Sir Guy of Gisborne comes back from the Holy Land, on his conscience the knowledge of having killed Marian. Appointed Sheriff of Nottingham in the place of Vaisey, he struggles to find a way to make up for his past wrongdoings, but it's a very hard...
Violet was in her garden, seated on a comfortable bench with backrest, stuffed with cushions, set in the shadow of a hazel tree. In her arms she was holding her last born, William, who was just one and forty days old. Jeffrey was playing on the lawn, fumbling around with his small wooden sword, as Ghislaine, still too young to join him, stared at him, her fair blue eyes – identical to her father's – wide with awe. Hulda, their nanny, was keeping a close eye on them.
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Noticing that Willian had fallen asleep, Violet placed him carefully in his cradle. Guy leaned forward to look at his baby son from over his wife's shoulder.
"He sleeps more than the other two at the same age, or is it just my imagination?" he asked in a whisper.
"Nay, you're right", Violet confirmed, turning to look at her husband. "They say that the more a newborn sleeps, the taller he's going to be as an adult. If 'tis true, he's going to be as tall as his father."
"I cannot tell you whether I was sleeping a lot as an infant or not, my mother never told me", Guy smiled.
"We'll see, then", Violet smiled back. She pulled jokingly at one lace of his shirt of purple linen, one of those he asked her, from time to time, to sew for him expressly of that colour, because he liked to wear it in honour of his wife.
Guy took her hand and lifted it to his lips, pressing a kiss on it.
"As tall as me or not, what matters is that he grows up healthy and strong", he declared. "And as handsome as his mother", he added.
Violet leant over to her husband and kissed his lips.
"His father too is handsome", she affirmed.
A discreet cough diverted them from one another.
"What is it, Fred?" Guy asked the head servant.
"Forgive me interrupting you... My lady, Lady Marian sent word that the remedy you suggested for her daughters is working."
"Thank you, Fred", Violet said, glad to learn the news. Marian and Robin's twin daughters, Meliora and Rhoswen – Violet had assisted to their delivery as she had done with their elder brother Richard – for some time were having trouble in evacuating and therefore Violet had suggested Marian to have them drinking the water of boiled dried plums and slices of apples before sleep.
The head servant bowed to them and took his leave.
Guy cast a glance to Jeffrey, who was still fumbling around with his sword, simulating a duel with an imaginary antagonist. It was plain that we was mimicking his father, whom he looked at in awe when he trained with Drastan or other soldiers in the castle's courtyard.
"Seems like yesterday he was as small as William", Guy commented.
"I agree", Violet admitted. "Time passes quickly..."
