"I thought as much." She smiled as she sent Robin over to him with the remainder of her tray, which was mostly untouched. "That is for you also."

"After we left..." he said, giving Robin a nod and a wink as he took the tray, "Some of the men deserted and rode toward the farm but we could not pursue. Did they attack? Is that why you are here? Did they hurt you? Is your father—"

"One thing at a time, my lord" Gwyndolyn smiled. "Now eat your food before it gets cold."

Robin, who was nursing a case of hero worship, leaned in as he whispered conspiratorially, "Do not you worry. She says that to me all the time."

"I am sure that she does." Erec grinned and took the tray. "Go on." He mumbled as he began to work on the heap of scrambled eggs and fried pork.

Gwyndolyn filled him in on the events that morning up to the arrival of the men, at which point Erec interrupted with his first question.

"What is a hideaway?" Erec asked between bites.

Robin jumped in to explain the process of finding and creating the perfect hideaway, gesturing animatedly with his hands as he did so. His words grew softer as he ran out of breath, ending his explanation with a nod. "It is cozy and cool underneath, and nice and dark too."

"It is just right for the two of us." Gwyndolyn added with a smile. Her warm, fond gaze fixed on Robin a heartbeat longer before she turned to Erec. "We were yet sleeping when the men came."

"They did not see us though." Robin solemnly assured, "We stayed really quiet."

"Did you see them? Do you know how many of them were there?"

"I know there were three, but we did not see them." She answered, before adding thoughtfully: "We did hear the names Jackson and Oliver."

Robin leaned in closer to Erec and imparted in a loud whisper: "Oliver is simple." Robin nodded once, emphatically and tapped his finger to his temple for emphasis.

Gwyndolyn snorted and clamped her and over her mouth. Erec winked at her before turning to Robin with a serious expression.

"You would make a good scout, young man. You are very observant and you give very detailed information. I can tell from your sister's corroboration that your information is also accurate. Well done." Erec gave a nod of approval, noting with satisfaction that the boy took the complement in stride, listening in earnest as Erec went on.

"And what do you know of the third man?" Erec coaxed. "What was he called?"

Robin only shrugged. Gwyndolyn rolled her eyes.

Robin must have used exhausted his supply of words for the day. There was not much that they could tell, but a little was better than nothing.

Turning to Erec, she offered what she could. "I think that maybe the third man was in charge? Jackson and Oliver treated him with deference, but perhaps he also answered to someone?" She frowned as she tried to think what was best to say.

"I sensed that he was a cruel man. Jackson and Oliver seemed to be afraid of him. His name was never spoken, but...." She shivered. "I shall know his voice at once if ever I should hear it again."

"It took days and days to get out of the woods." Robin found his voice again and continued the tale with gusto as he talked about their adventures on the way. "...They were looking for us but we were too good at hiding...When we got here and they took us to Matilde..."

Robin barely paused as he took a breath as he went from one thing to the next, stringing it all together in an exhaustive narrative. Erec glanced at Gwyndolyn and saw her watching Robin with a soft expression of love and indulgence.

A maiden she may be, but that is a mother's love in her eyes.

As if he sensed Erec's attention wandering, Robin began to speak louder. With a smile Erec could not be rid of even should he wish it, he set his focus back upon Robin.

"...We had to work in the kitchen and sleep on the floor but it was warmer than in the woods... When we were in the woods, I was very hungry...Mama started fixing people and then we got to stay in the healer's rooms...I have my own bed now. I like that. It has a door and—"

"Robin," Gwyndolyn broke in gently, "I think his lordship has a question for us."

Robin's voice wound down as he ended his tale with a shrug. Gwyndolyn saw Erec press his lips into a thin line while the corners of his mouth twitched. She knew Erec was making a gallant effort to hold back his laughter and offered him a look of understanding.

"I do actually." Erec cleared his throat and looked to Robin. "You see, I was under the impression that Gwyndolyn was your sister."

"She is."

"But you call her Mama?"

"Oh, aye. But I call her Mum sometimes also." Robin shrugged as if it were obvious and felt no need to expand.

Erec looked to Gwyndolyn who was trying to be discreet in holding back her laughter. Feeling an incredible urge to laugh, he kept his lips clamped tightly together and as he met her gaze, arched a brow in silent question. After a moment more of struggling for composure, she found her voice.

"I knew that we would become servants if we arrived with nothing more than the clothes on our backs begging for sanctuary. But I had no wish to be separated from Robin. He is all the family I have left. He needs me...and I need him, also. So, I told a very small untruth."

"But it is not untrue, Mama!" Robin turned defensively, "My father dead and you are the only mum I ever had..."

Erec watched as Robin's voice trailed off and the boy's shoulders sagged. Erec saw the look on his face and felt a tug somewhere that he was certain had not felt anything lovesome for a very long time. Looking at the tender scene, he wished for something he thought he had given up on.

"...And... I like calling you Mama." Robin spoke so softly that Erec almost missed it.

"And I like very much to hear you call me Mama." Gwyndolyn smiled indulgently, as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. As she held Robin, she looked over his head and gave Erec a look that seemed to say: And this is why...

"At least I have some of the answers for which I seek." Erec frowned thoughtfully as he tried to put away the new feelings.

"What else is there, milord?" She stroked Robin's hair, with all of her love for him shining from her countenance as she looked upon the boy with suspiciously moist eyes.

Erec could not look away from the two of them. Gwyndolyn leaned back and Robin looked up, his smile glowing with all of the love a son would give his mother. With her smile firmly in place she brushed a lock of unruly hair out of his eyes with one hand as she gestured toward the trays with the other.

Robin nodded, but was reluctant to let her go. Taking Robin's face between her palms, she leaned down and kissed his brow, then whispered something Erec could not hear.

