by Shea, K. M.
I glanced back and forth between my dinner companions. Edward did not seem terribly bothered by Maxine’s interrogation of my horse, even if Elizabeth was. Maxine seemed too informal to be a proper judge, so I resolved to use Edward as my scale of normalcy.
“He was given to me by a friend,” I carefully said. “I do not know his pedigree.”
“Now that’s a shame,” Lord Maxine complained.
“Lady Elizabeth, where are you from?” I asked. The easiest way to get away with my masquerade was to engage a different person, drawing the attention off me.
It worked well, Lady Elizabeth softly chatted through the rest of the meal.
I was stuck there for a full hour. Saying stuck sounds negative, but by the end of that hour I was ready to start crying in pain. My back muscles were cramping again. The hum of the music and the steady throb of loud voices in the hall crawled into my skull and created the headache of the century. My eyes hurt from staring at everything, and a pin I had slipped in my dress to keep the waist tight had wriggled loose and was stabbing me in the gut. I hurt so much I decided I would leave, never mind if the feast was over yet or not. I actually almost fell to the floor when I tried to stand. I managed to steady myself with some help from Lord Maxine, who automatically reached out and grabbed me.
“Lady Mary, are you feeling well?” he asked, his voice creased with concern as he stood as well.
“I am a little tired. I believe it may be best if I turn in for the night,” I said, doing my best to smile in spite of the pain that wracked my body. Thank goodness I was still getting over my sickness. I was hurting less now than I had in previous days.
“Lady Mary, do you need anything?” George asked, materializing in front of my table.
“I’m fine, George, thank you,” I smiled, finding it amusing that he, the Sheriff’s apprentice, would be worried about my well being. “I am perhaps more weary than I would like to admit. I believe I shall retire to my room.”
“I’ll escort her ladyship back to her room Master George, don’t worry,” Maxine dashingly grinned.
“I’m quite capable of reaching my quarters on my own,” I insisted.
“Thank you, Lord Maxine. She is housed in the same hall as Lady Elizabeth,” George said, bowing at the young lord before returning to other guests, chatting with them with a pleasant smile.
“This way Lady Mary,” Maxine directed, steering us out of the great hall. I stopped to wave farewell to Edward and Elizabeth.
The musicians plucked and piped on their instruments, and dancing had started. The feast would probably go on hours longer. Hours that I would thankfully not be present for.
I surprised myself by quite easily remembering the way back to my room.
“Are you sure you’ll be tolerable alone, Lady Mary? Do you not have a ladies maid who could assist you?” Maxine asked.
“If I need help I’ll call for one. Thank you Lord Maxine,” I smiled between clenched teeth before I backed into my room, shutting the door in Maxine’s fine face.
I immediately barred the door and started ripping off my dress. I changed into a nightgown and huddled in front of the fire, warming my stiff back against the flames. “Should have brought some hose and a tunic or two with me,” I grumbled.
The fire cracked, but besides that my room was quiet. I yawned. “This must be the first time I’ve been alone since Will Stutely christened Little John,” I laughed. “It’s quiet,” I observed after several moments. “Very quiet.”
That night I slept for the first time on a mattress stuffed with feathers. While it was delightfully soft I had a hard time falling asleep. There were no hooting owls or panting dogs. Crafty did not wickedly snicker in his pen, and Much’s snores weren’t audible. I couldn’t hear my men shift on their guard duty or laugh as they shared a story around the fire.
I missed them.
“It’s a pity,” I whispered to my silent room. “I don’t think they’re missing me.”
Chapter 2
Marian at Nottingham
I spent three relatively care free days in the castle before I began to realize that I could bum off Nottingham Castle for only so long. In those three days I slowly finished recuperating from my sickness. I was my own jailer, and often slept for hours on end to provide an excuse so I wouldn’t have to attend those wretched banquets. (The food was good, and they were quite entertaining… but after the third night of feasting I was beginning to see why Marian complained of them so.)
