Mark of the Black Arrow (38 page)

At last they came to a corridor he did recognize, and he realized she had taken him by a very circuitous route to Marian’s room. There had to be a reason for the caution. She knocked—four times in rapid succession—and a moment later he heard a bolt being pulled back.

He hurried into the room behind Chastity, and Marian herself threw the bolt again. She turned around to look at him. She wore nothing but her nightclothes, and he made a point of not seeming to notice.

He did notice, though. Marian was lovely when dressed, elegant and regal, with the bearing of royalty stamped on every inch of her. Seeing her in the thin cotton gown she wore to bed, her hair loose and free, his body responded. She had an air of wildness to her. He’d seen her fierce in fighting, but the energy in her now was of a much more wanton potential.

“Pull it together,” she said, and he realized he had been standing there without saying a word. “I…
we
need your help.” She grabbed his arm. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she turned and pointed toward the bed.

He followed her gaze.

Robin lay crumpled on the floor near it, his face white as death and blood everywhere. Will leapt forward, his clothes falling to the floor in a heap. He dropped to his knees beside the body, everything forgotten in the panic.

His cousin bled from a dozen wounds, and he lay in a twisted heap, contorted and broken. Blood-soaked bandages were pressed over his ribcage and a tourniquet was tied around his one thigh.

“What happened?”

“He tried to kill John.”

“And the Sheriff caught him?”

“He said the prince did.”

Will looked up at her, an oath on his lips.

“John? But how? He’s dangerous, but no match for Robin in a fight.”

“Damn it, Will! He didn’t give me details! Robin said he commanded shadows. That he wasn’t human.”

Through the window Will heard more angry shouting. Additional voices had joined the hue and cry.

“They’re searching for him outside,” he said. “He needs a doctor.”

“I can’t get out of the castle to fetch one,” Chastity said.

“Then we need more clean cloth, water—whatever you can find. Needle and thread, as well,” Will said. Chastity bobbed her head and headed out the door.

Seconds later she was back. “They are searching throughout the castle for him,” she said. “Every room.”

Marian nodded. “Get what we need, but make sure you don’t get caught.” She glanced around, then snatched up a dirty shift from her hamper. “As you go, trace the corridors nearby and look for any blood he may have left. Wipe it away if you can. If you get caught…”

“I’ll tell them it’s my time. They won’t question further.” The curly-headed girl stepped back into the hall.

“And don’t return until after they have searched this room,” Will called.

Chastity nodded her understanding and then left.

“What are we going to do?” Marian asked as she bolted the door again.

“I would love to believe that the prince and his men wouldn’t have the gall to search your room, but I know better.” He looked around, weighing his options. He nodded to himself. “We must prepare. Help me get him onto the bed.”

It was a testament to the faith that she had in him that she didn’t ask why, just ran to his side to help.

“We need to carry him to the far side. If you can get his legs, I think we can do this.”

Already the covers on Marian’s bed were tossed back. Clearly she had retired for the evening when Robin made his unexpected appearance at her door. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye, and saw a tail disappearing under the bed. Marian must have acquired a pet.

Robin, why didn’t you tell me what you were going to do?
Will thought, not realizing he could be this angry and this frightened, both at the same time. They picked him up and, after much staggering, got him around to the other side of the bed and then up onto it. Once he was in place, Will pulled the covers over him.

Then he peeled off his robe and used it to mop up the couple of obvious blood puddles. Finished, he shoved the garment under the covers next to Robin.

“That will never work,” Marian said, an edge of panic to her voice. “They will see him there, won’t they? They’ll be able to tell someone’s in the bed.”

Will paused. He knew what he had to do, but he needed her cooperation.

“Marian, what would you do to save Robin?” he asked.

“Anything.” Her voice was intense, her eyes unwavering.

“So would I,” he said. “Also… I’m sorry.” He stepped over to the door and unbolted it.

“What are you doing?” she asked, eyes widening. “They’ll be here any minute!”

“I know, and when they come, we’ll have to let them in anyway. This will just look more… natural.”

