Lady Thief: A Scarlet Novel Part 24

"Master at arms?" I questioned.

"That's how we know each other," Rob told me. "We were pages together for a time."

Glimpsing the regal tilt of Eleanor's head, I slipped out from Rob's arm. "Well, you two should talk." I smiled at Rob. "I'll find you."

He smiled back at me, fingers dragging along my hand as I let him go. Winchester kissed my hand, and I went to find Eleanor.

She weren't where I had seen her. Instead Isabel were there, frowning at me. "Lady Leaford," she said.

"Your Highness," I said, nodding my head to her.

"Eleanor has called for you. She went to say good night to my husband but asked you to escort her back to her rooms."

I looked to the royal table, where Eleanor stood beside Prince John.

"That was a disgusting display this afternoon," she told me, folding her arms. "You may as well have spat in Guy's face."

My eyes drifted shut and I shook my head. "Excuse me, your Highness."

I went to the side of the royal table and waited. Eleanor nodded to me and came closer, and I curtsied low to her. "Up, up, my dear," she told me. I stood, and she twined our arms together, clasping my hand. "Come," she said. "You shall walk me to my rooms and ask me your many questions."

Dumb, I stared at her.

"You do have questions, don't you?"

"Most that I'm frightened to ask," I said.

She laughed. "Fear. Something I have yet to see from you, Lady Leaford."

"That t.i.tle's not mine, is it?"

She drew in a breath, and it made her look older as we moved into the dark hallway, lit by torches and moon. "No. The lord and lady Leaford are not your natural parents."

"Who are?"

"A very beautiful blacksmith's daughter, and my son. King Richard the Lionhearted."

I stared at her, her proud chin, her white neck, her clear, steady blue gaze. The moon made her pale skin look like she belonged to the other world. "I'm your granddaughter."

Her fingers squeezed mine. "You are."

"But Prince Johna"he hates me."

Her eyebrow arched high. "Well. My children cleave very close or hate very powerfully. It's only because Richard teased him so as a child. It isn't your fault."

"How does he know who I am, and I don't?"

She sighed. "He was near when it happened. Terrible penchant for eavesdropping, that boy. He knew it all from the start."

"Why did he send Gisbourne to marry me?"

"Because my John controlled Isabel, and since he was very young, Gisbourne loved Isabel. He never had the status to marry her, of course, and when she married, Gisbourne followed her. And John took full advantage of such a connection. You see, Richard was never meant to inherit the throne. He had two older brothers, but death befell them both. When Richard was crowned, John wasn't happya"he and Richard hardly got along. John knew about youa"he wanted some way to control his brother, even a small one. So he ordered Gisbourne to marry you. John is many terrible things, but he is a master manipulator."

"That's no good thing," I told her.

Her head tilted. "It can be. A king must see not just the hills before him, but the length of the road at large. John can see many roads at once; he understands how long it can take to achieve a goal. When he has a good heart, he can be a masterful ruler. But without it, impatience and selfishness cause him to use his gifts poorly."

A cold weight circled my heart. "He can never be king."

Eleanor frowned. "He will be king, Marian. I wish I could keep Richard as king forever, and I will keep him there as long as I can, but he is like his brothersa"too good, proud, and brave for a long life. John is careful; he will outlive Richard, and he will take the throne. I just need to make sure that when he does, he becomes the extremely capable ruler he should be. And that he doesn't so alienate the common opinion in the meantime that they riot when he's crowned."

"You have such faith in him," I marveled.

"He is my son," she said, pushing her shoulders back. "He has my steel inside of him. And that steel must be tempered more carefully than any sword. Perhaps I spent too much time on his older siblings and not enough on him as a child, but his family will rule Europe. He will learn." She shook her head. "But it is not him I wish to speak of. Tell me why you ran from the Leafords. Were they unkind to you? I had many spies there, watching their treatment of you, but I confess I couldn't see you myself."

"No. They were loving and true. They raised me very well. And my sistera"my sister Joanna, she was everything I could have wanted for love." My voice went rough, and she squeezed my hand.

"You lost her."

I nodded. "We ran to London together. We botha"we did things, to live. Different things. I stole."

"She fell ill?" Eleanor guessed.

"Yes."

"Why did you not go to a n.o.ble family for shelter? To court?" she asked. "A n.o.blewomana"any womana"should never be refused such."

"They would have sent us back."

"So if it was not your family you feared, what was it?"

"Gisbourne," I whispered to her. "I werea"I was so young, so unready to be married. And he terrified me. There was a darkness I saw in him, and I fled. And she came with me. He caught me, and cut me," I told her, covering my scar. "But Joanna hit him and we got away. We never let anyone find us again. And I learned to be a thief," I admitted to her.

"A very good one, from what I hear."

I looked to her. "You knew?"

"I heard of you, after you had left London. I made the necessary inquiries, but no one was sure where you went. Until Gisbourne found you here, and the famous Will Scarlet was discovered to be Lady Marian Leaford."

"Why didn't my mother keep me?" I asked quiet.

"I wouldn't let her," she admitted. "I wanted you raised a n.o.ble, but I couldn't do it myself. Your mothera"Lady Leaford, rathera"was a friend."

My tongue ran over my lips, gone dry. "Where is she? My natural mother?"

"She died," Eleanor said low. "A few years ago. In childbirth."

My heart froze in my chest. "I have a-a brother? A sister?"

