As Robin drew closer to Knighton Hall, his overall mood improved dramatically. His anticipation and excitement at seeing Marian again did wonders to cheer him, making him forget his anger toward Allan. In fact, as soon as he spied Knighton's roof, he broke into a grin and a trot, so that Maggie had difficulty keeping pace with him.

He stopped and hid himself in a small grove of trees, just at the back of the house, and waited for Allan and Maggie to catch up. "I'll fetch Marian," he told them as soon as they reached him. "She's probably in her room."

With a spring in his step, he left the shelter of the trees and swaggered into the open yard. Then, standing beneath an open window, he blew a short, crisp whistle.

Robin sighed warmly, with longing, and a deepfelt contentment as well. How many times had he seen Marian greet him from her window? More than he could count, going all the way back to when they'd been children. But the times he remembered best took place on the warm summer evenings just before he'd left for war.

He remembered sitting properly with Marian and her father inside their home, or chaperoned by a servant if her father had stayed at the castle, and then, when informed that it was late, bidding his fiance a formal goodnight. But then, as soon as he was shut out of the house, he would dash around to the back, climb up onto the ledge, and wait for Marian to appear at her window. She never kept him waiting long.

Saying "goodnight" had never been so sweet as in those precious stolen moments of clasped hands, adoring looks, whispered confidences, and eager, loving kisses! Robin felt he'd give a year of his life to have one such moment back again! Just being here again thrilled every fiber of his being.

Marian must not have heard his signal. He whistled again.

"What are you doing here?"

Her voice behind him startled him. He thought he'd been careful, scouting his surroundings, to protect her as much as himself. He spun around and couldn't stop smiling as he saw Marian, dressed in one of her simple woolen jumper gowns, holding a jug she used to water flowers.

Robin gestured with his head toward the grove of trees where Allan and Maggie waited, then hurried back beneath their cover. After a quick glance around, Marian followed.

"That was fast," Marian told Robin, when she spied Maggie. "I'm not used to you being so timely." She was smiling nicely at him, as happy to see him as he was to see her.

"I came as quickly as I could. But Maggie here's not quite ready to speak with Gisbourne."

Marian turned to the young woman. "You needn't be afraid. He won't hurt you. Just answer his questions the way Robin told you, and then, you can go."

"Whose questions, Your Ladyship?" Maggie asked. "I thought it was you going to ask the questions."

"I can try, but it's more likely Gisbourne will order me to remain silent, and do the asking himself."

"You mean he wants me to work at Locksley? No! There's no way I'd work for that snarly buggar! He's cruel and wicked, and I'd rather stay in the forest than serve him."

"Maggie's a little confused," Robin tried to explain. "But if you interview her to work for you, Marian, I think she'll do much better answering Gisbourne's questions."

"And I'm here to help her understand," Allan added.

Marian couldn't see what Allan could do, but she plunged right in, trusting Robin.

"Alright, Maggie," she began, "tell me why you'd like to work for me."

"Your Ladyship is kind, and so is your father. Everybody knows how kind you treat your servants. And there's good food, and decent pay, and you never raise your voices, nor beat those under you. And there's extras, too, like coins when you can spare 'em, and extra helpin's, and boots at Christmastime. And the work's light, and you never mind helpin', and just treat your people like they mattered, especially you."

Robin smiled at Marian. "I'd like to come work here, too, Marian," he couldn't resist saying. "I could tuck you in at night."

Marian spun around, glaring at him. "Is everything a joke with you?" she accused. "Or are you just showing off in front of Allan?"

"I'm sorry. It just seemed so pleasant, the thought of working for you. I think I'd enjoy fetching your slippers and warming your bed, with a bedwarmer, of course."

"Grow up. I'm supposed to be interviewing her, not you."

"Then, go on, interview her."

Marian huffed out a breath of exasperation, then steadied herself. "Maggie," she continued, her cheeks still flaming from Robin's comment about "warming her bed." Could he be any more alluring, curse him? "What skills do you have?"

Maggie chortled with laughter. "Just ask Allan, here! He knows everything I'm good at, don't you, Duckie?"

Allan grinned, enjoying the humor of the situation. "Not bein' funny, but I think Marian here was referring to duties in the other rooms of the house, Magpie. Not just the bedchamber."

Maggie giggled. "Well, that's too bad, 'cause I'm a rubbish cooker, and I don't like cleanin'. But dearie, I can learn, if you'll let me come work for you. Besides, I can sneak love messages between you and your sweetie lord here, and you know I won't read 'em, 'cause I can't read. So you can make 'em as hot and spicy as you want, no questions asked."

Marian's cheeks flamed even more scarlet, mostly from anger. "I don't need anyone to deliver messages between him and me," she fumed. "As if I have anything to say to him!"

"Aw, stop bein' so hard on him," Maggie coaxed. "Just because he stole your maidenhead, don't mean you have to stay mad forever."

"Stole my-?"

Marian couldn't speak, she was so furious.

"I didn't!" Robin cried out in alarm.

"You liar!" Marian shouted, hitting him squarely on his chest. "Is that what you told your men? How dare you spread stories about me?"

"I never did!" Robin answered, as upset as Marian was. "I swear it, Marian!"

"Take your whore back to the forest," Marian continued, in a cold hard voice, "and your lies, as well." Choking back a small sob, she ran away, back towards her house.

Robin called out after her. "Marian! What are you going to tell Gisbourne?"

"I'll think of something else to distract him," she answered. "After all, you've seen fit to cheapen my virtue. Why should I bother to hold it so dear?"

"Marian!" Robin called. "Marian!"

But she was gone, shutting him out of her house, and her life, once again.