Already blessed by God with heightened senses, Robin rarely let any disturbance to his surroundings escape his notice. It was especially true since he had begun living in the forest, for his senses now rivalled those of the keenest forest animal.
Therefore, while washing in the stream, he knew he was secretly being watched.
He figured Sess had followed him here because she was afraid to be left alone with his men. He carefully kept his body underwater, swimming in the deepest part of the stream, with only his head and neck appearing above the murky depths.
Sess would learn a valuable lesson by living in the forest, Robin believed. She would soon discover the men surrounding her were not the vile ruffians she considered them, but the bravest, truest men Robin had ever had the privilege to know.
Imagine being afraid of Much! Robin knew Much to be so tender hearted, he probably hadn't even hurt his mother when he was being birthed! He'd almost mentioned that to Cecily, but stopped himself in time. She would have found such mild talk vulgar, and he didn't wish to offend her.
The cool water of the stream felt marvelous, easing the burning itch of whatever his body had picked up from the monk's woolen robe. Much could have told him it was a sin to impersonate the clergy, but Robin doubted the pests were sent by God to punish him. Bad luck and his haste in grabbing the first disguise had caused this infestation to his body hair.
If only he had the services now of the lice pickers who accompanied King Richard's troops in the Holy Land! Those ancient women, nearly blind with age, could pick through vermin in a lad's hair with expert skill. Robin understood why Richard insisted the women be old and ugly, and wondered what Richard would say concerning the three very attractive women now joining Robin's outlaw gang in the forest!
His thoughts were interrupted when he detected the unmistakely lovely voice of Marian, engaged in giving Cecily a harsh tongue lashing. His face lit up in a smile, and he unleased his body like an arrow to swim quickly across the water.
"Are you enjoying the spectacle?" Marian was scolding Cecily.
"Are you?"
"I am here on an errand! He requested soap, which I am delivering. You are only here to gawk at him!"
"I don't need to defend myself to you! You're still in love with him!"
Marian gasped, then looked quickly at the stream. Thankfully, Robin was underwater and couldn't have heard the accusation.
Marian hadn't minded when poor, murdered Joe Lacey had accused her of the same thing. His, "You're still in love with him, aren't you?" had been delivered with gentle caring, not jealous spite. Still, why did anyone think it could be so? Marian wondered whether her father guessed what feelings still reined in her heart.
Suddenly, Robin erupted from under the water, and stood impudently waist deep just a few feet from them, flaunting his wicked grin atop his tightly muscled chest and arms. Both women stared, Marian looking angry and Cecily pleased.
"Good day, Marian." Robin's teasing voice welcomed her smoothly. "Have you brought me soap?"
"Take it." She hurled it directly at his face, just as she had the last time they'd been in a similar situation.
But this time, Robin was prepared. With a jaunty dive, he ducked under the water, cheekily flashing his buttcheeks for a split second above water.
"It floats!" he cried, emerging from under the water, shaking out his hair, and grabbing the cake of soap from the surface of the stream. "You have no idea how glad I am to get my hands on this."
"Enjoy it. It's the only thing of mine you'll be touching."
Robin laughed out loud at her feisty scorn. Forgetting all about Cecily's presence, he teased, "You're angry, Marian. A swim in this stream would do wonders to cool off your temper, you know."
"Watching you drown would work better."
Robin stood, flaunting the upper half of his body again. "Not a chance of that! Don't tell me you've forgotten what an excellent swimmer I am."
Lady Cecily watched the scene play out with avid curiosity. Robin's attitude and demeanor had completely changed since Marian had joined them. He was bold and teasing, but mostly he was exuberantly happy. It was obvious to Cecily they were both wildly in love with one another.
So, nothing much had changed since he'd gone to war. Nothing, except for Marian's stubborn, false scorn of him.
How long would she hold out against his charms, Cecily wanted to know. Or would she succumb to Gisbourne's relentless pursuit of her, just to spite Robin? Gisbourne, after all, had dark attractions of his own, irrestible to some women, though Cecily found him repugnant.
While Robin teased and Marian answered in anger, Cecily studied the now partly exposed body of the man she was determined to win. After all, she'd done her duty and married 60-year-old Hubert of Tetley when she'd been only seventeen, mercifully being widowed two years later. Now that she was independently wealthy, it was her turn to choose her own husband. And, ever since she could remember, she had privately longed to wed Robin of Locksley.
Cecily had faith in King Richard's return to England, and Robin's rightful restoration of his titles, lands, and wealth. His outlaw status would give her the time she needed to win him away from the Lady Marian, once and for all. She knew it would not be easy, but Marian was definitely helping, by stubbornly clinging to her anger at Robin's desertion.
Cecily found Robin beautifully muscled, but painfully thin. The hair on his chest grew in a pattern that resembled an eagle on soaring wings. The hideous scar in his side reminded her of Christ's spear wound.
The man was undeniably beautiful, in the truest manly sense of the word.
Somehow, with Marian's unwitting help, Cecily would win him for her own.