“Natural?” she asked as he walked back toward her. He could hear the guards in the hallway. They’d be there in seconds. Marian narrowed her eyes. “What are you sorry for?”

“This,” he said, as he came to stand right next to her. His clothes already lay in a heap between the door and the bed. His bloodied robe was safely hidden away. He stepped close enough to touch. Marian stared at him, eyes widening in shock as she realized how little he was wearing. She’d never seen a man in this state of undress before. He was bare-chested, and below he wore just his braies, the thin linen covering only to mid-thigh and cinched loosely around his waist.

Before she could react he pushed her onto the bed and dove on top of her, laying his body across hers. She drove her palm into his chin and his teeth crashed together, biting the edge of his tongue. His mouth filled with pain and blood. Her eyes flashed with fire and she swung at him again. He grabbed her arms, trying to pin her to the bed. She fought and bucked, nearly tossing him off.

“Stop it, Marian!” he hissed. “On Robin’s life, this is necessary!”

She froze, her body locked in place, muscles singing with tension.

“This is the only thing we have time for,” he said. “Trust me.”

Marian looked into his eyes and he looked back, willing her to see his good intentions.

She lay back onto the bed beneath him, her body still tense.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered again, softly. She was a good woman, and she didn’t deserve the shame that was about to rain down on her. She would do anything to save Robin, though.

So would he.

Seconds later her door flew open and they both reacted, her with a little scream. Will seethed inwardly. The dogs hadn’t even bothered to knock before charging in. He marked the faces of the four men who entered. If he lived through this, there would be retribution.

The Sheriff came last.

Even though Marian struggled beneath him, Will took his time sitting up, and when he did his skin felt hot, flushed. Marian cringed behind him, and her body blocked them from seeing the lump that Robin made.

“Men should knock on a lady’s door.” Will put a touch of anger and a touch of arrogance in his voice. “What is the meaning of this rude intrusion?”

“How did you get in here?” one of the guards demanded.

Will turned to him. “I knocked. You see, that gets you a much… warmer reception.” His voice lightly mocked. His reputation as a rogue would be the thing that saved them all.

One of the guards leered at Marian. Will leapt from the bed and crossed the room in three strides, trusting his spectacle to keep them from looking beyond her to the far side of the bed.

He shoved his chest against the offending guard.

“You will not look at the lady that way,” Will warned.

“Not so much a lady, is she?” the guard said.

In one swift move Will snatched the man’s own dagger off his belt and stabbed upward. The blade sank deep into the man’s forearm, scraping between the bones. Will jerked the blade out in a splash of blood, slinging it around the floor as he did so. He hoped it would cover any of Robin’s blood he might have missed. The guard crumpled to the ground, holding his arm and howling. Will dropped the knife on top of him.

He glared at the other three guards.

“You’ll get the same, if one word leaves this room.”

“Worried about her reputation?” the Sheriff asked.

“No, mine.” Will turned to the man in the black armor, pouring smarm into his words. “The ladies love me because I’m discreet. I make them believe when I tell them that there’s never been anyone else in my heart. When they find it not to be true, they know they can count on me not to reveal their indiscretions—for which they are immensely grateful.

“A rumor such as this, substantiated by the king’s guard, would ruin me at court.” He stepped close to the Sheriff. Being that close made Will’s skin crawl, but he forced himself to stand there and lock eyes with the man. He dropped his voice low. “It took me years to talk my way into her bed. I’ve never worked so hard at anything in my life.”

“Why the effort?”

“I would tell you to just look at her, but that didn’t work out so well for the last man who did.”

“I believe the outcome would be different, if you tried with me.”

“She would still be worth the try,” Will replied. “She is above me in station.”

“Except for a moment ago, when she was beneath you,” the Sheriff sneered.

Will forced a smile. “Granted, but if her protectors found me out, one of two things would happen. I would be executed, or I would be forced to marry, in which case I might as well be dead.”

“Marriage is akin to death?”

