I must have fallen asleep because it was dark when the door opened and Loveday entered. She took one look at me and immediately held out her arms to me. I sobbed as she stroked my hair without saying a word. She knew. She had always known what we were to each other. How did I miss it?

Finally when my sobs had receded to little more than hiccups, she spoke,

"You have to try and remain positive, Maria. Robin needs you now and you have to be able to hold yourself together." I looked at her and she smiled as she added "What if he should wake and see you like this?"

I thought about her words and realised that I must look a frightful sight. Crying never really suited someone with my colouring and I had no doubt that I looked blotchy and ridiculous. Wiggins didn't seem bothered by it, but I suspected the humans in the castle might talk about me.

"Do you think he will wake up?" I asked her, wary of hearing an answer that I would not like.

"I know he will. He has so much to live for. You both have so much to live for. You need to be there to remind him of that."

She walked over to a chest and took out a hairbrush.

"This used to be my room, you know." She said as she began to brush my hair for me. You can stay here while Robin is getting better so that you will be close to him. I will explain to father and Benjamin.

I looked around the room as the rhythmic strokes of the brush soothed me. It was almost identical to Robin's room, but with a few touches that marked it as having a female occupant. The drapes were lighter and there were a few more pieces of furniture; a dresser and a comfortable chair. There were also cushions and other luxuries that were sadly absent in Robin's room.

When my hair was tidy, she fetched me a cloth to wipe my face so that I could go back to Robin's room looking presentable.

"The apothecary is not sure what is wrong with him," she told me as she returned. "He has given us something for the fever, but we must just wait."

I was eager to return to Robin and once Loveday had declared that I looked better, we made our way to his room, Wiggins trotting along happily behind us.

In my absence, Robin had been stripped and the apothecary had applied leeches to him for blood-letting. I gagged when I saw the fat slug-like bodies in the pail by the side of his bed. His body was covered in tiny wounds where the leeches had done their work.

An elderly woman was sitting beside him, knitting, and the click clack of her needles was the only sound in the room.

"Thank you, Elsie, we will sit with him now." Loveday told her and the woman smiled a toothless smile at her. Loveday moved the leeches away from the bed and motioned for me to sit by Robin. Wiggins followed me and sat by my feet as I perched on the bed.

"Talk to him" Loveday instructed me.

"What shall I say?" I panicked. She smiled as she looked at me.

"Anything, Maria, just let him hear your voice. Let him know that you are here."

I stared at his face and I felt tears well up in my eyes as I gazed at him. Wiggins jumped up suddenly and yapped a high-pitched little bark. I reached down and patted him and then turned back to Robin,

"Robin," I said softly. "It's Maria." I reached out and began to stroke his arm. It no longer felt clammy but it was cold to the touch and I immediately felt concerned.

I turned to Loveday, "He's cold. Shouldn't the fire be lit?" She didn't know and she came over to feel his arm herself.

"You are right; I will see if I can find out what the apothecary's orders are." She left the room quickly and I immediately felt alone and afraid. I remembered that she had told me to talk to Robin so I began to recall our first meeting.

I told him that I had seen him in London while I was at my father's funeral and that I had been frightened when he had attacked the coach. I recalled how surprised I had been when he was going to catch me in the forest with his friends and I recognised his scarred hand. I lifted this hand to my face now and rested my cheek against it. I didn't speak for a while as I was lost in my own thoughts.

I reminded him of how I had been his prisoner and how I had escaped. I laughed as I remembered him hanging upside down from my trap and then I thanked him for listening to me when we needed to save the valley, for turning his back on his father and his friends and believing in me. I kissed his hand that I still held in mine and tried to will some life back into him.

Wiggins broke my concentration by suddenly jumping onto Robin's bed. I was about to shoo him when I realised that he might be trying to tell me something. Robin was cold and he needed to be warmed. Who better than a puppy to help with that? I patted Wiggin's soft little head and encouraged him to sit on the far side of Robin, where I could barely reach. He already knew and loved Robin and he was happy to curl up beside him.

I lay down on the other side of him, holding onto his arm and allowing my body warmth to thaw his ice-cold form. I just lay there without talking but softly stroking his chest and silently pleading with him to live so that I could apologise for my recent jealous behaviour.

I fell asleep again and only woke when Loveday re-entered with a man carrying logs for the fire. She came over to me and kissed me softly before reaching out to touch her brother.

"He feels a little warmer." She said. "We will light the fire in here and then we will join my father for a while to eat." I began to protest at this suggestion, but she was firm,

"If we are to be any help to Robin, we will have to keep up our own strength, Maria. You haven't eaten for hours and you will be no help if you faint." When it was put like that, I could see the wisdom of her words. I reached over to kiss Robin on the forehead before stepping away from the bed. Wiggins looked up at me for a moment and then lay his head back down on his paws as if to reassure me that he would still be there, watching over Robin while I was gone.

"I'll bring you something from the kitchen, Wiggins." I promised as I left the room.

Elsie was going to sit with Robin while we ate and although I was worried about leaving him, she assured me that the "Young Master" would be safe in her care.

We ate alone with de Noir in a room off the Great Hall, where the rest of the clan were enjoying their dinner. Loveday and her father talked about diverse issues and only briefly touched on the subject of Robin. I realised that they did this, not out of lack of concern for Robin, but instead out of fear of causing me more anguish. I was grateful for this care as I was struggling to swallow the food and drink provided for me, and I didn't know whether I would be able to hold myself together if I was to start crying again.