will go check and come find me in the castle afterward, that would be most helpful. I fear my aged bones are aching more than usual today.”
“As you like.” The deep voice responded. Both voices faded as they moved farther away from Robin and Marian’s hiding place.
Robin removed his hand from Marian’s mouth and quirked an eyebrow. “Why is Nyneve looking for you?”
“Maybe she is trying to find Father,” Marian said. “I cannot think of why else she would care about me.”
Robin pushed the honeysuckle aside and gestured Marian before him. “I asked her once to join the Merry Men, but she just laughed at me. Said she was here to watch history, not make it. She is a bit odd, but harmless.”
Marian squinted in the daylight. “But why would a historian need to see me? What could I possibly tell her?”
“That is an interesting question to ask of a friar.”
Marian whirled around and came face to face with the owner of the voice, who stepped backwards.
“Peace, child.” White gold hair flowed over the slightly stooped shoulders of an old woman. Gray eyes so light they looked sun bleached met Marian’s. “I have been looking for the friar on a matter of some importance.” A slight smile curved her lips. “I am afraid I used your name as an excuse to search the maze, Lady Marian. I do hope you will forgive me, but I need to speak with him without your presence.”
“Marian knows who I am, Nyneve,” Robin stated. “She can stay, if she wishes.”
The old woman shook her head. “I am afraid I must insist on privacy, ‘Friar’. This matter is too important.”
Robin turned to Marian. “I am sorry we could not spend our time more pleasantly, Marian.”
Marian’s cheeks flushed at the way his voice caressed her name. “So am I.”
“All right, you have said your farewells, lovebirds. You can pledge your troth later. Robin, pull your cowl up. Lady Marian, go away.” Nyneve took Robin’s arm and lead him away, leaving Marian to stand in the maze, alone.
The honeysuckle brushed against the shoulders of Marian’s gown. Whatever other name Robin called it, she had just agreed to spy on the Sheriff of Nottingham and the Prince of England. Suddenly, the quiet of the maze was too quiet. Her skin began to crawl as she imagined others, more influential than her, doing what she had agreed to do…but with her family as the target. And it was obvious Mother and Father had secrets to hide; secrets they did not want anyone else to know about. There was only one place Marian could gather her thoughts without being bothered; one place where no-one would look for her.
Chapter Fifteen:
Marian wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. The castle felt colder than usual. As she headed toward her suite of rooms the echo of childish laughter made her hesitate. It sounded similar to what she had heard the night before. Marian turned toward the sound, following it into a stone hallway as it faded into silence. A single torch sputtered near the entrance to the hall, its flame fighting to stay alive in a black iron holder. She stood on her toes to remove the torch from its sconce. The wall felt cold and slimy when her fingers brushed against it. It had been a long time since anyone had walked through here. Cobwebs hung down from the ceiling like filmy drapes. Marian used the torch to burn them away as she crept further down the dark hall. In front of her was a set of stone stairs leading upward.
“Is she coming?”
“Course she is.”
The voices floated down the staircase. Marian stopped and swallowed. Children would never be allowed here. It was the ghosts, it had to be. She swallowed again, heart pounding. Lord Aelfred said they played pranks. No one actually got hurt…did they? Wiping her damp hands on her gown, she forced herself forward. The ghosts were children and had died, alone and afraid. They deserved better treatment in their death then they had received in their life.
Her feet
“As you like.” The deep voice responded. Both voices faded as they moved farther away from Robin and Marian’s hiding place.
Robin removed his hand from Marian’s mouth and quirked an eyebrow. “Why is Nyneve looking for you?”
“Maybe she is trying to find Father,” Marian said. “I cannot think of why else she would care about me.”
Robin pushed the honeysuckle aside and gestured Marian before him. “I asked her once to join the Merry Men, but she just laughed at me. Said she was here to watch history, not make it. She is a bit odd, but harmless.”
Marian squinted in the daylight. “But why would a historian need to see me? What could I possibly tell her?”
“That is an interesting question to ask of a friar.”
Marian whirled around and came face to face with the owner of the voice, who stepped backwards.
“Peace, child.” White gold hair flowed over the slightly stooped shoulders of an old woman. Gray eyes so light they looked sun bleached met Marian’s. “I have been looking for the friar on a matter of some importance.” A slight smile curved her lips. “I am afraid I used your name as an excuse to search the maze, Lady Marian. I do hope you will forgive me, but I need to speak with him without your presence.”
“Marian knows who I am, Nyneve,” Robin stated. “She can stay, if she wishes.”
The old woman shook her head. “I am afraid I must insist on privacy, ‘Friar’. This matter is too important.”
Robin turned to Marian. “I am sorry we could not spend our time more pleasantly, Marian.”
Marian’s cheeks flushed at the way his voice caressed her name. “So am I.”
“All right, you have said your farewells, lovebirds. You can pledge your troth later. Robin, pull your cowl up. Lady Marian, go away.” Nyneve took Robin’s arm and lead him away, leaving Marian to stand in the maze, alone.
The honeysuckle brushed against the shoulders of Marian’s gown. Whatever other name Robin called it, she had just agreed to spy on the Sheriff of Nottingham and the Prince of England. Suddenly, the quiet of the maze was too quiet. Her skin began to crawl as she imagined others, more influential than her, doing what she had agreed to do…but with her family as the target. And it was obvious Mother and Father had secrets to hide; secrets they did not want anyone else to know about. There was only one place Marian could gather her thoughts without being bothered; one place where no-one would look for her.
Chapter Fifteen:
Marian wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. The castle felt colder than usual. As she headed toward her suite of rooms the echo of childish laughter made her hesitate. It sounded similar to what she had heard the night before. Marian turned toward the sound, following it into a stone hallway as it faded into silence. A single torch sputtered near the entrance to the hall, its flame fighting to stay alive in a black iron holder. She stood on her toes to remove the torch from its sconce. The wall felt cold and slimy when her fingers brushed against it. It had been a long time since anyone had walked through here. Cobwebs hung down from the ceiling like filmy drapes. Marian used the torch to burn them away as she crept further down the dark hall. In front of her was a set of stone stairs leading upward.
“Is she coming?”
“Course she is.”
The voices floated down the staircase. Marian stopped and swallowed. Children would never be allowed here. It was the ghosts, it had to be. She swallowed again, heart pounding. Lord Aelfred said they played pranks. No one actually got hurt…did they? Wiping her damp hands on her gown, she forced herself forward. The ghosts were children and had died, alone and afraid. They deserved better treatment in their death then they had received in their life.
Her feet
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