The Forgotten Keepsake

Chapter 20

XX

For those who, for whatever reason, have no wish to show their face in Nottingham, Clun has always been a good option nearby. And so it was now for Marian.

Moments after she had discovered her father had died, Guy had given her the tip that the Castle was no longer safe for her. This information was packaged in the most incredibly awkward and badly timed declaration of his feelings for her.

But she could at least be thankful that he had let her know that she was in danger and just in time for Robin to whisk her off upon his horse and out of the Castle gates (In full view of half of Nottingham and all the guards no less (!) – who were now so ridiculously bad at their jobs that it seemed to Marian that Robin could probably set up his entire camp in the courtyard and nobody would notice).

And so she found herself in the Forest... again...

...and grateful to be out of harm's way... again...

...and despite feeling comforted by Robin and the gang's presence, she quickly began to feel somewhat suffocated by their attentions... again.

Grieving is difficult. A heavy burden to bear. Marian was happy to be with Robin and her friends, knowing that they wanted to share that burden, but only to a certain degree. They practically lived on top of each other, this had been a problem for her last time around but now with her father gone she found that it was getting too much for her and she was constantly looking for opportunities to get out of the camp.

It was with this background that she suggested to Robin a trip to Clun to fetch supplies.

Alone.

He didn't like it of course but Marian was nothing if not stubborn and so after a long discussion followed by the usual round of arguing, Marian finally made her way to Clun.

Little did she know that she was not the only one seeking refuge from the attentions of others in Clun.

Allan a Dale just happened to be there too; taking a much needed break from the attentions of his current employers; Guy of Gisborne and Sheriff Vaisey - which was probably a good idea considering that the other day the Sheriff had him fighting against Robin whilst balanced precariously over a vat of boiling hot oil with nothing but an oversized chicken drumstick to protect himself.

Marian was about to approach him to ask him what he was doing there but then thought better of it, Gisborne might be there or perhaps even the Sheriff, no, it would be better to hang back and watch whatever he was getting up to, maybe then she would have more to give Robin on her return than a few supplies. Alas, Allan didn't do much of interest, well, nothing she could tell Robin about anyway, all he did was stand and chat with a girl...

Although...

...What if she is working for Gisborne as well?

Marian resolved on the spot to wait until Allan had finished talking with her and then befriend her, perhaps she would have something of interest to say.

*****

"Mina, I don't wish to seem overbearing but you should be careful whom you speak to here in Clun" Marian was never one to waste any time when getting to the point and if being overbearing is what got her there then she had no problem with it, no matter what she said about it.

"Allan was only being friendly Lady Marian" Mina replied politely, an amused smile upon her lips; she knew exactly why Allan was being friendly.

"I'm sure he was but you still have to be careful, he works for the Sheriff and Gisborne you know"

Mina's head shot up at this. No, she didn't know that. She knew that Allan and Guy knew each other but the fact that they worked together was certainly news to her.

"He works for Gisborne?" She was staring intently at her new friend now and this made Marian curious.

"Yes, do you know him?"

"A little... Yes... No... that is to say... not so much these days"

She had not seen him at all since that sad evening they kissed and said goodbye in the fields near Castlebrook but then again she didn't expect to. She missed him terribly but knew that it was better this way; he loved another and even if he did have certain feelings for her, it was not as if he would marry her – no he would go on to better things and she would carry on as she always had with her memories of him to console her.

Marian was intrigued at her answer. A spy would never admit to knowing Gisborne. She wanted to ask her more but they were interrupted;

"There you are! I've been looking for you Mina love!"

Mina smiled warmly at Mary but was secretly not too happy to have been found by her for she too had been taking a break from another's attentions in Clun namely Mary's.

Mary, God bless her soul, had noticed that her friend was feeling somewhat low of late and knew that this could only be attributed to a certain man's absence. She had thus decided to do all she could to make her friend feel better not realising that often all Mina wanted was to be alone. The older woman was only trying to do her a kindness; Mina knew this very well but sometimes found herself struggling with the well-meaning attempts to cheer her up.

"I just saw that lad - you know which one I mean don't you Mina?" Mina certainly did and nodded an affirmative, "sniffin' round you again was he?" Mary smiled broadly, it seemed that her friend was not to be left in peace no matter how she might be feeling about men of late,

"Yes, Allan was being friendly." She rolled her eyes as she said this, making Mary chuckle.

Mina didn't want to talk any more about Allan, or indeed any man, and so took the opportunity to introduce Mary to her new friend. Mary was happy to see that Mina had made a new acquaintance and decided to invite Marian to lunch and so it was that half an hour later the ladies were chatting animatedly over lunch and mugs of ale in Castlebrook.

"Are you married Mina?" Marian had seen no husband around but for all she knew he could be at work

"No, she isn't Lady Marian, but if it keeps on like this, I think our lovely Mina here will be married before the year is out!" This was not the first time Mary had said something like this, Mina had heard this one a few times before. She sighed and shook her head; she sometimes wished she could scowl as well as Guy did,

"Mary, I've told you, not a chance."

Marian chuckled at the banter between her new friends but watched Mina closely all the while,

"You wouldn't be sayin' that if Sir Guy were here!"

Marian froze and nearly choked on a bite of her food upon hearing this.

"It wouldn't make a blind bit of difference what I said if Guy were here Mary, for he has no more thought of marrying me than he has the Sheriff!" Marian could hear a note of dejection in Mina's voice hidden underneath layers of impatience,

"Aye, maybe you're right there Mina love but it didn't stop him taking you out to the fields and..."

"Mary! We didn't do anything!"

"Well I hope you're tellin' the truth dear, for I wouldn't want for you to have to go takin' a babe to the woods..."

Marian's eyes were bugging now.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

She didn't know what shocked her more, that the girl sat opposite her was Gisborne's lover or that it seemed to be the custom in this village to take unwanted children into the woods.

...Just a short trip to Clun Robin... no I just want to make myself useful... no really it's nothing special just going to fetch supplies... no it will be totally boring... no what could possibly be interesting in Clun?

Oh Marian, what have you got yourself into here?