Lady Marian

Chapter 17

At the trysting tree, Father Tuck paced back and forth. Holding his psalter close to his chest as he glanced over each shoulder. At the sight of the priest, Alan scrambled off his horse, lifting Lucy down from the mare's heaving back. The rest of us followed in turn. Robing lifted me off the stallion's back. He pulled out his misericord and slit the ropes binding my wrists.

"You see, it is all right. The men working in the fields we passed will tell the sheriff I have kidnapped you."

I opened my mouth to tell Robin it was not all right. I closed it again and said instead, "This rescue is not complete. Father Tuck, 'tis your turn."

Will placed a bouquet of fading wildflowers in Lucy's hands as Father Tuck opened his book. Robin held my hand with his left and his sword with his right. I held my breath and watched as Lucy and Alan took right hands, exchanged the simple vows, and kissed. Envy crawled up my throat as I watched the happy couple begin their life together under the great oak tree, songbirds triumphing in their joy. There would be no double wedding today. I would be returning to Arlingford. Robin had dashed my carefully laid plans in more ways than one.

He must have sensed this for he tilted is head toward me and whispered, "Soon, my Lady Marian, very soon—I promise." The soft beard he had grown tickled my ear.

There was precious little time for congratulations when we were expecting the sheriff's men at any moment. Alan lifted his bride back onto the horse amidst a volley of hurried well wishes. Robin pressed a small sac of coins into Alan's hands. From a pocket sewn into the underside of my skirt, I produced a letter.

"This is for you." I passed it to Alan.

"We cannot read," Alan protested.

"You have enough money in there for the journey to Aquitaine—you will not be safe in Nottinghamshire and hard pressed to find work elsewhere in England. Try to hire someone to take you across the channel at night if you can. Take this letter to Lord Henri, my brother-in-law, and he will welcome you."

"Must we leave England?" Lucy sighed. Alan placed a hand on her arm and nodded.

"You will not be safe here," Robin emphasized.

"We will go to Aquitaine and seek out this Lord Henri. Thank you all for your help, we are most grateful." Alan clucked to the horses and waved to us as he disappeared down the road. Lucy turned, beaming, to wave at us all.

Father Tuck turned to us. "My work is done. I must return to the church before I am suspected."

"You are suspect already," Robin replied, pressing a small bag of coins into his hands. "Take care, Father, and take this for your parishioners."

"I go with the Lord before me." Father Tuck bowed as he disappeared into the wood.

"You are sure that your brother-in-law will have room for them?" Much asked as he tightened the belt holding up his fraying trousers.

"He has one of the greatest estates in France. Between his fields, the vineyards, and the manor, there will be room for them." I paused. A horrible thought had crossed my mind. I felt sick. All the blood seemed to rush to my head again. I turned to Robin. "The army my brother-in-law could raise is greater than any baron in France."

Robin took my arm and eased me onto a moss coloured log. "You cannot think about that, Marian."

"That is why they want me so bad. If they are going to war against the king of France, they need his men."