Robyn Hood: Fight For Freedom Read Free Page B

style my hair.
    I hastily thre w on a new dress, one that was dark blue with little bits of white lace. Feeling entirely irritated with the idea of pinning up my hair, I daringly twined my hair into a braid, which is what I often did before my Robin Hood days when I had long hair. Unfortunately my hair was not as long now. To keep from looking stupid with a braid that ended with three hairs I tucked the back half of my hair into netting and pinned it to my skull.
    I emerged from my roo m in a wild whirlwind exactly ten minutes later, ready for my walk with Lady Elizabeth. I silently padded down the hallway (old habits of moving quietly die slowly.) and knocked on Elizabeth’s door.
    Elizabeth opened her door and stepped out as one of her dressing maids finished tying a ribbon in her hair. “Good Morn Lady Mary.”
    “Good Morning Lady Elizabeth.”
    “I invited Lord Edward and Maxine as well. I believe they’re already in the gardens,” she said, taking my arm in a girlish gesture of friendship.
    “Sounds like a regular party,” I joked as we skipped down the hallway. More like I skipped, Elizabeth scurried to keep pace.
    We toppled down the stairs and Elizabeth got us lost only once before we stumbled into the beautiful gardens, which were just outside the castle keep. ( Elizabeth did not navigate around the castle as easily as I did. Of course, Elizabeth was not an outlaw who depended upon sneaking around and pick-pocketing royals to keep up her front.)
    “Lady Elizabeth, Lady Mary, you look especially gorgeous this bright morning,” Lord Maxine shouted with an enthusiasm and volume that even I knew was uncivil.
    Lord Edward breathed in only slightly sharper than usual. “Good morning Lady Elizabeth, Lady Mary,” he said in his gravely voice.
    “Good morning Lord Edward,” Elizabeth curtsied, ignoring her cousin.
    “Good morning,” I chorused.
    “It is such delightful weather we’re having today, is it not, Lord Edward?” Elizabeth asked Edward, her eyes fastened on him. Even I, a barbarian according to George, knew Elizabeth was smitten with Edward.
    “It is stupendous weather. I fear it shall grow overly warm in the afternoon,” Edward returned. Whenever the two E’s chatted they were always dreadfully boring.
    Judging by the way Maxine was rolling his eyes behind his friends’ backs, he agreed with me.
    Edward and Elizabeth turned and started walking up a path, Elizabeth still dragging me along by the arm.
    “It does grow dreadfully hot in the summer, and it makes me so fatigued,” Elizabeth commented, not noticing when Maxine yanked me out of her grasp and held me back a few steps.
    “Hang back and let them walk farther ahead. Eliza won’t mind, she might even be grateful. Besides, those two are about as interesting as watching can dle wax harden,” Maxine scoffed as we were led into a maze of shrubberies.
    I couldn’t hold back the quirk of a grin that spread across my lips for a split second. Maxine caught the glimpse of my humor and smiled back at me.
    “So Lady Mary, how is your dear , devil horse?” he asked.
    “Nightmare? He i s as happy as his disposition allows him to be.”
    “I should think so. They can’t keep horses in the stalls next to him or he rips a chunk out of their hide,” Maxine laughed.
    I frowned. “He got out of the stables again yesterday. I caught him when he was just about to push his way into the kitchens. Next time I wish they would let me know he’s being bad and hang it all,” I complained as we made a sharp turn around a shrub-wall.
    “Oh come now. I t’s hardly befitting for a lady to be running around after her horse. At least, you better not let Eliza hear of you doing that anyway,” Maxine chuckled as we continued to meander after Edward and Elizabeth.
    “So how is your horse, Winther?” I asked.
    “He is fine. Would you care to accompany me on a ride this fair afternoon, Lady Mary?” Maxine asked. “I’m sure Eliza and Lord Edward would