The Rebels of Cordovia (14 page)

Robin sighed, wishing he would tell her exactly
how he felt about her. She quickly awoke from her daydreams and
exclaimed, “Daniel! I completely forgot.”

He had been waiting for her return for over an
hour. She quickly dashed out the door toward the carriage.

***

After Robin returned to the Bakery, Daniel asked
her to come to Georgetown with him. His father had a bit of
information about one of the servants of Edmund. He, too, had been
asking questions and was trying to help. Apparently, the woman
didn’t live too far from his home.

“Personally,” said Daniel. “I think my father
really likes you. You’re fun to talk to. He told me: ‘Bring Robin
Marie along because she can help question the woman.’”

She smiled. “He’s so sweet.”

Daniel shrugged. “Besides, I know he admires
you. When he found out that you were Robin, the founder of Robin’s
Rebels, he couldn’t stop talking about you.”

Robin laughed and agreed to go with him. All the
way to Georgetown, she had been quiet, contemplating her feelings
for Daniel and wondering how he really felt about her. Every time
he kissed her, he was stirring feelings within her that were new to
her and she wanted to find out how he felt about her. She wasn’t
very good at hiding her feelings and couldn’t keep quiet any
longer. She needed to say something.

When they finally arrived, Daniel said, “You’ve
been quiet this whole trip. Is something bothering you?”

As he helped her down from the carriage, Robin
nodded. “Yes, but I’m not sure how to begin.”

He smiled as he stood in front of her. “I’m
listening.”

“Well, I was wondering…” She hesitated.
“I…uhm…you see…”

He laughed. “Does it have something to do with
me or the rebels?”

She swallowed. “Actually, it has something to do
with us.”

“Oh, I see,” he said with a knowing look in his
eyes.

“It’s about what you said to me the other day.
You said you were fascinated with me.”

“Uh-huh. That’s right.”

She nervously bit her lip. Was that his only
response? Wasn’t he going to explain himself? Without another
thought for propriety, she blurted out, “Why did you kiss me?”

Daniel chuckled. “Why?” he repeated.

She nodded.

“Because it’s fun,” he said teasingly.

Robin slapped his arm and said soberly, “I’m
serious. Why?”

He suppressed a smile and licked his lips.
“Well… because I like you.”

Seeing the humor in his eyes, she shook her head
and said, “You’re not understanding what I’m trying to say, Daniel.
When you kiss me, does it cause your heart to beat almost out of
control? Do you feel as if you’re floating above ground and don’t
want to come back down again?”

He laughed. “Of course. What are you trying to
say, Robin Marie?”

She took a deep breath and said, “How do you
feel about me, Daniel? Are you just fascinated with me because I’m
a leader of a rebel group? Is that all?”

He shook his head. “No, not just
fascinated.”

Robin sighed with frustration. “I know what you
said before, that you were enamored with me, but what did you mean
by that.”

Daniel nodded. He looked into her eyes with a
sober expression as he took her hand and said, “I think I
understand what you’re saying, Marie. You’re asking me what my
feelings are for you. Right?” She nodded as he continued. “Am I
just leading you on, having fun, and nothing more? Am I really
enamored with you? In other words, is there something in our
future?”

Robin nodded once again as she nervously bit her
lip. She was instantly sorry she had approached the subject. She
was afraid of his answer.

“My feelings for you are deep, Robin Marie,”
Daniel said earnestly. “I can assure you of that. But could we
please wait until this whole thing with Hanna is over before I
completely answer your question? Is that all right with you? We
have a mission to accomplish and we can’t let our emotions get in
the way or distract us. We need to find Hanna and keep her safe.
Just one wrong move and everything we’ve fought for could be
wasted. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I understand,” Robin said.

“We need to be aware of everything around us.
King Rupert, I’m sure, has spies everywhere.”

She gave a crooked smile and nodded.

Daniel affectionately smiled back as he lifted
her chin upward and brushed his lips against hers. “And yes, I do
enjoy kissing you.” He tenderly and lightly kissed her warm lips
again. “And yes, it does make my heart pick up speed when I do.” He
then pressed his lips more firmly against hers, giving her a
lingering kiss.

