I love you too Guy."

They stood in silence for a few minutes just standing there enjoying the knowledge of the others feelings. "What are we going to do about the sheriff?" She asked quietly.

Guy sighed and pulled her over to a chair then down in his lap. "I don't know. He's going to do everything he can to destroy us." He stared off out into space.

"Guy you could always talk to Robin about it. Maybe you could work together after all."

Guys face grew dark. "He would never listen to me not after."

"Oh yes he would. Marian would make sure of it."

He looked at her skeptical. "How do you know?"

She looked down at her hands. "I have a confession Guy. I haven't been seeing Hood. But Marian, we were childhood friends and kept in touch all these years. I think you could work together if you just tried. You can't trust anyone at the castle."

"But I can Hood." He sounded doubtful.

Margaret shifted in his lap so she could see his face, while one hand rested on her knees and the other on the arm of the chair behind her. "Yes. He'll trust you because I trust you and so does Marian. Just give it a try that is all I ask."

Guy looked up at her and saw the trust in her face as well as the love. He still doubted himself and he knew she knew. "You think you can get him to come and talk to me? It would have to be after dark for the both of us."

She squealed with delight throwing her arms around his neck kissing him startling him. "Yes I can. If you can give Allan some time away tomorrow."

Guy rolled his eyes. "I should have known. I can think of a few dozen errands I can send him on tomorrow alone." He grinned back at her. "Of course there are a few things I can send myself on."

She blushed. 'You know. I am rather tired from staying up late." She traced the outline of his clasps on his shirt. "To tired to get up there myself." She grinned sheepishly at him.

"I think my lady. I can take care of that." He scooped her up laughing heading up the stairs.