“I believe I am almost healed,” I said as I did a handstand, testing out my back. It barely protested. “This is good. I’ll have to move on soon,” I said, wading through my mess of dresses. “Tis a shame, but I’ll have to leave most of my wardrobe behind. Crafty can’t carry them all, and if I’m traveling on the road it would be wiser to go disguised as a male.”
I walked over to my dressing table, which was now cluttered with hair pins and veils. (I lifted them out of several different rooms in the previous days.)
There was a soft tap on the door, Lady Elizabeth probably. Ever since George stuck me with the trio on that first feast they were my daily companions. I swore underneath my breath. I was dressed in nothing but a nightshirt.
“Yes?” I called through the door.
“Lady Mary it’s me, Elizabeth,” Elizabeth timidly said through the door. “I was about to go down to the castle gardens. Would you care to join me?”
I silently groaned and kicked a dress. “Of course. I’ll be ready in ten minutes.”
“Thank you, I’ll return to my room until you’re ready,” Elizabeth softly replied before her light steps signaled she had walked away.
It wasn’t that I minded Lady Elizabeth; I just really didn’t feel like squeezing myself into another one of my blasted dresses. Even worse, going out would mean I had to style my hair.
I hastily threw on a new dress, one that was dark blue with little bits of white lace. Feeling entirely irritated with the idea of pinning up my hair, I daringly twined my hair into a braid, which is what I often did before my Robin Hood days when I had long hair. Unfortunately my hair was not as long now. To keep from looking stupid with a braid that ended with three hairs I tucked the back half of my hair into netting and pinned it to my skull.
I emerged from my room in a wild whirlwind exactly ten minutes later, ready for my walk with Lady Elizabeth. I silently padded down the hallway (old habits of moving quietly die slowly.) and knocked on Elizabeth’s door.
Elizabeth opened her door and stepped out as one of her dressing maids finished tying a ribbon in her hair. “Good Morn Lady Mary.”
“Good Morning Lady Elizabeth.”
“I invited Lord Edward and Maxine as well. I believe they’re already in the gardens,” she said, taking my arm in a girlish gesture of friendship.
“Sounds like a regular party,” I joked as we skipped down the hallway. More like I skipped, Elizabeth scurried to keep pace.
We toppled down the stairs and Elizabeth got us lost only once before we stumbled into the beautiful gardens, which were just outside the castle keep. (Elizabeth did not navigate around the castle as easily as I did. Of course, Elizabeth was not an outlaw who depended upon sneaking around and pick-pocketing royals to keep up her front.)
“Lady Elizabeth, Lady Mary, you look especially gorgeous this bright morning,” Lord Maxine shouted with an enthusiasm and volume that even I knew was uncivil.
Lord Edward breathed in only slightly sharper than usual. “Good morning Lady Elizabeth, Lady Mary,” he said in his gravely voice.
“Good morning Lord Edward,” Elizabeth curtsied, ignoring her cousin.
“Good morning,” I chorused.
“It is such delightful weather we’re having today, is it not, Lord Edward?” Elizabeth asked Edward, her eyes fastened on him. Even I, a barbarian according to George, knew Elizabeth was smitten with Edward.
“It is stupendous weather. I fear it shall grow overly warm in the afternoon,” Edward returned.
Whenever the two E’s chatted they were always dreadfully boring.
Judging by the way Maxine was rolling his eyes behind his friends’ backs, he agreed with me.
Edward and Elizabeth turned and started walking up a path, Elizabeth still dragging me along by the arm.
“It does grow dreadfully hot in the summer, and it makes me so fatigued,” Elizabeth commented, not noticing when Maxine yanked me out of her grasp and held me back a few steps.
“Hang back and let them walk farther ahead. Eliza won’t mind, she might even be grateful. Besides, those two are about as interesting as watching candle wax harden,” Maxine scoffed as we were led into a maze of shrubberies.
I couldn’t hold back the quirk of a grin that spread across my lips for a split second. Maxine caught the glimpse of my humor and smiled back at me.
“So Lady Mary, how is your dear, devil horse?” he asked.
“Nightmare? He is as happy as his disposition allows him to be.”
