Everything I Do: a Robin Hood romance (Rosa Fitzwalter Book 1) (6 page)

Her surprise was great at finding him seated on a wooden bench among the damask roses, his golden head bent above his knees, appearing to be deeply in thought and engaged in an inner struggle. This was strange. It was not the expected posture of a man certain of his success, as her father’s words the previous night had given her to understand.

As soon as he saw her he got to his feet, a bit awkwardly, and bowed deeply, quite deeply indeed given his exceptional height and stature. He didn’t say a word, but his blue eyes kept watching her closely, with a depth of intensity in them that mystified her. She sat next to his vacant seat, and he immediately turned to face her, instead of sitting himself.

Rosa had been expecting him to play the devoted lover, but she was further surprised to discover that no smile lightened his charming face and no rose adorned his black tunic. His long, slender fingers seemed to be trembling and there was a deep furrow on his noble brow. His hair was blond and gleamed in the sunlight, but the rest of his appearance gave off a brooding darkness, for he was dressed all in black, a strange choice of garments for one as young as he -he’d not yet celebrated his thirty-fifth year.

“Sir Hugh.” Rosa addressed him, as he didn’t seem to be inclined to break the silence.

That seemed to cure him momentarily of his inability to speak and he said, in a deep, coarse voice, much unlike his usual confident and commanding accents:

“I trust I find you well this morning, fair lady?”

“Indeed you do. And was your journey pleasant?”

“Not extremely unpleasant, thank you.” After that he again seemed at a loss for words and fell to regarding her passionately. It was up to Rosa to speak once more. Truly, she was starting to get impatient with the man. The matter should have been done with and over by now.

“From what my father tells me, I understand-” at that she was interrupted.

“My- my lady Rosa”, he began, searching for the proper words, at war with something within him. “I am- I think I have some idea of what you must think of my proposition. What you do not know is this: I have no intention whatsoever of… of having you comply to my wishes if you are not of your own free will completely content to do so.”

He stopped, gazing away in the distance, something akin to desperation in his look. Now it was she who was speechless.

Every now and then, in a few yards ahead of them, ladies from his retinue appeared to be strolling in the clear path between the rhododendrons, paying little heed to them, on the excuse that they needed to stretch their limbs after the long journey.

Of course, every one who was residing in the castle, from the servants to his own party, knew what Sir Hugh’s visit was all about. Now it was a couple of courtesans, laughing lightly and pointing out rare species of flowers on the way, and trailing behind them a middle-aged lady, covered in silks and lace, her maid-servant trudging along, mainly in order to listen to her complaints about the weather and the poor hospitality of the Sheriff’s abode.

And then, even as she was lost among the many questions her suitor’s unconventional speech has raised in her mind, Rosa couldn’t help but notice something -or rather some
one
that stood out.

There, in front of her, a young gentlewoman had halted in her stroll and was staring directly at Rosa. What was so strange was not so much her indiscreet gaze -which she made no effort to conceal behind one of the thick rose bushes that surrounded her- as her openly hostile expression. Indeed, she looked almost murderous, rage and contempt mingling in her white face and Rosa absently wondered what the girl was looking at with such venom in her glance: she seemed to be looking straight at her, or perhaps at something past her. Annoyed a little, Rosa turned sideways, to face Sir Hugh’s mesmerizing eyes.

“I did not expect that, Sir Hugh,” she said at last.

If she was less surprised, she might have taken more note of the ominous look the woman was sending her, might have realized that it was pure, green, feminine envy against her rival. But she still was not considering herself a candidate for Sir Hugh’s hand, and so she entirely failed to see the point of the woman’s enmity.

If she had; if she had taken steps to prevent disaster from striking, she might have changed the course of more lives than one -her own included.

As it was, however, she looked up to Sir Hugh’s frowning eyes questioningly.

“I had a terror that you might have been thinking of me as an ogre…” Sir Hugh  smiled wistfully.

“No, indeed not an ogre!” Her tender heart went out to him in pity, and she suddenly felt the need to comfort him. “It is only… what you said; it is hardly conventional to be asked…”

“… your opinion? Is that what you meant?”

“I am afraid so, sir.”

He was silent, appearing to be looking away again.

“I cannot imagine,” she said, “anyone aspiring to a lady’s hand giving her such a choice… Why- ?”

“My dear lady, don’t you know? Is it possible that I may have walked the grounds of your home for all these years without it being obvious to you?” he was smiling again, that stingy show of light in his face, but Rosa was more perplexed than ever.

“What being obvious, my lord?”

Suddenly his face became serious. He dropped to one knee before her, and his somber eyes met hers, pleadingly, caressingly.

“That I am in love with you,” he said. “In desperate, passionate love… I adore you.”

…

A grand feast had been prepared for the honored guests of the Sheriff.

There was a most impressive spread of delicacies, exquisitely prepared for the most demanding of appetites. Of course, the highlight of the banquet would be one of the Sheriff’s own famous deer which had that very day been hunted among the mighty oaks of the Sherwood Forest. The Sheriff was very proud of his game and became even more gratified by the amazed exclamations of his guests as they tasted the tempting dishes of salted meat.

Rosa had no appetite either way, and the sight of the large silver platters bearing the meat that she had tasted once beside a roaring fire in the company of the best of men, did little to rouse her from her depressing thoughts. That glorious time seemed now to have belonged in a distant dream, forever out of her reach.

Sir Hugh was sitting at her right, and appeared to have no inclination to repeat his surprising declarations, at least for the present. He was silent, and, Rosa noticed, he hardly ate either. Her father, seated at the middle of the arrangement of the long wooden tables, seemed blissfully unaware of any of this, and kept filling his belly with large mouthfuls of meat. Merry voices surrounded the Dining Hall all around her, a few of them distinctly complimenting their host on the excellent feast.