Robin sighed as she responded to his
affections.

Then Daniel pulled back and said with a grin,
“And yes, I don’t want to come back down to earth again as I’m
kissing you, but I know I have to, for your sake. So I find myself
letting you go.”

Almost breathlessly, she nodded and said,
“I…I…uhm…”

Daniel chuckled and whispered, “I understand
completely.”

As Daniel walked through the door, Anna came
rushing toward him and asked what he needed. With a smile, he said,
“Tell Father I’ve arrived. He’s expecting me.”

It wasn’t long before Charles came walking
toward them with arms extended toward Robin. He gave her a hug and
then led them to the dining room.

“You’re just in time for a delicious meal, my
dear. I’m so glad that Daniel brought you along. I told Anna to
expect two more to stay and eat.”

Robin smiled as he seated her at the table. Then
Charles took his place at the end and rang the dinner bell. As they
chatted, he told them about the news in town and what was
happening.

“Son, you wouldn’t believe it. The soldiers have
taken over our community. They say it’s because they’re supposed to
keep the law but I suspect there’s more. I know there’s something
going on.”

When Anna brought in a cart of food to serve,
Charles smiled and thanked her.

“Well, son,” he continued. “Tell me exactly what
you’re going to do when you find this servant of Edmund’s?”

“As you know,” said Daniel. “We’re going to
spread the word to all the communities that we have evidence of
foul play and King Rupert was behind it. We’ll let them know we’re
having a meeting so we can prove it.”

“What if Rupert finds out about it?” asked
Charles as he watched Anna place the platters of food on the
table.

“If he does, it won’t matter because we’ll have
too many followers for the soldiers to control. They wouldn’t dare
break it up or the people would suspect the king to be guilty.”

Charles nodded. “That’s good reasoning. And how
about Edmund’s servant? What is her role in all this?”

Daniel remembered telling his father some of the
details of their plan, so why did he want him to repeat it once
again? Did he have an idea to add to it?

He shrugged his shoulders and answered, “We’ll
tell her to testify to the fact that Edmund was poisoned by
Rupert…”

A clatter of plates fell to the floor and
everyone instantly turned toward the sound. Food was spread all
over the floor, including utensils and some broken plates. Anna
stood with widened eyes and a pale face staring at Daniel. She
quickly knelt to the floor and began picking everything up as she
apologized.

Instinctively, Robin got up from her chair and
knelt down beside her to help clean up the mess. “It was an
accident. Don’t worry. I’ll help.” When the woman glanced up at
her, Robin could see the fear in her eyes. “What’s wrong,
Anna?”

Anna didn’t say a word but quickly scooped up
the food and placed it in a bowl. Robin knew something was not
right. The woman was trembling. Why was she so frightened? It
couldn’t have been because of Daniel’s father. Dropping the platter
was an accident. Then it dawned on her. Anna had dropped the food
just at the moment Daniel mentioned Edmund’s death.

“Anna?” The servant glanced at her but continued
cleaning up. When she saw the woman’s hands shaking as she picked
up the food, she said, “It was hard for you to change your name,
wasn’t it, Hanna?”

The servant gasped as she looked up at
Robin.

“You are Hanna, aren’t you!”

The servant nodded as tears welled up in her
eyes. “I loved Edmund so much. He was a great king. He loved the
people. I was so honored to know him, to serve him, and that dirty
murdering Rupert…” Anna burst into tears as she held her apron up
to her face and cried.

“I knew it,” announced Charles as he pounded his
hand on the table. “I suspected but wasn’t sure. That was why I
asked you to come visit me.”

Daniel was in shock from everything he had just
heard. He turned to his father and said, “How did you know?”

“The servants know how I feel about Rupert. I
haven’t let it be a secret. So one day I said something derogatory
and Anna got upset and called Rupert a dirty murdering…” He smiled.
“Well, I had better not repeat what she said in front of Marie. But
in other words, I had never told her that he murdered Edmund. She
let it slip and I noticed.”

