The Sheriff chuckled menacingly and I grasped Guy's hand a little tighter. His grip tightened around my hand in response. I took a deep breath, wondering if we could have waited a little longer to tell him. But no, my stomach was getting harder and harder to hide beneath the dresses I wore, and we dreaded him finding out some other way.
"I didn't think it would take long, Gisborne," he said knowingly, raising his eyebrows suggestively. My face grew hot, and Guy scowled. I felt the icy fingers of fear crawl up my spine. It became more evident than ever that the Sheriff would use our baby against us, just as he used us against each other.
He knew that, much more than we would do anything to protect each other, we would do whatever it took to keep our baby safe. This thought filled me with dread. I glanced nervously at Guy and read the same thought in his eyes.
Fortunately, the Sheriff quickly grew tired of teasing us, and dismissed me shortly after our announcement. Guy had to stay, however, and we said a quick goodbye before I left the room. I went back to our room and hoped he wouldn't be long.
I didn't see him again until lunch, during which he promised he would ride with me to my father's directly after so I could visit him. I smiled thankfully at him, but I could tell that he needed to tell me something. He had a slightly concerned look in his eyes, one that concerned me too.
As soon as we were out of sight of the castle, he explained his concern. The Sheriff had begun to suspect that he had a spy of Robin's in his employ, and Guy was in charge of finding out who it was. I shuddered at the thought of him finding out that Guy was the one he was looking for.
"Don't worry, Marian," he assured me, "I am good at being inept. I will find it quite difficult to unearth the turncoat." I smiled at him, but I couldn't help worrying.
"I just don't want to lose you," I responded softly, and he brought his horse close to mine so he could lay a hand on my arm.
"I will not do anything to endanger myself or you and our baby, Love," he said softly. "I can handle Vaisey." I nodded, fighting the tears that wanted to gather in my eyes and the ache trying to settle in my throat. He groaned softly and stopped our horses, dismounting and drawing me down into his embrace. I clung to him, not quite crying, but shaking in his arms.
His hand came under my chin and he lifted my face, his lips finding mine and kissing me tenderly. After a few minutes I rested my head on his chest, drawing comfort from his strength. He murmured sweet words in my ear, and my shaking slowed down as I listened.
I was sure that he believed what he said, and that he would do it. But I was also sure that he was underestimating the Sheriff. He thought he could protect us, and to an extent he could, but eventually the Sheriff would push him further than he could, or would, go. It would be the end of at least one of us, if not both...soon to be all. All I could do was pray, and trust Guy to do everything in his power.
I looked back up at him and caressed his jaw with my fingers. He held me tighter and smiled down at me. Sighing, I stepped away and let him help me back up on the horse, and we continued on our way.
My father was quite pleased to see us, and insisted we stay the night. Guy told him, completely ignoring my protests, that although he had to get back to the castle, I would be staying. Unfazed even my stormiest look, he explained that he had a spy to ferret out. Hands on my hips, I demanded to know what he would really be doing since he knew darn well who it was. He chuckled and pulled me close, whispering in my ear what he would rather be doing. My reluctance faded as I responded to his words, breathing increasing and body melting into his.
"Not fair, Sir," I pouted when he let me go, and he chuckled again.
"I will return tomorrow, Marian, and then I think it is time we go home for a while." My eyes lit up at the thought, and met his burning gaze breathlessly. I nodded my head in acquiescence, and he embraced me once more before bidding my father good night and striding out the door.
I spent a quiet evening with my father, but my mind was on where Guy was and what he was planning. I kept a steady stream of conversation going somehow, telling him about castle life and asking him how his days had been going. We retired late, my father seeming to understand that I didn't want to be alone until the last possible moment.
He left me at the door to my old room, and I entered slowly. I hadn't been here since the night before my wedding, and I looked around, taking a deep breath. The space where my vanity had been was empty, and I felt the warmth fill me as I remembered seeing it in the room Guy and I shared. How wrong I had been about him before, and how glad I was now that I had come to realize that early on.
I absently caressed my stomach as I lay in bed trying to sleep, drifting off before I realized it. I was exhausted after the day's events, especially the realization that my baby's life would always be in the Sheriff's hands. It almost made me wish this pregnancy didn't exist, but I couldn't completely feel that way. The baby was a physical sign of the love Guy and I shared. I also felt great comfort and relief at that thought.
My father and I were having breakfast the next morning when I heard hoofbeats. Smiling at my father, I rushed outside and ran straight into...Allan. My smile faltered, and then disappeared completely at the expression I saw on his face. He was scared. I backed away and led him quickly into the house.
"What's wrong, Allan?" I asked as soon as he was seated and orders were given to get him some breakfast. "Where's Guy?"
"He's ok, Marian...for the moment. He wanted me to tell you he'll be along later this afternoon. He's got some big plan going to make it appear that he's looking for the spy. I'm going back to meet him in Nottingham and make it look like we're talking about it." I sat back and looked into his face.
"So, you're not scared for him so much as yourself, am I right?" I asked suddenly. "You think he might use you as the fall guy, don't you?" He shrugged, and my eyes narrowed. "He has no reason to do that, Allan. You could get him in as much trouble. Besides, he wouldn't stab you, or Robin, or me in the back like that." He looked at me in surprise, and then nodded his head.