Rosa also heard someone congratulate her father on the mighty control of the outlaws the used to roam the forest and steal his game.

She smiled to herself. So that was the story he was spreading about! She smoothed the skirt of the emerald gown she had donned for the occasion -Helena had  insisted that it brought out the color of her eyes, which seemed to be an important asset, especially tonight- to hide her expression.

For a mad, wild moment she wished Robin Hood would suddenly appear before the eating company, if only to defy her father’s boasts. How incredibly more handsome and noble he would look in his peasant’s dress than any of the silk-and satin-attired gentlefolk! And then, he would sweep her into his powerful arms and carry her away from this world which seemed so foreign to her, even though she had been -almost- born into it and which now threatened to swallow her forever. Again, like a sharp pain, a sudden thought awoke her from her daydreams. For if Robin were indeed to appear in this very room, and see her, he would turn his face away from her in disgust and disappointment.

“Why so downcast, fair lady?” Sir Hugh’s solicitous voice made her conceal her frown quickly. “Ah, I see you immediately put up your mask,” he went on. Rosa was surprised at his perceptiveness. He must have been watching her closely for the past moments.

“Forgive me, I only…”

“I truly did not mean to pry, my lady. Only to voice my concern. You have hardly touched any food. If it is my presence that disconcerts you, I will remove myself at once.” He made as if to stand up.

“Indeed no, good sir. Although, I must admit that I still have not managed to sort out everything I heard from you but a few hours ago.”

“Please ask me anything you wish. I hope you have at least understood that it is my fondest wish to be of some help to you, no matter how inconsequential.” He smiled and for the first time, she saw that he could be charming. She would never consider him handsome, for she hadn’t ever seen him wear anything but a frown on his face, and his clothes were always so somber -he was dressed in black from head to toe once more- and most importantly he was no brave outlaw with stars in his eyes. But right now, an almost soft expression was on his face and his eyes held a look of honesty and the promise of goodness, something she had never before deemed him capable of. She opened her mouth to thank him, but was interrupted.

A young lady, having abandoned her place in a table at the opposite end of the banquet hall, was apparently trying to wedge herself between Rosa and Sir Hugh. She leaned against him, in a way calculated to provide him with a lavish view of her charms, and proceeded to speak in a throaty voice.

“Good Sir Hugh, I came over here to tempt you with a little wine, as I noticed with concern your lack of appetite. Although,” she added with a sly grin, “if what is at fault here is your company, we could remedy that as well, could we not?”

Rosa couldn’t believe the girl’s brazen behavior, especially when she moved as if to sit on Sir Hugh’s lap. It was too early for her to have become inebriated, wasn’t it? But then again, Rosa had slightly lost track of the time, thinking of the forest.

The girl swayed, landing awkwardly on Sir Hugh’s thigh and further proved Rosa’s assumption to be true, by an unladylike laugh. To Rosa’s surprise, Sir Hugh said nothing, neither to reprimand the girl nor to discourage her, but stood up decisively. He took the girl by the arm, rather roughly, and all but dragged her aside, where he thrust her to the support of an unsuspecting servant.

He came back with a quite disgusted look on his face and began earnestly apologizing to Rosa, but her mind was occupied with a question. She kept watching the girl’s progress through the room, and suddenly realized where she had seen her before. For the hostile face she had noticed watching her in the garden belonged to that same girl.

“Who is she?” she asked Sir Hugh.

“Her name is Eloise Cecil,” he answered reluctantly.

“Not the daughter of Lord Cecil, the Earl?”

“The same.” Sir Hugh glanced at her sideways, and gave one of his sad smiles. “I am afraid my conquest of her interest is not something which raises me in your esteem.”

“The conquest of her interest? I should think it is much more than that.”

“Why do you speak thus?” he frowned.

“Why, she positively hates me. If that is not an indication of her feelings, then what is?”

“You should not worry. You see, I don’t think we can talk of feelings where this particular lady is concerned. Ambition, yes. But no more.”

Rosa couldn’t help but smile ruefully at this, for it so accurately described Sir Hugh himself, in her opinion. He saw her expression immediately and leaned close to her ear, asking her eagerly: “What did that smile mean?”

“You have suddenly begun to notice a lot,” she couldn’t help but say.

“There is nothing sudden about it. I have paid particular attention to your every move, since the first day I saw you. It was here, in this very room, and you were but eleven years old…” he seemed lost in his thoughts for a minute.

“But… but that’s almost eight years!” she cried, amazed.

“So it is.” He smiled again. Then, as abruptly as it had come, the smile left his face and a look of deep concern took its place. “But you haven’t answered my question. What was that smile for?” Then he seemed to realize something, and said suddenly, “That’s what you think of me, isn’t it? You think I am devoid of feeling.” He said it calmly, like an observation, but his eyes belied his sadness at this discovery.

Rosa tried to think of something to say, but he lifted a hand to stop her, as if he knew.

“You needn’t contradict it. I am grateful for this small glimpse into your thoughts. All I can hope now is that I might endeavor to prove you wrong. Only tell me this, I beg you. Might I still try? It rests entirely in your delicate hands.” He took her hand in his and gently kissed her palm, his eyes never leaving her face, intense, beseeching.

She didn’t however have the opportunity to answer him, for it was just then that the increasingly merry and loud feast all around them was interrupted into deadly silence.

For at that precise moment, a feathered arrow flew in by way of the window and planted itself right in the fleshy part of the remaining uneaten deer’s meat, which also happened to be placed directly in front of the Sheriff.