Maid of Sherwood Read Free Page A

trouble with Aunt Constance?”
    “More times than I can count,” Marian admitted. “But this is important , Will. I cannot tell you why, but I just know it is. Please let me tag along. I will be as silent as a grave. Little John will not even know I am there. I promise I will not get caught.”
    Will lowered his head for a minute as he thought. Looking Marian in the eyes, he finally spoke. “Be sure you do not. Neither of us knows what that man wants. What either man wants,” he amended.
    Marian released the breath she had been holding. “Thank you, Will. You will not regret it.”
    “I am pretty sure I already do,” her friend said ruefully.
    Marian smiled. “It will be fine,” she promised. “Little John wants the same thing we do; freedom from the sheriff and Prince John. I doubt he will be angry at my intrusion, even if he finds out.”
    “Is that why you came over?” Will asked. “To get me to let you tag along?”
    “No, actually I came to tell you about Mother, but I got distracted,” Marian said.
    Will frowned. “What about your mother? What’s she done now?”
    “That is it,” Marian said. “She has not done anything. But we received a summons to court this afternoon and she began acting differently afterward.” In a few succinct sentences, she told him of the incident at the dining table. “She was terrifying, Will. For a split second, I was sure she was not my mother at all, but someone completely different.”
    “I do not know of a single person who was not mad when Prince John hanged all those children. I am sure your mother’s reaction was normal. I think your imagination is getting in the way of reality.”
    “You do not have to believe me,” Marian snapped. “But it is not just my imagination.” She turned her back to him and crossed her arms across her chest.
    “Marian,” Will spun her back to face him. “Please, do not be angry.”
     She sighed. “I am frustrated. Something is going on, but I have no idea what.”
    ‘Then we will solve what we can,” his brown eyes stared earnestly into hers. “Little John and your mystery man first; your mother afterward.”
    “You are always so agreeable,” Marian grumbled. “It makes it very difficult to stay mad at you.”
    Will grinned. “That is the point.”
    “How are you ever going to find a wife if all you do is wander the forest with me?” Marian was only half serious; she knew Will’s heart lay in discovering what had happened to his mother at the sheriff’s hands.
    He shrugged and refused to meet her questioning gaze.
    “You have found someone?” She knew she sounded eager, but she could not help it. This was Will, her best friend, and if he had found a measure of happiness, then she was happy, too.
    “There is someone in town,” he mumbled under his breath. “Can we please not talk about this? Aunt Constance doesn’t know and I am not ready for her to find out.”
    “You have not told her? Why not?”
    Her friend looked uncomfortable. “I want to find out about my mother first, that is all.”
    Marian squeezed Will’s hand briefly before letting it go again. “I will see what I can learn at Nottingham.”
    “Marian, is that you?” A woman’s rasping voice came from deep within the room at Will’s back.
    “Yes, Ms. Constance,” Marian said. “I just came to ask Will a question.”
    “It is after dark, dear. Why are you not home and in bed?” The querulous voice continued.
    Marian rolled her eyes before answering. “My mother knows I am here, Ms. Constance.”
    “Well, you are far too young to be out so late. I do not know what Beatrix is thinking.”
    “Yes, ma’am, I am about to go home now.” She touched Will’s arm again. His aunt had not been right in the head since his mother, Dulcina, had vanished from the castle.
    “Come by tomorrow, at a more decent hour.” Constance said. “Will can come out and play then.”
    “Good night, Mari,” Will said. “Come by and play