Will sighed. “I’m a very simple creature. I only want one meal in my life, but I want it from as many kitchens as will serve me.”

The Sheriff’s eyes flicked past him to Marian, then back to him.

“Let’s go,” he said to his men. Then he turned and strode outside. The three guards picked up their fallen comrade and carried him from the room. Once they had gone Will shut the door, bolted it, and then sank onto his knees, shaking like a leaf in the wind. He buried his head in his hands and thanked God his ruse had worked.

He could hear Marian behind him, moving around. She didn’t say anything, for which he was grateful. He didn’t want to face her. Not yet.

A soft knock on the door, four times in rapid succession, and he started to his feet. He opened the door a crack and found Chastity carrying a bowl of water. He let her in and then bolted the door again.

When he turned he saw that Marian was wearing robes over her nightdress. Her cheeks burned red. She walked around to the far side of the bed and uncovered Robin. Chastity quickly set the bowl on a table next to the bed.

“I came as soon as they were gone,” she said, her voice almost a whisper. “How did you keep them from searching the room?”

Marian looked at Will and then turned her eyes down.

“We gave them something else to look at.”

*  *  *

“You saved us all with your quick thinking,” Marian said quietly. She didn’t look up at him, starting to work on Robin. “Thank you. Truly.”

“I only did…”

“Will—” Marian cut him off.

“Yes?”

“Get the hell out of my room.”

Will nodded. He started to go, picking up the clothes which were still in a heap on the floor. At some point in all the stress, they seemed to have forgotten the fact that he was half-naked.

“I’ll just dress before leaving,” he said.

Marian nodded and turned, giving him whatever dignity she could at that point. Chastity, on the other hand, stared unabashedly, pink rising in her cheeks.

I had no idea she fancied Will
, Marian thought tiredly. She didn’t see how that could end well for either of them. Then again, she was one to talk. Will and Chastity stood a better chance at this moment in time than did she and Robin.

M
arian had been humiliated. Worse than that, it was the most intimate contact she’d ever had with a man. She wasn’t squeamish, but given the circumstances it left her unsettled, feeling like she needed to wash it all away.

Yet she was grateful for what Will Scarlet had done. If it weren’t for his ruse, the Sheriff and his men most certainly would have found and killed Robin. She could only imagine what the prince would have done to her and Will. And just like that, their revolution would have been over scarcely before it had even begun. It gave her a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, just thinking about it.

She and Chastity cleaned and bound Robin’s wounds to the best of their abilities. Something beyond her imagining had caused deep claw marks and a hideous wound on his ribs, leaving jagged teeth marks along the edges.

“He’s going to be lucky to live out the night,” Chastity said, when they had done all they could.

“Then we will just need to have faith,” Marian said, as she pushed a lock of hair out of Robin’s face. His skin felt hot to the touch. It worried her more than she cared to admit.

“We won’t be able to smuggle a healer in here tonight. Nor a priest, if things…”

“He won’t have need of a priest,” Marian said firmly. “As for the healer, we’ll get one when we can.”

Chastity tucked a corner of the blanket under Robin’s leg. “I don’t think we should move him.”

“I agree,” Marian said. “They’ve already been here. They’re not likely to come looking again. He should be safe enough.” She glanced up at Chastity, who swayed on her feet. “You should go get some sleep.”

“Not before you.”

Chastity came to stand by her.

“Get some rest, princess,” she said. “I insist.”

“Alright,” Marian agreed. There was nothing more she could do but pray, and she’d been doing that for hours. Chastity could keep watch until the morning. Then they’d see what was to be done.

She glanced around foggily.

“Go ahead and sleep in your bed,” Chastity said, a teasing tone in her voice. “I won’t tell anyone that there was a man in it.”

If only you’d seen me earlier
.

She couldn’t come up with a witty response, so instead she just nodded in resignation. She lay down, but didn’t pull the covers up. That way she would be ready to rise at a moment’s notice.

*  *  *

She felt hands shaking her, hard.

“Marian,
wake up
.”