“I should think so. They can’t keep horses in the stalls next to him or he rips a chunk out of their hide,” Maxine laughed.
I frowned. “He got out of the stables again yesterday. I caught him when he was just about to push his way into the kitchens. Next time I wish they would let me know he’s being bad and hang it all,” I complained as we made a sharp turn around a shrub-wall.
“Oh come now. It’s hardly befitting for a lady to be running around after her horse. At least, you better not let Eliza hear of you doing that anyway,” Maxine chuckled as we continued to meander after Edward and Elizabeth.
“So how is your horse, Winther?” I asked.
“He is fine. Would you care to accompany me on a ride this fair afternoon, Lady Mary?” Maxine asked. “I’m sure Eliza and Lord Edward would join us as well.”
“Where do you plan to ride?” I asked, hoping he wouldn’t be an idiot and decide to venture into—.
“I was thinking of going to Sherwood Forest,” Maxine admitted.
Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.
“I believe that would be a rather foolish plan, Lord Maxine,” I said. I couldn’t help that the usual tone of mirth and gentleness that I tried to keep in my voice for the role of “Lady Mary” drained out as I became serious. “A band of thieves lives there. It’s not a good place for nobility to tread through.”
“So you’ve heard of him as well. Robin Hood I mean,” Maxine said as we rounded a corner of shrubs, still a few feet behind the E’s.
“Of course. Who has—,” my eyes widened before I swung back around the corner and flattened myself against the shrubbery wall. Elizabeth and Edward had led us out of the green maze and into an open courtyard that was filled with beautiful flowers.
And in that open courtyard, with hair so blonde and eyes so blue, was my best friend Marian, who had by now doubtlessly heard of the disappearing act I had pulled.
Marian was the last person I wanted to see. Not only could she blow my cover, but she could, and would, drag me back to Sherwood Forest kicking and screaming. Or worse yet: she would tell the Merry Men where to find me.
I dearly loved Marian, but I knew I couldn’t count on her in this instance. It was best to keep out of sight and leave the castle premises as soon as possible. If Marian was here it was likely she would be at the feast tonight, and possibly every night until the masquerade ball.
I muttered several curses under my breath as Maxine curiously stepped back to observe me with a cocked eyebrow.
I ignored him and kept swearing. “Just my bloody luck,” I groaned. I would have to leave as soon as possible. The second I could wrench myself away from the E’s and Maxine. The moment I got back to my room I would split. Marian couldn’t find me. I couldn’t be dragged back to Sherwood. I wouldn’t!
“Are you well, Lady Mary?” he asked.
“Absolutely,” I said as I peeked back around the bush.
Marian was still there.
She had a smile pasted on her face, one of those fake ones she perfected so she could lie straight faced to her mother when she asked Marian if Marian had completed her sewing exercise of the day. Marian was nodding her head in an engaged manner as she spoke softly with her companion, a dark haired, knightly looking man I vaguely recognized.
“She must hate his guts,” I muttered. “She only looks like that when she’s praying for someone’s painful death.”
Maxine also peered around the bushes. “Oh, do you know Lady Marian?”
I snapped out of it. “Who?” I prettily asked.
“Lady Marian, Robin Hood’s supposed maiden. Oh goodness.”
“What? What?” I asked, about ready to shake Maxine.
“That’s Sir Guy of Gisborne she’s with,” Maxine observed.
“Who?” I asked.
“Sir Guy of Gisborne,” Maxine repeated.
“What nutty parent would force that curse of a name on their child,” I muttered under my breath as I watched Edward and Elizabeth continue through the courtyard without us.
“His, obviously,” Maxine supplied.
I rolled my eyes and flipped back against the shrubbery, pressing my head against the leaves and branches. “I can’t stay here, not anymore,” I muttered.
“So are we just going to sit here at the corner, or shall we backtrack?” Maxine offered.
“Pardon?”
“You are obviously against going into the courtyard. Come, we can go back the way we came. I’ll tell Eliza I got us lost. She’ll believe it,” Maxine said, strolling back up the path we had come down. “Are you coming?”
