"Oh no, Marian," Much insisted, "you're not getting any information out of me. Just because my master behaved like a scoundrel, doesn't give you permission to drag the facts out of me!"

"A scoundrel?" Marian's voice was clothed in concern. "Oh, poor Much! What you must have endured! Poor Much!" Her kind words and sympathetic looks caused the servant to crumble. He was ready to tell her everything.

"Tell me, Much," Marian cajoled in a soothing voice, "tell me about Robin's doings with women."

"While he was away, do you mean?"

"Certainly while he was away." Marian suddenly paled. "You don't mean to say he's...he's..." She grew suddenly impatient. "He swore to me that baby wasn't his!"

"What baby?" Much sputtered.

"Seth. The boy you found in the forest."

Much visibly relaxed. "Never fear, Marian! Robin told you the truth. That baby was Gisbourne's child."

Marian's jaw dropped. She had not been expecting that piece of information.

"Guy of Gisbourne?" she asked in disbelief.

"Certainly 'Guy of Gisbourne!' How many Gisbournes do you think there are, taking up space that could be better used for other purposes?"

Marian blinked her eyes and accepted the facts. Well, that was certainly interesting news! But then again, did she believe him? Much frequently got his facts wrong.

But it really didn't matter who had fathered the child, as long as it hadn't been Robin.

She returned to the subject at hand. "Much, do you mean to imply Robin has been philandering with women while he's been an outlaw?" She tried to mask the pain in her voice, but her voice broke all the same.

Much realized his mistake. Robin hadn't been interested in any woman since he'd set eyes on Marian when they'd returned from war. Much had only been thinking of that tax thief, and how Robin had kissed her before pushing her into the muck in the back of her wagon. He never could understand why Robin had kissed that woman in the first place.

"Don't be sad, Marian-"

"Whatever makes you think I'm sad?"

"Please! Robin's true to you."

Her face brightened hopefully. "He can't be," she objected. "We're not a couple any more."

"Please!" Much repeated, pleased to notice Marian smile secretly to herself. "I was only referring to that tax thief, and she doesn't count."

Marian's face fell. "Tax thief? What tax thief?"

"The dark skinned tax thief who stole the sheriff's tax revenues for the whole north of England, until we stole them away from her and her...her...her cronies!" Much looked pleased with his word choice.

It was a day for surprises. For the second time in a few moments, Marian's jaw dropped. "The Abbess?" she asked angrily.

"No, she was not an Abbess! What would an Abbess be doing kissing Robin?"

"Kissing him?"

Much rolled his eyes. "I should say so! Right in front of us all! Unbelievable! They put on quite a show, those two, I tell you, Marian. Marian? Marian? Where are you going?"

"I've heard quite enough, thank you! I'm going to have a word with Robin of Locksley and tell him what I think of him and his Abbess!"