Completing her dance with Martin of Aylesbury, Marian hoped she looked pretty enough tonight to turn Guy of Gisbourne's attentions from Lady Sybille de Lusignan back to herself.
She rolled her eyes at the irony of her thoughts. Who would have guessed she would ever want Gisbourne to pay more attention to her? Yet, now that he had begun ignoring her, information to feed to Robin's gang was considerably lacking. She needed to restore things to the way they had been before the Lusignan's visit.
Marian spied Gisbourne enter the Great Hall at last. After giving him a few moments, she took a deep breath and approached him before Lady Sybille had the chance.
Gisbourne stood apart from the other guests, arms folded across his chest, critically studying the crowd.
"Sir Guy," Marian began pleasantly. "It's a lovely party, don't you think?"
"Lady Marian," he replied proudly, his tone full of condescention.
"It's been awhile since we've enjoyed the opportunity to talk."
"I've been busy. Sheriff's business."
Marian bit her tongue. "Well, I'm grateful the party calls you away from your work." She smiled, flashing her dimples at him.
Looking down at her, he heaved a warm, lusty sigh, realizing again how desirable he found her.
"You know, Sir Guy, I don't believe I've ever had the pleasure of seeing you dance." Marian hated being so blatant. She'd never had the need to beg for a dance partner. Before Gisbourne had marked her as his exclusive "property," she'd always enjoyed more requests to dance at parties than she could count. But Gisbourne was socially awkward, to put it mildly, and she felt she needed to move things along.
Gisbourne shifted uncomfortably. "I do not hold with such pursuits," he scowled.
"No? Sir Guy! If I may be so bold, perhaps you should!"
He sneered. "Dancing is for fools. There are better ways to-"
He stopped himself, remembering at the last moment she was a lady.
"Do you know what I think?" she asked charmingly, undaunted by his refusal to dance. "I think you've simply never had the right partner!"
Her own words struck her. Well, good! She hadn't meant to imply anything untoward, but let him think otherwise, if he must. "Now, she continued, boldly taking his large hand in her smaller one, "it's very simple. Just hold onto my hand and-"
She quickly gasped as her heart gave a leap. Looking over Gisbourne's shoulder, her eyes had locked onto a pair of handsome blue ones nearly hidden under a huge bonnet in the Lusignan colors, staring intensely back at her. He dared to appear again, in the open, at a party filled with his enemies! Did his audacity know no limits? Guiltily, she pulled her hand back, releasing Gisbourne's from her grasp.
"Marian?" Gisbourne asked, watching an attractive rush of color steal across her cheeks.
"I'm quite well," she recovered. "Perhaps a little wine? No!" she cried, when Gisbourne turned to get some from Robin. "I'm myself again."
She couldn't believe her eyes when Robin cheekily appeared at Gisbourne's side, holding a tray of goblets. Without deigning to look at the "servant," Gisbourne lifted a cup and passed it to Marian.
"Drink," he ordered her.
Marian was more than grateful to obey. The shock of Robin's presence called for wine.
The Count of Poitou, Sir Guy de Lusignan, together with his beautiful wife and the Sheriff of Nottingham, joined Gisbourne, giving Marian the excuse she needed to step away. The "servant" bearing the tray casually followed her, all the way out of the chamber and into a shadowed private alcove.
"What do you mean, showing your face here again?" she hissed.
"What do you mean, 'again?' Yesterday I wore a mask."
"You can't be here!"
"Why not? Afraid I'll disrupt your flirtation with Gisbourne?"
"You know very well I have to be nice to him! I'm only trying to help you."
"That kind of help I can do without."
They stood facing one another, angrily arguing, yet keeping their voices just above whispers.
"Forget I kissed you last night," he huffed.
"That won't be difficult," she answered smugly back. "You look ridiculous," she resumed, after a pause.
"I didn't dress to try to attract 'the right partner,' " he accused.
"You have no right eavesdropping on my private conversations!"
"Private conversations? I thought you said you were only being 'nice' to him to help me. What difference does it make whether I learn the sheriff's plans through you, or directly from Gisbourne's lips? Which is it, Marian?" he continued, his voice rising. "Were you really spying for me, or was that just a friendly conversation?"
"Grow up."
As if on cue, both turned away their heads, looking to make certain they remainded unwatched. Returning to face one another, both knew they ought to go, yet neither wanted to end the argument. Or rather, both wanted the argument to be over...it was the encounter they didn't want to end.
Lady's Sybille's words contrasting himself to Gisbourne still festered in Robin's mind. Gisbourne! Surely Marian wasn't attracted to him! Never! She knew him to be a brutal killer. She would never be won by such a beast! Not Marian!
"Alright," he said, offering her a chance to redeem herself, "what have you learned about Lusignan's visit?"
She was taken aback. "I...you heard my conversation with Gisbourne! I haven't heard any-"
The sound of footsteps warned them to take cover. Pulling Marian against a wall and shielding her with his body, Robin held his breath. Both Marian and he tensed when they heard the whispering voice of Lady Sybille de Lusignan, entreating Gisbourne to make haste.