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Chapter 4: Trust?
She was bringing in the dried laundry the following day. Regular chores seemed to have piled up as the nobles were finally leaving the castle and a sense of normalcy took over. She pulled down a bed sheet to reveal Allan.
She mentally congratulated herself she didn't jump. "I meant to ask last night if your woman got out all right," she said in way of greeting.
"My woman?"
"Robin's woman, the one you had in disguise in the castle," she clarified. It was the only logical conclusion she could come up with to explain the odd woman.
"What makes you so sure we had a woman inside?" Allan evaded.
She finished folding the sheet and set it in her basket. "Alright, keep your secrets," she said. "I thought you continued to come back because you trusted me."
Allan sighed. "I do." He half expected her to debase him by saying he only offered information for money, but instead she just started folding the next sheet. "She got out fine, we all did."
"With the sheriff's gold from the sound of things," he saw her grin. She seemed back to normal—which made the last night all the more strange.
He returned the smile. "The German bloke wasn't too bad either, gave us his money."
"The Count? He seemed like such a booby. I guessed he wasn't such an idiot," she said happily. "Why are you in the village? I thought none of you were in town anymore."
"We come in pairs or so," Allan said as he watched her work. "How long have you been at the castle?"
She raised an eyebrow. "2 seasons now. Why?" She wondered how the half of the year she had lived in Nottingham had flown by.
"Just curious," he shrugged.
"Alright then, how long have you been with Robin Hood?" she countered saucily making him grin.
"A twelvemonth, about," he thought. She was nearly done with the laundry and he hadn't gotten to the topic he had been thinking about all night. "What happened last night?"
She didn't catch his eye. "Shouldn't you tell me? You were, after all, the one to rob the sheriff."
"Hey, I wasn't being funny. I meant with you."
She sighed. Just act as if it was nothing more than exhaustion coloring your actions, Gretchen's voice rang in her head. "It was a long evening," she said truthfully. "I am not accustomed to acting enticing," she also said truthfully.
"Not to be funny, but you can't kid a kidder," he said.
"Can't we just forget about last night?" she asked as she picked up her basket and headed back towards the castle.
He quickly got in front of her path. As much as he kept thinking about her touch, he knew better than to try again right now. Not until he understood last night. "I thought you trusted me?" She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, right, I trust you," he grinned and he hoped it was laughter he saw in her eyes. "I hope you trust me one day, too." Knowing it was a futile wish made his throat close.
"What do you want, Allan?" she sighed.
"Right now? To understand you," he said before he could think about it.
She pursed her lips. "I can't decide if you are purposely trying to confuse me or not," she said and sidestepped him to get into the castle.
Try to confuse her? Bloody hell, he was the one confused.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Maybe he genuinely is curious?" Gretchen offered as she and Eleanor peeled potatoes for the evening meal.
"But why?"
"He has a genuine interest in you. Have you seen your reflection? You are a handsome woman, Eleanor," Gretchen reminded her. Especially since she had been at Nottingham Castle she had bloomed. "And, Eleanor dear, you are actually talking with him and befriending him," Gretchen whispered happily. It was real progress for Eleanor.
Eleanor blushed and frowned. "You make me feel like an imbecile, Gretchen," she said.
"I meant it as praise," Gretchen tried to explain. They were soon drawn into the conversation the other maids were having about the upcoming market day. Eleanor tried to follow the conversation as everyone made plans for the monthly excursion. It was the one time a month the maids got to spend an afternoon in the town without Griswald sneering over them.
"I've been saving up for the material for a new bonnet," Gretchen admitted. "And I think I have enough to make my niece a new doll, too," she said happily.
"How old is she now?" Eleanor asked. "Two?"
"Near three," Gretchen said. "I am looking forward to my day off so I can visit my brother and his family." Eleanor knew they lived in Locksley, and Gretchen tried to see her brother when she could.
"You are more than welcome, you know," Gretchen reminded her. "Samuel told me to invite you."
"I'll think about it," Eleanor promised. It depended on how exhausted she was on her day off.
The following day she and Gretchen were perusing the stalls in the market. "Looking for new trinkets?"
She knew the voice without having to turn around. "Perhaps." She looked and saw the same woman from the Casino night a few yards down with another man.
"Djaq and Will," Allan said following her line of sight. "Much has been complaining of the larder lately—and quite frankly, we are just tired of his cooking," Allan grinned making Eleanor laugh.
"I would think you would have your fill of wild game and venison every night."
It was Allan's turn to laugh. "Much doesn't exactly do wild game unless it is squirrel." She wrinkled her nose at the thought.
"Such a pity. Fresh venison sounds lovely." The thought of it made her mouth water. "I think I will have to suggest to the cook to place it on the menu."
"So what is on the menu?"
"You mean, what is the sheriff up to lately?" he nodded. "I don't know. He and Sir Guy have been out of the castle the last few days," she admitted. "Don't you have your own way of getting information? Hood always seems to know what is going on."
"That I can not say," he said quickly making her raise an eyebrow.
"So Allan a Dale doesn't share all his secrets," she nodded. "Its good to know," she grinned. She left the stall to browse another one. She was woe to part with any of her hard earn money—particularly on things that were not considered a necessity. "It seems a simple thing, really." She saw him raise an eyebrow. "Regarding the larder," she clarified. "Why don't you purchase off a farmer here in market? Much wouldn't have to hunt, you would be well fed, and the money would still go to a man trying to pay for his family." She saw his reaction. "Why do you look at me like I am crazy?"
"Believe me, it's not you. But you try to get Robin to spend any money on us. Not a single coin goes to us. If we don't catch it or bake it, we don't eat. Not that they listen to me," he frowned. It was what he had tried to explain to Much that day he was caught by Gisborne. What both saddened and infuriated him was that he sensed Much understood what he was trying to say.
"I'm surprised," Eleanor admitted. "I would have thought that Robin, being a noble, would miss the finer things in life—like good food and wine."
"I think being in the crusades helped to teach him how to live without the finer things in life," Allan pondered.
"Odd, usually those who have the finer things want nothing more than to have more finer things in life." Allan nodded. A whistle caught his attention. "Gotta go," he said and disappeared into the crowd.
What the bloody hell just happened? Eleanor wondered. She had just had a nice, normal conversation with Allan a dale.
She had just changed into her nightgown that evening when a guard knocked, alerting her that Lady Marion was requesting her. She quickly pulled her threadbare dressing gown on as she rushed along the servants quarters to get to Marion's room. She knocked and dropped into a curtsy when Marion told her to enter. "My lady?"
"I am sorry for calling at such an hour, but I need to get dressed," she tried to explain.
"yes, m'lady," Eleanor said as she helped Marion to get into her finest gowns. She brushed Marion's hair and pulled it away from her face. "Is there anything else?"
"No, thank you Eleanor," she smiled. "I am sorry for calling you from your bed."
"Think nothing of it, please," Eleanor said as she closed the door behind her. Yawning she made her way back to her own quarters. She knew she would get only an hour or two of sleep before she would be required to help the lady with undressing.
Well, she didn't sleep well anyways, she told herself. She couldn't remember a time in the last decade she had slept through the entire night.
HUGE thanks to rosebud (Their interaction continues to get better, promise! Just takes some time... Thanks for reviewing! It made my week!)