Lady Regina's Revenge

Chapter 4

Robin's been dreaming about his angel from the museum for the last fortnight. Some days, he thinks he saw her when he goes about his activities. Whether it be during his driving at the park, accompanying Juliet and her mother to the theater, or even in front of his clubs. She'd like a shadow following him everywhere. But he'd only see her in the periphery of his visions. When he tried to take a closer look, his angel disappear into thin air.

During one of his visions (Robin's convinced that her appearances were part of his imagination for she could not be anything else) Robin almost caught her.

It was a early day. The sun was still hidden behind the horizon. The sky was lightened only by flashes of violet and blue. London was stirring but not enough people were out yet so it was safe for Robin to take his stallion, Lucky, out for a full gallop.

He didn't usually wake this early to ride. But roused from an inflamed state of arousal with dreams filled with his angel, Robin could not go back to bed. The dream was so vivid that he could almost taste her salty skin on his tongue. Her eyes glow with blue embers. Her soft hands were touching him in wicked places. Robin almost disgraced himself in his sleep! He could not continue to be in his room with this hardened state of his cock. He decided to cool his heated dreams with the morning airs.

Robin was slowing Lucky down from their run when he saw her. Or think he saw her. She was talking to a street urchin and his companion, who was carrying a basket of flowers. She wore a burgundy cloake with the hood covering her head. Her stance give him the profile view of her angelic face. She bent down, surveying the variety of flowers. The younger boy said something Robin couldn't hear but his angel throw back her head and laugh. Her laughter traveled to Robin's ears. It was faint but it was music altogether.

He jumped down from Lucky and hurried the stallion to his waiting groom. He looked up in time to see her handling the boys some coins. They beamed up at her in adorations. The boy put the basket on the ground and take out a bundle of flowers. He bowed awkwardly before handing the flowers to her. She laughs while curtsying and accepted the flowers. She turned around. It was less than a second but Robin could swore she saw him! But she continued down the road without any indication of noticing him.

Robin threw his groom the ropes and dashed after her. He know it was a wild chase but he didn't care. All he could think about was seeing her again. He reached where she was standing earlier when she turned the corner. Robin hastened his paces.

She was facing away from him when Robin found her. He slowed his steps. It wouldn't look good if she saw him running after her, though it was the truth. Still, Robin didn't want to scared her.

"Excuse me," Robin uttered, his voice hoarse from running.

The lady in the burgundy cloake turned around and his heart sank. It was not she. Though this lady was fine looking, she did not have the straight nose of his angel's. Nor her crystal blue eyes, nor her creamy skins, nor her red cherry lips. Robin stared at her rudely until her face flushed and she looked down.

Noticing his vulgar actions, Robin apologized. She gave him a wary smile before turning back to her task of wiping the table, preparing her small fruits stand for the day.

If Robin looked carefully, he'd see the bundle of clothing tossed behind the fruits baskets that looked most like a person hunched over. If he was more observant, he'd noticed that this woman wiping the fruits stand doesn't have any flowers on her person. But Robin was too distracted to take note of such things. He was condemning himself for conjuring up his angel even how delightful such visions might be. Robin walked back to Lucky.

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"Are you ready yet?" George Locksley, Robin's brother, barged through Robin's dressing room door.

Since their parents death more than ten years ago, Robin moved to his father chamber. It was not something he wanted to do. The room was too big for his taste. Its chestnut walls emptied except for the floor-to-ceiling ocean view painting beside the four poster bed in the middle of the room. It was as out of place as it could be.

He's been thinking about redecorating the room but being the duke, it was a busy life. Everything must go through him before any decisions were to be made. It was not that he didn't trust his solicitors, but he was trained this way. This was how his father handled the Sherwood estates and properties. It was how he wanted things to be operated. Robin agreed with him even if it does increase his duties.

A lone couch, the length of the bed, was propped up at the foot of the bed. Robin was settled upon this couch comfortably with a book in his hands. He stopped being surprised when George barged in his room without knocking. He was used to it.

The bed itself was meant to be shared. It was too cold even during summer. This was one of the reason Robin prefered to sleep at his clubs.

On the other side of the bed was his nightstand. This was the only thing belonging to Robin. Some papers were scattered on the top of the table with miniatures of his parents rested against the wall. In one of the locked cabinets were ledgers and important documents that would be dangerous if fallen into the wrong hand.

These were information he retrieved during his time in Scotland. Though he's not a spy, the Crown called on his favor when he was needed. Or when it was convenient for them. Such as his current trip to Scotland. They called on him to retrieved those papers because he was already there on a personal errand. He just didn't anticipated that this task would take him two years to complete. But completed, he did.

Besides his duchy responsibilities and working for the Crown, inheriting the dukedom also came with cleaning up after his scoundrel of a brother, George. The guy is an immature and irresponsible lad to say the least. He was spoiled by both their parents since he was young. And because Robin was busy trying to keep everything running, George was left to his own devices. That seem to worsen his character throughout the year. Because now he's older, the troubles George got into were more serious. If not for Robin's interfering, George would be executed in Scotland as a spy. He didn't even know how George landed in such situation in the first place. The guy was too inebriated to remember what really happened.

"Ready for what," Robin replied without looking up from his book.

"The ball. Hosted by Lady Royleen and the Duke of Beaufort. Your friends." George said slowly as if Robin would bolted if he was not being cautious.

Robin stared at George for an incredible long moment before letting out an indiscernible groan. He totally forgotten about Roarke's and Charlene's Winter ball. He was suppose to accompanies Juliet and her mother, Robin looked at his watch, in less than an hour!

Robin got up from his spot and put his book down after marking the page. He didn't want to go anywhere after the embarrassing incident this morning. But since he already gave everyone his word, he'd have to attend the ball.

"Can you escorted Juliet and her mother to the ball, I'll followed when I'm ready."

"Sure thing brother. I'll do that," George replied lightly.

George's tone stopped Robin in his tracks. He turned back and stared at George in his dukey stare. Of course it doesn't work on George. Nothing worked on George.

"For real!" George prompted. Sensing that Robin still didn't believe him, George continued, "I'm going to the ball too. And it won't kills me to take Juliet there. I haven't seen her in so long. It'll give us a chance to catch up. In life."

"Did you just agreed to something I suggested?" Robin asked in bewilderment. "You! Who've never liked going to balls. You, who've avoided marriage-minded ladies. And you, who have done the opposite of everything I said since we became brothers?"

"We have the same mother. We didn't became brothers, we were borned as brothers."

"Yes. But did you just agreed to escort Juliet to the ball? Where is my brother? What have you done to him?"

"Or would you rather I not do so?" George countered.

"No, by all means. I mean, yes! Take them." After a silent moment, Robin added, "Thanks. I appreciated it."

George nodded and left.