She shook her head. "No. The child died with her."

Beats ran through my heart again, but they were heavy and dark.

"Richard does have a son, though."

"What?"

She lifted a shoulder. "Illegitimate, like yourself. Philip. He lives quite comfortably in France; Richard married him to his ward, Amelia of Cognac. One day, perhaps, you and I can visit him."

There were so many half promises in her words that I couldn't much breathe. A brothera"Francea"the faint idea that I might have some kind of friendship with her. My head went light and I gripped her hand.

"Come, my dear," Eleanor said, waving to a guarded door. They opened the door for us and we entered. She showed me to a chair near the fire and sat beside me. "Lady Leaford and I would like some wine," she said to one of the ladies that appeared to wait on the queen. They hadn't followed us from the halla"had they waited in her room? "You look quite pale, Marian."

"I don't a I just a" I shook my head, feeling a fool.

"You have royal blood in you, but that has not changed. Your heart is no more n.o.ble than it was before. Truly there is nothing to change."

"I'm a" I couldn't say the word.

"Royal," she finished. "Or do you mean a princess? The lovely part of all of this is that now you know, I can finally introduce you to Richard when he returns. He'll be pleased. He always likes to hear of youa"of your welfare. He was quite distressed when you ran offa"he accused Lord Leaford of having hurt you."

"Why did he never make himself known to me?"

"For the same reason I didn't, my dear. It wasn't wise." She waved her hand. "I should like to go to Aquitaine early next year; you shall come with me."

I pressed my unhurt hand to my heart. Hours ago I would have never thought to leave Nottinghamshire, but if Gisbourne wouldn't grant me the annulment, I would have to run. There were worse fates than getting to know my grandmother.

Grandmother.

Her eyes flicked down. "My dear, I may have considerable faith in my son, but I also know his faults very well."

"I do as well," I answered overquick, holding up my half hand.

She frowned. "Yes. You do. You must know this was not the way he wanted this tournament to end."

"He wanted Gisbourne as sheriff."

"He wanted to control one of the largest and most prosperous counties in England. A key point between the north and south. He has lost that. He isn't pleased. And when he's displeased, he can be rather a childish."

"So why does that mean I must go to France?"

She bristled, opening her mouth as the lady returned with wine. She poured a cup for each of us, and Eleanor waved her out. "Aquitaine is not France," Eleanor said sharp. "Not a bit. Nor is it English. It is Aquitaine. Free from both countries and the richest of all of them. But without you by my side, I don't know if I can protect you from John's manipulations, his pettiness. He could hurt you, and I won't allow it."

"He's hurt me," I said. "But I believe a" I halted, sucking in a breath. "I believe I have more to fear from my husband."

"Ah," she said, understanding. She nodded slow. "Well," she said, "terrible husbands are a difficult problem indeed. But a n.o.ble woman must learn her own ways of managing the men that befall her."

"How?" I asked.

She lifted a shoulder. "It depends on the man, and the crimes he commits against you. But there are ways. If you embrace who you are, my dear, accept the fact that you are, in a fashion, a princess of Englanda"you might find a great many tools at your disposal to soothe his male ego."

"I won't soothe any bit of him," I snapped. "And I won't leave Nottingham for promise of pain. This is my home." Were that even true anymore?

"And Aquitaine is mine, yet I had to leave."

"Hurt is a common thing. Scars, blood, none of it matters in true to me. It's a pebble beside love, and protecting the people what need it. My place is here, making sure he can't never hurt the people that can't protect themselves." I didn't have to run, did I? Rob were here. The band were here. I could run from Gisbourne and still do what I were meanta"protect the people.

"Marian, you are royal. All of England is yours to protect, especially in your father's absence."

I drew myself up straighter. "Then I'll start with the well-placed, prosperous county between the north and south."

She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "Do you love him, my dear?"

I looked at her. Were I meant to deny it?

"Robin," she said, as if my heart didn't know just who she meant.

"Yes," I said. "Yes."

She nodded. "And he very clearly loves you."

A thrill burned through my heart. "He does."

"Love and marriage are not easy bedfellows, my dear. It's rare that a woman gets to enjoy both with the same man. But I truly hope the future holds that for you."

Her words slid under my skin and circled around my heart. I held them tight there, like good wishes could sh.o.r.e up my courage and hope.

She patted my hand. "As for Aquitaine, it is not something that needs to be decided tonight. Or ever. You need not choose between them; perhaps we can still have a few adventures between protecting the people, yes? I should very much like to get to know you, now that I have you back."

I gripped her hand in return. "I want to know you too, my queen."

"Eleanor," she said. "You may call me Eleanor."

"Eleanor," I murmured slow, tasting it as it ran over my lips. My grandmother. Eleanor.

She loosed her hand from mine gentle. "I'm quite tired, now. I must retire, but promise you'll meet me in the morning. My carriage will be ready first thing to take me to London with the royal progress."

"I will," I vowed.

She stood and collected me into her arms in a tight hug. I drew in a deep breath; she smelt of lavender and snow.

"Go," she said. "If you happen to dance with a certain sheriff, I'm sure my minstrels will sing songs of it to me later."

I laughed. "Your minstrels are trouble."

She shrugged, but smiled. "Good night, Marian."

Her lady saw me out, and I drifted down the hallway, hanging in the dark, delaying the moment when I would have to tell Rob that there would be no sunset, no marriage, no life.