Page 45 of Rogue of the Greenwood
“No one could make that shot,” he declared.
“Well I did, and you see the arrow and the empty bag right here,” she said.
Robert just laughed at them both. “Give up, Much, and admit your defeat. With a bow and an arrow, Miss Maidland could put all of us to shame. Trust me, I’ve encountered her prowess before. If she says that’s the shot that she made, you can take her word.”
She couldn’t help beaming like a schoolgirl with best marks. Robert Locksley praised her skill! It shouldn’t matter so much to her—she’d never done archery to gain anyone’s approval, it had always been simply something she loved—but to know that he thought so highly of her… well, she was likely glowing on the outside just as much as she was on the inside.
Mr. Muchleigh took his friend’s advice and merely shook his head. “It seems impossible to me, but I won’t argue. I’m just glad we found out the origin. We were afraid it came from someone quite dangerous.”
Robert chuckled. “Oh, believe me, it did.”
Mr. Muchleigh was not quite ready to find humor in an arrow striking so close to where Meg had been. “Someone dangerous and a bit less friendly,” he corrected. “We were afraid there was someone prowling the forest for us. That’s why we locked the horses up tight in here and kept everyone quiet inside.”
“It’s good that you did,” Robert said. “I’m afraid when you carried Miss St. John away, her father called for the sheriff to send out a search party. Oh yes, we nearly ran into some of them, stalking just on the other side of the river.”
Mr. Muchleigh cursed. “I should have known they’d be out here looking for us. I’m afraid I’ve made us some trouble, haven’t I?”
“Yes, you have. But come along; let’s get inside and we can figure out what to do about it.”
Chapter 13
Mr. Locksley led Marianne to the private chamber his men had given Meg. The poor girl looked a wreck! She sat at the window, gazing forlornly into the wood. Her clothes were mussed, her hair disheveled, and her face showed streaks from tears. What on earth had she been thinking to run away like this? Marianne was equal parts angry with her and terribly relieved to find her.
“Meg…” she called softly from the doorway.
Meg leaped up and exclaimed. “Good heavens, Marianne! Did you come here with Papa? Has he found me?”
“No, I’m here on my own,” Marianne assured her.
Mr. Locksley ushered Marianne into Meg’s room. He exchanged pleasantries with Meg, assured himself of her good treatment, and then he excused himself.
“Please do no fear for your safety. There’s no telling how many men are still out prowling around for you, Miss St. John, but I’ll set men to watch the perimeter. Perhaps you ought to step away from the window, though… just in case.”
Meg uttered a worried squeak and quickly did as the man suggested. Marianne hurried to her side and took her hand. She hated to see her so frightened.
“We’ll be quite fine here,” Marianne assured her and gave Mr. Locksley a look of reproach for adding to her worry.
He allowed her a mollifying nod, wished the ladieswell, and seemed all too happy to leave them and rejoin the men.
Marianne reminded herself that she was not sad to see him go. He’d been a useful companion when she was lost in the forest, but now she needed to forget about him and focus on Meg. The truth was, they were both in quite a pickle.
“Come, here is a comfortable chair,” Marianne directed. “Why don’t we sit and you can tell me all about your adventure?”
Meg complied and Marianne’s tight muscles instantly thanked her for taking a break. Her nerves, though, were still humming with excitement. However safe they felt in the moment, she knew deep inside that things could take a turn at any moment.
“Oh, I’ve never been so anxious in all my life!” Meg said with an expressive sigh that completely proved her point. “The whole time I was hiding in George’s wagon I felt we would be found out at any moment.”
“It’s a wonder that you weren’t,” Marianne agreed. “What on earth possessed you to do such a drastic thing? Surely you can avoid marrying Mr. Reeve without resorting to… this!”
“When Papa has set his mind on something, there’s no reasoning with him,” Meg said. “There is no other way; if I want to be with George, we must run away together.”
“And that’s what you did,” Marianne said, taking a deep breath and holding back the words of chastisement that she really wanted to utter.
What was the point of causing Meg further anxiety or pain? Yes, running away with George Muchleigh had been foolish and ill-planned, but there would be no gain in belaboring that. Marianne herself was in nobetter position. She was sitting here in an abandoned building full of strange men, just as compromised as Meg! What was to come of them both? She had little hope, but perhaps Meg and her Mr. Muchleigh had at least some sort of plan.
“Where are you and Mr. Muchleigh planning to go?” she asked. “You can’t expect to live out here forever.”
“Scotland!” Meg said brightly. “We are eloping. We will cross the border and be married in Scotland. Then Papa can do nothing against us!”
