Faith Hope and Charity

Part 2......Wedding Preparations.

Charity of Clitheroe was packing to leave. The idea of going to a strange town to wed a man she had never met might once have terrified her.
But now she was both excited and relieved. 9 years of running her father's household had made her fear her only future might be in a convent. Then her Father had married 25 year old heiress Clara, beautiful and vastly wealthy after 3 years of being a widow.

Having cast an eye over the wealth of handsome young men on the estate. The new Lady Clitheroe was not inclined to allow her pretty 21 year old step daughter to remain. So Charity's unlooked for marriage had been arranged. She would travel to Nottingham with her maid and friend Niamh and her father and Stepmother would come for the wedding in a week's time.

Sheriff Vasey. Her future husband's overlord apparently had sent a carriage for her along with 4 guards.
Full of excitement she rode off with Niamh at her side towards her unknown future.

They had been in this forest for some time now. Charity leaned out and spoke to one of her guards. 'What forest is this ? Does it ever end ?'

'Sherwood Milady'. The guard answered 'and it just feels endless.............As a matter of fact.......me and the other lads were wondering.........Do you mind if we stop for a few minutes......It's been a while...since we............'.

Charity understood and she grinned at Niamh who blushed. ' Yes of course. I'm sure we'll be alright. We haven't met any outlaws so far'.
The 5 men scuttled with blessed relief into the trees.

Alan a Dale and Will Scarlett, outlaws in Robin Hood's band had been watching the carriage with Vasey's coat of arms on the side.

Now it had stopped and the guards had left it. ' Ah ha ! There's our cue'. Alan smirked and the 2 young men sauntered over to the carriage peeping through the door.

They met an indignant pair of blue eyes set in a pretty face framed by hair the dark gold of aged pine wood. ' Who might you be ? And what do you want ?' Charity was incensed. 'Clearly a pair of cowards waiting until our guards are away before confronting 2 women'.

Will tall, slender as a twig and as pretty as a girl spoke gently. 'We don't mean you any harm. We're just collecting on behalf of the poor'.

A cynical look passed between the 2 women. 'Would that be yourselves by any chance ?' Charity asked raising an eyebrow.

'No way. ' This time it was the brown haired, blue eyed immensely charming Alan who answered. ' Just the poor of the County. Put into poverty by the excessive taxes for the Crusades and the Sheriff's cheating'.

' In that case I'll be glad to make a donation'. Charity climbed out and went to the back of the carriage. She took out a key hanging on a chain between her breasts and unlocked the chest containing her dowry'.
She took out one of the bags of coins and handed it to Alan, meeting his very attractive blue eyes with relish. 'I hope this will help a little'. She told them as she climbed back into the carriage.

'It will help a lot. Thank you Milady.' Will answered. 'Robin will want to know
who's been so generous. Who shall we say ?'

'Charity of Clitheroe'. But I am to be married shortly and will then be Lady Charity of Gisborne............Now I think you'd better leave. My guards are returning'.


The carriage rumbled into the castle court yard and 2 men stood by the door as one of the guards opened it.
The older man put himself forward. Charity decided already that she didn't like him. False sincerity was written luridly across his bearded face. 'Lord Peter Vasey, Sheriff of Nottingham at your service. Lady Charity'. He smarmed 'and this....' he indicated his companion.
'Is Sir Guy of Gisborne'.

Charity was inclined to believe that she was being given in matrimony to Azrael the Angel of Death. The tall sinewy figure before her was quite the saddest looking man she'd ever seen and the most beautiful. He had exquisite bone structure and though they were deadened by his melancholy his piercing blue eyes were non the less hypnotic.
She made her curtsey to him. 'My Lord'. Guy gave her a bow in return. 'My Lady'.
It was Charity noted, a deep, gruff very masculine voice.
This was a man that could give a nun erotic dreams and he was to be married to her.

Guy looked at the lady before him. It could have been worse. She was very pretty.
Humping her wouldn't be much of a hardship. That thick dark gold hair would spill beautifully over his pillows and he felt himself harden at the thought of those big blue eyes gazing up at him while that rosy pink mouth worked on his cock.

Vasey interrupted these delightful first impressions. 'I'll have your belongings taken to your chamber. Would you care for a drink before dinner My Lady ?'

Charity thanked him and put a hand on Niamh's arm giving her a reassuring smile before taking the arm Guy proffered to her.

She had a lovely smile he decided. It felt like an eternity since a smile like that had warmed his heart and he doubted one ever would shine in his direction again. When she found out about him Charity would hate him.