The Secret of Moonacre - SECRECY

Chapter 40

"Oh no. No, no, no. This isn't right" I thought I was genuinely going to faint. What on on heavens earth was he doing here? I slammed the door shut and heard a grunt from inside. "You better have a bloody good reason for this, you - you - you coward!" I was slightly shocked by my mild swearing but I had a good reason for it. "I should have known this was coming! It was too good to be true, wasn't it?"

John stared at me right in the eyes whilst I was fighting back my tears. I was better than that, I was sixteen years old, I could handle it like an adult.

"It took you long enough, didn't it?" John cackled. "Poor Maria, desperate for a friend to hold onto whilst she mopes about after losing her prescious little bandit. Ha, you're so naive"

My jaw dropped. That wasn't the John I knew. "I wasn't desperate. In fact, I can go without friends, I can go without anybody" I retaliated.

"No you couldn't. We all know that" John scowled at me.

"Why is he in the cupboard?" I quietly asked.

"Come on John, hurry up" the deep voice said from behind me. I felt arms wrap around my neck and waist and I immediately started to wriggle and squirm to get free.

"Get you're filthy hands off of me!" I screamed at the distant man.

"Now now, don't make this harder for Sir Duncan the second time around" That name almost made me choke.

Why was he back? Why couldn't he leave this valley in peace?

I stopped wriggling and squirming and stood still when I saw what John was doing. He slowly pulled a pistol out of his pocket and pointed it at my head.

"John... John - what are you - you doing?" I stammered, my voice cracking.

He took a step closer to me and I shut my eyes. This was the end.

"Come on John, we haven't got all day!" Duncan ushered. Oh do be quiet, I don't want to hear your words as my last.

I opened my eyes again and John's eyes were glassy.

"John! For heavens sake! Get on with it or I'll do it myself!" Duncan roared.

"John just do it" I squeaked. His hand started to shake and he lowered the pistol.

"I can't do it. I can't do it. I love her"

What? He must be having a laugh! He couldn't possibly love me after what he put me through.

"You coward! Let me do it! I should have done it in the first place" Pain shot through my back and I fell to the floor as Duncan took John's place, snatching the pistol out of his hands. "Sweet dreams, Princess" he sneered, pulling back the trigger.

I shut my eyes and prepared for the end, but nothing came. I heard a gunshot coming from elsewhere and I opened my eyes to reveal Robin stood with a pistol pointed at Duncan.

"I warned you a long time ago, to keep your hands off of her" Robin snarled.

Duncan fell to the floor, with his hands clutching his side. He groaned out in pain.

"And you!" He pointed the pistol at John "I thought we had a deal"

"A deal? Somebody care to - ow" I tried to stand up but my wrist and back ached " - explain to me what's going on?"

"Go on John" Robin said.

John knelt down next to me and helped me up onto my feet then took a step back. "Robin wanted me to give you a good life. He felt as if he wasn't good enough for you and thought that maybe I could help. I wasn't up to it at first, I severely disliked you, but then I fell in love with you Maria" John admitted and Robin rolled his eyes. "Then Duncan brought me into this ridiculous deal. I make you fall in love with me and he could have the valley and we would run off together, and you wouldn't have to die. But he changed and well this happened and I'm so sorry" he leant into me but I stepped away.

"What were you thinking Robin?" I asked, as he stood behind John.

"I don't know. I'm sorry. I can make it up to you Maria, I promise. I'll do whatever it takes to get back to how we were" He begged.

I glanced at John who was leaving. "I can't stay here anymore" he said.

"Not so fast, chap" Robin dragged him back by his collar. "Do you still love her?"

"Yes, I always will"

"Then you deserve a chance with her" Robin shoved him towards me with hurt in his eyes.

"No. I don't love him. You can't force that upon me" I argued and I ran to Robin who opened his arms for me. It felt much better to be back in his arms.

"Looks like we have our place here" John said. "I'll take care of that fool" he pointed to Duncan on the floor.

Robin nodded to him "This isn't over just yet. Explain what you did to her"

I looked up to Robin with a confused expression. "What do you mean?"

John sighed and rubbed his temples "I set everything up. I made you fall off Periwinkle earlier, I spooked the deer and I took the jewels to place the blame on Robin. I purposefully bumped into you that day and everything was fake. I'm sorry"

My jaw gaped slightly. "Robin, let's go. I am awfully uncomfortable to be in the presense of a liar"

Robin placed his arm around my shoulder and led me out of that wretched house. On the way, he paused for a moment and threw a punch to John in his stomach. For once, I'm glad Robin did that. We walked out into the village and I didn't say a word. Everything was such a shock. Why couldn't I just have one friend that I could count on?

But I did.

Robin.

"Robin thank you" I said quietly when we were eventually walking up the path to the castle.

"What for?" He asked, brushing his finger against my shoulder.

"For always being there when I needed you"

"I made that promise a long time ago and I wasn't going to break it now" he replied.

I nodded and we walked into the castle and to my great surprise, Uncle, Loveday and the Coeur De Noir were stood around the table with plans laid out infront of them.

"Robin?!" Uncle roared. "What are you doing out of your cell?!" He charged forward but I stepped out.

"Uncle listen to me. If Robin hadn't of gotten out of his cell, I wouldn't be alive right now. You must believe me" I strongly said.

He nodded and took a step back. "What is going on?"

"Duncan's back" Robin announced.

"He's what?!" Uncle boomed.

"He tried to kill Maria again. He's being taken care of now though" Robin answered.

"Why don't you children tell me anything?" Uncle sighed. "It looks like I have some work to do. Excuse me" Uncle pushed passed us and heroes out of the door.

"Maybe we shouldn't have left John and Duncan? What if he was still lying Robin?" I wondered.

"Possibly. But Sir Benjamin has it sorted. No need to worry Maria" Robin reassured.

"But he doesn't! He could kill Uncle!" I exclaimed, following Uncle's steps out of the door.

"Maria!" Robin shouted.

I slowed down and turned around. Robin was following with his old bandits. Alex, George, Lexi and Paul.

"You're not going alone" Robin said. "If I can't stop you - which I can't seem to do anymore - I'll come with you, and bring back up this time"

A/N ~ Chapter dedicated to princess_breyette01 for being my 300th voter! Thank you! <3 I'll properly dedicate once I'm on my laptop. And to my other two, yours is coming soon!

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Sorry about my slow updates I'm really into writing my new book "Riding in the Shadows" in which the first chapter is up on my page already so give it a read or vote :) Thank you everyone for still reading and there's an exciting part coming up soon!

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