Authors Note: I only saw the move, but I felt a bit bad about how Mister Craven yelled at Medlock, so I thought of this little story.
Disclaimer: The Secret Garden is not mine; it's all Frances Hodgson Burnett's. The only thing I own is the fic!
Secret feelings.
"Silence… Medlock, she's just a child. I left you in charge," Lord Craven had snapped at her. Never before had he talked to her like that. Never before had he been so angry with her.
"I'll resign Sir, I'll leave today," she had answered him, as she fell apart in tears.
As Abigail Medlock was packing up the few belongings she had, tears were still running down her cheeks. For over twenty years she had served for the Craven family. She had been there when Archibald's wife passed away, and tried to console him after. - Which hadn't always been easy, considering she was his servant, and he wouldn't let her close. Then she had also taken care of his son, in the way she felt was best. In the aftermath however she in her silent mind had to admit she might have been wrong on some accounts.
She sighed heavily closing her suitcase, wondering where she was going to go now. Had her husband still been alive, she would have had someone to go home to. He had however passed away at the young age of thirty-eight due to a heart failure. There was no reason for it; it had just happened, and Abigail had been crushed.
It was about that time she had started working for the Cravens, more to support herself than anything else. Over the years she had however become very fond of them, - especially Archibald, who was a very fine man.
As she looked at the empty room, and the packed suitcase, she decided to say a final goodbye to her coworker. She sat the suitcase by the door and then headed in the direction of the kitchen, where she knew they would be this time of day.
It was with great amazement she saw the young boy walk back up to the house, with his smiling father alongside him. Never had she seen the two so happy; at least that brought warmth to her heart on this sad day.
"Well… I have to go," she told Martha; there was sadness in both her eyes and voice.
Old Abigail couldn't bear to be inside when her master came in; she had after all disappointed him so, and it was more than she could take at the moment. She didn't want to be at more annoyance, as he hated when he got mad.
Martha nodded and said, "Well good luck wherever you are going; hopefully it works out for you."
Medlock smiled as she slowly went to get her suitcase, wanting to have as much time left in that house as possible, as it was after all a big part of her.
She looked at her room one more time, and was about to leave when she heard a familiar voice say, "You are really going to leave…"
'Archibald,' she thought, as she slowly turned to face him, silently nodding, before looking away.
"I am sorry I overreacted earlier," he said with a deep sigh.
"No Sir, you were right and I was…wrong. I should have managed the situation better," she said, looking into his brown eyes.
"That might be, but if you had my son might have never walked again," he said.
His words hit her like a hammer and she looked down at the wooded floor, instead of letting her eyes meet his. She could feel the tears pressing to get out again, but she somehow managed to hold them back.
Archibald knew his words again had come out the wrong way, when he looked upon the old woman in front of her. Without knowing why he let a hand reach out to lift her chin, saying, "I didn't mean it like that Abigail."
She looked at him with shocked eyes; - never before had he addressed her by her first name.
"I would like very much for you to stay," he said, giving her one of his rare smiles.
"For what reason? The children are doing fine by their own," she said.
"For me, Abigail. I enjoy having you here," he said, and now it was his turn to look down.
"Sir, are you saying what I think you are?" her eyes looked puzzled now.
"Please don't call me Sir anymore,- too formal. I prefer Archibald," he said.
"What position would I have here, Archibald?" she wondered.
"I would like you to be my companion. I have wanted that for some time, but I was afraid to speak those words," he said.
"Why now?" she asked.
"I don't want you to leave. I can honestly say I would be lost without you," he said.
"Well then I will stay, I can't let you be lost because of me," she said, giving him a smile.
"I appreciate that and you," he said, before he insecurely bent forward to let his lips touch hers for the very first time. Abigail just let him as when it all came down to it, she also had some secret feelings on her own.
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