But Erec saw her face; and the smile she bestowed upon Robin was gentle as a soft spring rain. Like a flower turning toward the morning sun, Robin stood tall and straight, his face reflecting their shared love as he smiled back. With a nod, Robin turned to attend to his task.

Erec waited while Robin stacked first dishes and then trays before carrying it all out. Only when Robin had gone and the door was safely closed behind him, did Erec turn to Gwyndolyn once more.

"You, milady, is still very much my concern. Widow or no."

"It should not be thus." she rolled her eyes. "But I have already said as much and you will not hear it."

"No, milady, I will not. Tell me truly: If a knight to ill-use a gentle lady, and then leave her to fend for herself against the hardships she shall surely face—would not such a knight be seen as lacking honor and morals? And what of the gentle lady he has ill-used? Would not she be shunned, turned away from every place where she may suitably live and work?"

"If such a thing happened, then both of them demonstrate the absence of honor and morals. Both of them shall suffer for it, although, in truth, such a knight would suffer much less than such a lady. ," her eyes sparked with anger as she thrust her hands upon her hips and glared at him. "No such thing has happened betwixt us, and there is none that shall say otherwise."

This time he only arched a brow in challenge.

"Robin was here last night. He slept on a pallet by the door in case I had need of anything further for your treatment." She sighed and cast her eyes heavenward, praying for patience. "I am the healer here. I treat every ailment on every person. I will not be subjected to judgment for my presence here."

"That may be, but his lordship—"

Gwyndolyn blew out a breath, and then closed her eyes to give herself a moment to control the urge to throttle some sense into this man.

"Milady..." His voice gentled as he took a step forward.

He already decided that she would not suffer from her presence in his bed chamber. He determined to speak with the baron to assure himself. But then her eyes flew open. Sparks flew from those two glittering orbs, and her cheeks flushed with barely controlled anger.

"I think you have taken too many blows upon that thick skull of yours. You cannot recall the words that I have already spoken but a few moments past!" She snapped at him.

Her eyes closed once more and she drew a long careful breath through her cute little nose. The little vixen was vexed with him. He clamped his lips into a tight line to keep from smiling as she continued to scold him the way a mother would scold her young unrepentant son: With carefully spoken words metered through a temper burning hotly just beneath the surface.

"It was my lord Brecken that sent me! "She said as she pressed a palm against her breast, "am his healer and " she said as she jabbed an angry finger at his chest. "Youare his most favored guest." She dropped her hands to her side as if in defeat. "There is nothing more."

"Am I?"

She blinked, confused as she tried to remember what he asked. "Are you what?"

"His lordship's most favored guest."

"That you were given into this bedchamber says that you are. And it does so more plainly than any herald. The servants are buzzing about like busy little bees over it. All of them say that you are truly favored by his lordship, for only the Bishop and the mother of the baroness occupied this chamber ere you were given into it."

"The bishop?"

"Verily, I am not at all certain he still is bishop? Mayhap he is still called bishop, but no longer serves as one? I know not. But I understand that he is a very old man and that he is at the end of his years. He has not come in some many moons, but he used to come often and he slept in this very chamber. Or so Matilde tells me, for that was before my time here at Brecken Moors Hall."

Erec wondered that a bishop might visit Brecken at all, as he could not recall such a thing when he lived here during all the years of his knight's training.

"I am not told when last he came, but I know he has not come since I arrived at the beginning of winter. There was a letter from him though, not a sennight before you returned. The Baron was not at all pleased by whatever news the letter contained."

Erec's gaze flickered over her shoulder and she turned to see Robin returning with a grin.

"Well then," Erec began, "I can rest my mind knowing that you two are well and good, and that you are both safely ensconced here at the Hall. Milady, methinks you have managed rather well, considering all you that you have lost."

"Mama is smart for a girl." Robin piped up as he sat next to Gwyndolyn. "Jordan said so." He added with a nod of finality.

"Jordan?"

"Mama's brother. The soldiers took him."

"Ah." Erec frowned then shook his head. The unpleasant expression cleared from his face as he turned to smile at Robin. "Your mama is smarter than many of the men that I know. There is no need to diminish your compliment to her by adding the last."

"Mama is smart." Robin repeated, testing the words. Then with a nod and a smile he added "And pretty too."

"Robin!"

"Yes." Erec winked, earning a grin from Robin and a blush from Gwyndolyn. "And pretty too."

Gwyndolyn stood abruptly and gave a curtsy.

"I must away, milord. I was sent to tend to you whilst you were ailing and now you are well again. I shall bid you good day, milord."

Without waiting for a reply, she left, dragging Robin behind. The door closed behind her and he was left staring.

He still felt sick at his stomach but it was not from drink.

When the deserters rode toward her farm, there was naught he could do about it. He was forced to accept, albeit with a heavy heart, that her fate was surely sealed. He was greatly relieved to know that he was mistaken, to learn that she was clever and resourceful and escaped them.

Surely the angels watched over her on her flight to safety.

She was born the daughter of a prosperous farmer. Her mother was of noble blood, or at least had noble family connections. Gwyndolyn seemed happy enough here; Robin surely was...but this was no life for a lady. He hung his head. She told him once that she was no lady.

...but she should be. Her heart and manner were those of a gentle born.

His thoughts turned to the tender moment that he witnessed this day; how it inspired fondness for Robin. He thought of his fondness for the fair Gwyndolyn; how keenly he felt her absence when he was forced by duty to leave her behind. His stomach soured as he recalled that night at camp, and how greatly it pained him when he thought her dead.

The strength of his attachment to the two of them was surprising. There was no denying the place they held in his heart, nor the strong desire he felt to cherish and protect them. He wanted to take them both away from here, to care for them, to safeguard them, to keep them with him... always. He wanted it all...so much...too much.