I hurried after Maxine, mentally packing as we went.
I wasn’t able to elegantly back away from Lord Maxine until mid afternoon. I stewed and waited in my room, surfacing only to tell Lady Elizabeth to proceed to the feasting hall without me. I had stowed the two dresses I wanted to take in a saddle pack, and pilfered a tunic that belonged to one of the castle servants. I would hide the dresses and leave at dusk, just when the feast would start to grow in size.
Eventually the time came. I wrapped the remaining dresses and left them behind in my room. Still wearing my dark blue dress from the afternoon, I shouldered my saddle packs and made my way through the castle.
Nobody gave me a second glance as I confidently hustled down the stairs. The scuffling servants didn’t bat an eyelash as I swished past them in my full skirts. Within minutes I had successfully navigated my way out to the stables.
When I entered the stable Crafty, alone in his back corner stall, stuck his head out and narrowed his eyes when they landed on me.
“We’re going Crafty,” I told him, slinging the saddle bags over his stall door. I tapped my fingers on the door and considered the dim stables. “I need to find your tack first.”
I dug around in the stable for a while until I found Crafty’s saddle and bridle. They were neatly placed on a saddle wrack and bridle hook, the last place I happened to glance at.
I had brushed Crafty earlier in the morning, so I only needed to throw on a blanket and the saddle before sliding Crafty’s bridle on.
I tossed the saddle bags across Crafty’s back before I began to lead him out of the stable.
I got him to the courtyard and just when I was about to swing upon his back into a most unlady-like astride position, I was interrupted.
“It’s a little late to be riding, Lady Mary.”
It was Maxine.
“Why the sudden departure, Lady Mary? Are the feasts really that unbearable?”
It was worse than I thought. He brought George with him. George, my puppy dog enemy whom I had foolishly began to think of as a friend.
I grumbled through my teeth before spinning on my heels and facing the duo, flashing my most charming smile. “Of course not, Master George, Lord Maxine.”
“Does it have something to do with Lady Marian then?” Maxine asked.
I had to keep myself from gaping at him.
“Lord Maxine mentioned after seeing the lady you acted… strangely. Do
you not get along with her? Don’t feel like you have to flee her presence. Lots of ladies choose not to associate with Lady Marian,” George gallantly said.
“She’s cracked,” Maxine bluntly said before George sharply elbowed him. “I mean, she is difficult to get along with.”
I wondered if I could throw myself on Crafty and disappear into the night before they cried an alarm.
“The point is, Lady Mary, I hope you don’t feel like you have to leave because Lady Marian has come,” George calmly explained. “I had hoped you were enjoying your time as a guest of Nottingham Castle.”
“Stay a little longer Mary,” Maxine encouraged. “I can shield you from Maid Marian. We just have to start talking about Robin Hood whenever she’s in ear shot and that mother of hers will drag her off.”
“You are both mistaken,” I nervously laughed. “Lady Marian has nothing to do with my departure.”
“Then why are you leaving?” Maxine, ever un-gentlemanly, had the nerve to ask.
Silence fell on our group as I tried to come up with a reasonable explanation and realized that there wasn’t one because Marian really was the reason, although not in the capacity that Maxine and George thought.
“Thought so,” Maxine said in a tiny voice so George wouldn’t elbow him again.
“Please reconsider your sudden departure, Lady Mary,” George handsomely pleaded, walking up to me. He made a movement, as though to pet Crafty, before he remembered my horse’s temperament.
I considered my options. I could say yes and try to sneak out again in the days to come… but it wasn’t like I had a plan anyway. My brain was currently occupied with the sole thought of fleeing Nottingham. What would I do when I left the castle? I had my male clothes to change into, but I had no plan beyond that.
“At least stay for the masquerade party in two nights,” George reasoned. He was genuinely upset that I seemed to be so set on leaving.
I sighed and gave in. “Alright,” I smiled. I didn’t really have a choice. Besides, as long as I was careful I could surely avoid Marian, especially if Maxine was under the impression that I wanted to avoid her as much as possible. “I shall stay until your masquerade party, George.”