Robin helped Hanna to her feet and led her to a
chair. After sitting her down, she knelt beside her and said,
“Hanna, do you understand what our mission is?”

She nodded.

“Would you be willing to put Rupert in jail with
your testimony? If we can convince the people of what kind of
person he really is, then we can make a stand. This is the only way
we can do it. We need the support of the people.”

Hanna was a short slender woman with gray hair
placed in a bun at the back of her head. After a few moments, she
nodded. “Yes, I will. I’m tired of running.”

After the initial shock, Daniel realized he had
known her for five years but never suspected she was running from
something. He finally said, “You can stay here until its time for
the meeting. I think you’ll be safer with my father.”

“Not so!” Charles said. “I’ve heard the gossip.
One of our neighbors told me this week that the king has heard
about a group of rebels who are asking questions about the former
servants of Edmund. He has now put out a search for the servants as
well, and he’s not stopping until he finds them. So far, no one has
been found. I think they’ve kept their anonymity quite well.” He
sighed. “But there’s one problem that recently came about.”

Robin asked, “What’s that?”

“The king has now, as of today, put out a reward
for the capture of Hanna.”

Hanna gasped. Her eyes widened as fear overtook
her. “No!” she exclaimed as she put her hand to her chest.

Robin immediately touched her hand and said, “We
won’t let any harm come to you. I promise.”

Charles looked at Daniel and said, “What I’m
worried about is how fast the news will spread. The people don’t
have much money and the reward will be tempting to them. They don’t
know why the king wants her. So they won’t think anything of
telling on her. Money is the motivation.”

Robin’s mind was working furiously, trying to
come up with a solution. Finally, with triumph in her voice, she
announced, “I’ve got it!”

After telling everyone what her idea was, they
all agreed. There was no other alternative. It was the best plan
they could think of.

***

As Robin helped Polly pull on her best dress,
she said, “There’s nothing to worry about. You’ll wear a coat with
a hood over your head and look like a lady visiting Charles, the
nobleman. No one will suspect a thing.”

Polly said excitedly, “I’m so glad we found
Hanna. Without her, our hands are tied. It would just become a war
between the rebels and the aristocrats.”

Robin nodded. “How about Captain Nathaniel?”

Polly smiled shyly. “I wouldn’t want to fight
him.”

As they walked out of the bedroom, Daniel asked,
“Ready?”

They nodded.

“Where is your father keeping Hanna?” asked
Polly.

“Behind a secret panel in my father’s bedroom.
That’s where he hides his valuables. And she is very valuable.”

As they walked out the door, Robin took Daniel’s
arm and asked softly, “Do you think anyone has told on her for the
reward? Would they really tell on their own kind?”

Daniel affectionately put his hand upon hers and
said, “You bet they would. It’s all about money. I spoke to father
today and he said he has noticed a few soldiers standing around his
house lately. He thinks someone has told on Hanna.”

“Really?” she said as Daniel helped the two
women into the carriage.

He nodded. “In fact, his house has already been
searched once. The soldiers said it was just a routine search and
they were checking everyone’s home in the neighborhood. But father
doesn’t believe it. He thinks they know something.”

After Daniel slid in beside her and took the
reins in hand, he glanced at her and said, “Don’t worry, Robin
Marie. Our plan should work just fine.”

He whipped the reins of the horse and it sped
down the road.

***

As they pulled up to Charles’ home, Daniel
looked around. He could see the soldiers at each end of the street.
Was this a good idea to take Hanna now? If they came at midnight,
then it would look suspicious. It had to look like they were just
visiting.

As he helped Polly down from the carriage, a
soldier came riding by and greeted them. Daniel said he was
visiting his father. When the soldier got down from his horse and
looked at Polly, she pulled her hood from her face so he could get
a good look at her. She looked just like a sophisticated lady.

With a charming smile, she asked, “Do you happen
to know Captain Nathaniel?”

The soldier nodded. “I sure do.”

Polly smiled and said, “Tell him hello for
me.”