The sight of him made my scar itch. He looked well enough—a little thinner, but still tall, harsh, clothed entirely in black with spots of silver gleaming from his weapons, his fastenings, his sword belt. I had spent so long fighting this man, running from him, fearing him, and he were here, alone. He almost seemed unimpressive.
I couldn’t help peering round him to look for some sort of ambush. I caught sight of Much, and he shrugged and shook his head.
“I’m alone,” Gisbourne assured. “I called for Robin to speak to you, in fact.”
“Speak.”
“No pleasantries? Haven’t you missed me, wife? Everyone at court was quite devastated to have missed the wedding. I accepted their best wishes on your behalf, naturally.”
“Tell me what you did to my father, Gisbourne!”
“You needn’t worry about him,” Gisbourne said. “Lord Leaford is quite unharmed. I only meant that when I married you I assumed the land and title that were promised in our contract—something, you’ll be delighted to learn, that gave me the right to petition the prince for the position of sheriff.”
My heart went to lead in my chest. I hadn’t thought of that.
“Which he is coming to Nottinghamshire to give to me, within a few days. And when he arrives, you will be living under my roof like a proper, dutiful wife.”
“Like hell I will!” I roared.
He threw his head back and laughed. “I’ve missed this, sweeting. Witty banter. Well, I needn’t remind you of the cruelty I can inflict upon your people as sheriff. Clearly it’s even entered your mind what I could do to your parents, your home, and dependents as the rightful landholder. But I won’t force you with violence, my love. I will entice you.”
“I doubt that,” I snapped back.
Even through the dusk, his dark eyes glittered fierce. “We can play these games all I want, Marian, but we both know you don’t want to be married to me. You married me to save Robin’s life, and I will offer you a bargain—perhaps the Devil’s bargain, as it were.”
He took a breath, still smiling at me.
“I’ll annul our marriage as soon as the prince leaves if you live with me while he is here.”
Hope rushed fast like a flood into my chest. An annulment? I could live with Robin without the cloud of sin over us. I could marry Robin.
“You’d kill me,” I said. “There’s no trusting you. The second I was close enough you’d gut me like a deer.”
He shrugged. “My temper can get the better of me, of course, but I don’t intend to kill you. Besides, I recall you telling me you were rather difficult to kill, yes?”
“Why would you even want this, Gisbourne?” I asked. “It’s a fool offer.”
“You have my word that I won’t kill you, and that once the prince leaves you will have your annulment. Should you accept, you will dress, speak, act, and be fully disarmed the way a lady befitting your station should. These are my terms, and if you would accept them, you need only come to the castle and join me in my chambers.”
“Tell me why.”
“Why isn’t important,” he told me, smiling a little. “The only thing you need to consider is what you’re willing to do to marry your dear hero. Because trust me, love, you’ll never get an annulment from me otherwise. And if this doesn’t go the way I want and you are not under my roof, when I become sheriff I will have no guarantee for what blood my displeasure will purchase. I’m being—what’s the word—kind.” He smirked at me in the darkness. “You’re looking quite fetching these days. I can see your scar from here. Lovely.”
I turned from him, hiding behind the ridge of the roof. He laughed, and it were ghoulish and echoed round me in the dark.
“Feeling shy, love?” Gisbourne taunted.
“She gave you her answer,” Rob said. “You can go. Unless you would like for us to entice you.”
“Think about it, Marian,” he called. “All the red ribbons you could want. Though I imagine your hair is a little too short for them since our last encounter.”
Frowning, I pushed my hair off my face. It were wild, never staying tied back since Gisbourne had thought he could use it to hold me and I’d cut it off to be free of him.
I reckoned he left then. I didn’t hear nothing more, but I didn’t move from the roof none.
John called up to me but it were Robin that climbed the roof, taking my hand. “You’re not going anywhere near him, Scar. We’ll find another way.”
I nodded and sniffed, and he tugged my hand and we climbed down, side by side. He held fast to my hand the long way back to the monastery, and I loved it. I wanted him near me more than anything.
He showed me the vial the monk had given him as we took out the bedrolls and set them near the fire. “He said I’ll sleep sound,” he told me. “You don’t have to be afraid of me, Scar.”