"I believe you, Lady Marian. I'm still not used to the way he is now that you're with him." I nodded my head in response, and he gave a relieved sigh. "Now, he told me to make you promise that you'll wait for him here, and not go try to rescue him!" He said the last part with a laugh, but I knew Guy had been dead serious when he told Allan to relay that message. He knew I would try to come and help him, or drag him away.
I took a deep breath and agreed, remembering that I had our baby's life to think of now, as well as my own. I shivered at the thought of how close I'd come to being locked in with the people of Nottingham during the plague that was really a poisoning. Guy had saved me from that, knowing as he did how the Sheriff would react to my being down there. I couldn't let him down again, and force him into the position of rescuing me.
Satisfied, Allan took his leave and I settled in with my father to wait. Again. We reminisced, and he told me more about when I was a child and Guy had been my favorite. I was still amazed that I had known him when I was too young to remember, although it all felt true to me as I heard it. I vaguely remembered feeling that way about someone, but I hadn't known who.
I had transferred those feelings to Robin, thinking it must have been him, and no one had set me straight. Not even Guy. Now I understood that he had been walking a tightrope and didn't know how to tell me. He had always cared for me, but didn't know how to explain. It was humbling to know that everything he had done had been, in his mind, for me, even if I didn't agree with all of it.
Guy arrived as the afternoon waned, shadows growing longer, and my patience was wearing thin. I ran to him and held him tight, unable to speak. He kissed the top of my head and murmured that everything was all right. We walked into the house, his arm around me, and he filled me and my father in on what he had done. It wasn't much, really, but he was putting up the appearance of searching without actually doing so.
He had planned with Allan, who carried ideas from Robin, and was carrying the message back that we would be home tonight. Robin and the gang would come and help plan more what we would do, but Guy's tentative idea, with Allan's agreement - a revelation that surprised me after my conversation with Allan - was that Allan would be the spy.
It made sense. Allan had long been known by the Sheriff to be a spy against Robin. Who better to spy against the Sheriff in return? He could be trading secrets with both sides. I mentioned my surprise at Allan's complicity, and Guy responded that it was his conversation with me that had brought him around. I looked at Guy in surprise, and he smiled proudly at me.
"You made him realize how, although he was the perfect fall guy, he had no reason to fear anything from me. The more he thought about it, the more he thought it was the only answer, and he had a full plan for me by the time we met." His gaze grew soft as he looked at me. "Thank you for believing the best of me, Love," he said quietly.
"Of course, Guy," I responded in kind. "I know that, if nothing else, you would never do anything purposely to upset me, and Allan is my friend. I'm glad it helped you and Allan to come up with a plan. Now, is it too late to go home? Should we stay here?" He grinned.
"Absolutely not! I want to spend this night in my own bed with my wife!" I grinned back and, after taking hasty leave of my father, we were on our way. Guy seemed anxious to get moving, but the closer we got to home the quieter he was, and the slower we moved. Finally I broke the silence that had fallen upon us.
"Is something wrong, Guy?" I asked hesitantly, and he looked quickly at me.
"No, Marian, I'm just exhausted from yesterday's events. Don't worry, though, I'm not going to fall asleep as soon as we get home." He gave me his lopsided smile, and my heart flip-flopped.
Soon we were riding into the barn and dismounting. Usually we unsaddled the horses, but Guy gave the bridles to the stable hand and took my arm in his. We walked slowly to the house, and I realized that it was the same time of day that it had been the day we were wed, when we took the long walk to the door. I had dreaded that walk, but I definitely did not dread it now.
I stopped when we reached the front door, remembering something else from our wedding night. Turning to look at him, I looked into his eyes, which were looking back at me with an expression part tender and part concern. I raised my free hand to his face and traced his jaw with light fingers.
"What were you going to say to me?" I asked, knowing he was thinking about the same night. He spoke softly, his gaze turning intense.
"I wanted to tell you that I wasn't going to hurt you; that it would be ok. In the end I couldn't say it, so I tried to show you by holding you in my arms." As he ended his speech he picked me up again, bringing me close to his chest. He chuckled softly. "Oh, my love, you are heavier than you were then. I don't know how far I can carry you tonight." I gasped, but I knew he was joking about my growing stomach, so I couldn't get too upset. I couldn't resist a little jab, however.
"And it's entirely your doing, Husband." He growled and kissed me hard, leaving me breathless. Then he walked me through the door and up to our room. Once up the stairs he set me on the floor and I congratulated him for making it all the way. Growling again, he cupped my face with his hands and kissed me again, but the urgency had melted away, leaving a languorous, sensual act in its place. I moaned and leaned into him.
His lips brushed across my jaw and nibbled at my ear. Then he whispered words that made my blood boil and my body ache with want.
"I intend to take my time loving you tonight, Wife. I want to build your passion to the breaking point again and again. I need to hear you cry out for me as I take you." My knees grew weak at his words, and I drew a shaky breath. Looking up at him, I managed to respond.
"Then you'll need to help me out of this dress."