Page 13 of Rogue of the Greenwood
“You truly did not know about this?” she asked.
“It seems there are a great many things here in Nottinghamshire that I don’t know about,” he said, recovering himself. “You, for instance, Miss Maidland. How long have you been back?”
“Not quite a month,” she replied. “My father passed away and… well, London did not feel like home anymore.”
“I’m very sorry for your loss. I always rather liked your father, what I knew of him.”
“Thank you. He loved Nottingham; he would be glad to know that I came back here.”
“And have you found it much changed?”
“Oh yes. But then… I was hardly more than a child last time I was here. Perhaps my memories are skewed.”
“What differences do you see?” he asked, glad for the insight.
“I cannot quite explain it, but Nottingham doesn’t seem… well, it isn’t as happy as I recall.”
“The city is nothappy?”
“It’s a silly observation, I know. As I said, my memories are those of a child. Still… you asked what I have noticed, and that is my answer. The city is not happy; the people are not happy; and the forest…well, it doesn’t feel happy, either.”
He glanced around, wondering if he would see dying trees or fading foliage. The forest looked as he remembered it, yet something in Miss Maidland’s description felt true. Somethingwasdifferent here. There was a heaviness in the air that he just couldn’tquite comprehend.
“I don’t mean that you will see weeping oak trees or birds dropping from the sky,” she said quickly. “I simply mean theatmosphereis not as I recall. The people are fearful, and I never heard stories of highwaymen in Sherwood when I was young, but they are here now.”
“Yes, sadly I encountered some myself not very long ago.”
“Highwaymen?” For the first time he saw actual fright flicker in her eyes.
“Relax,” he assured her. “I have handled them.”
It was hardly fair to take credit for that, considering the pitiful sort of highwaymen they had been and the fact that Robert had not faced them alone, but the less Miss Maidland knew about his traveling companions, the better. Besides, Robert rather liked the wide-eyed appreciation he read on her face as she imagined him battling deadly rogues in the forest.
“Are you certain they have gone now?” she asked.
“They have. You are quite safe, Miss Maidland. I assure you.”
The horses were calm, and Robert finally felt secure leaving them. He moved to stand at the side of the curricle, directly below Miss Maidland. Sunlight filtered through the trees making her ivory gown alive with soft colors and shadow. The curling wisps of unruly hair danced in the breeze like a fiery halo around her. Her blue of her eyes was like sunlight glinting on the rippling waters of a brook.
“And you truly have only just returned from war?” she asked after a moment.
“It is true, Miss Maidland. Even my steward doesnot know I am back. I was hoping to… surprise him.”
She broke her gaze away from his. “You are in luck, then. He is… he is here with us.”
Robert whirled around but was pleased to find no sign of Mr. Gisborn. Miss Maidland gave a nervous laugh.
“I just left him along the road, that is. Back that way a bit, but I’m sure he’ll find us here soon enough. You can share the good news that you have come home.”
Gisborn was out here in the forest with her? Robert was surprised, but then recalled what his butler had said.
“Ah, you were driving with him, weren’t you?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied, offering no further details.
“Do you go driving with him often?”
“I have done so a few times, not that it is any of your concern.”
