I sat at my desk and ran my thumb over the embroidered letter 'D' on the lilac-coloured handkerchief which I held in my hand. I opened up a small, blue envelope and took out a sheet of mauve paper. On it was written:

Let The Birds Sing And Let The Lambs Play,

Now That I've Found You, I'll Never Go Away.

There was a sprig of lavender sellotaped to the bottom of the letter. I removed it, inhaled the scent and uttered one word – Dilly. Dilys Lavender, known as Dilly, was the only daughter of Terence and Lily Lavender, who co-owned the multi-million dollar perfume company, Lavender's Blue. She was also the cousin of Bruce Wayne of Wayne Enterprises, as their mothers were sisters. However, just like me, Dilly was a criminal on the run.

I had known Dilly since High School. We had been in the same classes together and, like me, she was intelligent, had a thirst for knowledge and a love of books, but that was where our similarity ended. Dilly came from a wealthy family, had loving parents and many friends, everything that I'd never had. She was also kind-hearted, compassionate and was the only person who had genuinely been nice to me, whilst my other contemporaries had taken great delight in mocking and humiliating me. In hindsight, perhaps I should have asked Dilly to be my date at the Halloween party, instead of that cheerleading bitch, Sherry Squires. Maybe things would not have spiralled out of control like they did on that fateful night, which lead to the death of Squires and her boyfriend, Bo Griggs, being paralysed for the rest of his life.

I lost touch with Dilly when I went to study psychology at GothamUniversity, whilst she presumably went to work at her parents perfume company. Twenty years later, I was greatly surprised to find her imprisoned, along with myself, at Blackgate Penitentiary. Considering her privileged upbringing, I wondered what could have possibly happened in the preceding years to have caused Dilly to end up in a place like Blackgate. I had questioned her many times on the subject but she would never say, but even though it had been nearly two decades since I had last seen her, she was still the same lovely Dilly, with her pale skin, dark eyes and auburn-coloured hair.

Given our incarcerated predicament, we developed a close relationship, the sort that we should have had years earlier, if I had not been so foolishly infatuated with the likes of Sherry Squires. However, nothing of an intimate nature ever occurred between Dilly and I, as the prison guards made sure of that. Perhaps it was just as well considering my lack of experience with the female sex. The years I had spent researching the psychology of fear for my doctorate had taken its toll on both my social and love life. The only physical contact that Dilly and I were able to have was either at lunch when we passed the condiments to one another, our fingers lightly touching for a moment. Or in the library during recreation time, we would sit opposite one another and whilst pretending to read, carefully slip off our prison clogs and entwine our bare feet. The guards may have watched what was going on above the tables but never underneath.

I inserted a music tape into the cassette player on my desk and pressed the 'Play' button. Samuel Barber's Adagio For Strings started to play. I leant back in my chair, closed my eyes and thought back to the last time I had seen Dilly. It was on the day that Bane's cronies had stormed through Blackgate prison, freeing all the inmates. Dilly and I had fought through the crowd of escaping convicts to reach one another but just as we had grasped each other's hand, the fleeing mob forced us apart, sweeping Dilly off in another direction. I was left standing there with the lavender-scented handkerchief that Dilly had been holding when our hands were momentarily clasped together; the same handkerchief that I was now clutching, although the scent of lavender on it had long since gone.

I must have dozed off to sleep but the dream I was having kept repeating the moment that Dilly was snatched from my grasp; the music from Adagio For Strings growing ever louder in my head, until it reached its peak with a shrill high note on the violins. I awoke startled, my blue eyes wide in panic, my right hand clenched into a fist, crumpling the lavender sprig. I slowly opened my hand and the tiny lavender pods disintegrated all over my desk. I buried my face in my hands and my tears caused dark speckles to form on the handkerchief.

After a while, I stood up and walked over to the drinks cabinet, took out a bottle of whiskey and poured myself a drink. I drank it down quickly, hardly tasting it at all. I poured myself another and then looked around at the frugally furnished rented room that had become my office for the past year. After the furore in GothamCity had died down, I had managed to escape and set myself up as a private shrink under the name of Doctor Stephen Crowe in a small town hundreds of miles away. So far, I had evaded capture but my heart always yearned for Dilly. I had no idea where she was, or even if she was still alive; until now that was, when I had responded to her plea that had been placed in the personal column of the local newspaper:

Lavender's Blue, Dilly, Dilly, Lavender's Maroon,

If You Still Love Me, Write To Me Soon.

I knew that by replying I was taking a huge risk of having my whereabouts discovered, but it was worth taking if it meant being with Dilly again. I reread her letter and downed the whiskey in one. I wondered where Dilly had been this past year and where she was now, but more to the point, was she jeopardising her own freedom by making contact with me?

I poured myself a third drink, emptying the bottle completely, when I heard light footsteps coming up the stairs. Who could be in the building at this time of night? The cleaners had gone home long ago and I knew that I was the only one left in the building. Placing the bottle down on my desk, I grabbed my burlap scarecrow mask from the bottom drawer, quickly put it on my head and armed myself with a canister of fear toxin. I walked quietly over to the light-switch, dimmed the light and listened carefully. There was another creak on the floorboards outside and then the handle on the door began to turn slowly. I felt my throat tighten and my heart begin to pound. As the door opened, I held the aerosol out at arm's length, ready to spray the intruder in the face. My mind began to whirl. Perhaps the letter had not been from Dilly after all. Maybe someone had found out who I really was and was coming to apprehend me to claim the reward for my capture. The door was now wide open and a dark, shadowy figure stepped into the room. I was just about to release the toxin when I caught a whiff of perfume; it was lavender. I reached for the light switch and turned the lights on full. The figure gave a startled cry and turned around. I let out a painful sigh, lowered my arm and removed my mask as I came face to face with the intruder.

"Hi, Jonathan," said Dilly, softly, "Long time, no see."

For a moment, I stood there in disbelief and then finally coming to my senses, I pushed past her, looked out into the hall and then hurriedly locked the door. "Jesus Christ, Dilly, what the heck are you doing here?"

"Oh, Jonathan..." began Dilly, as she lifted her hands to my face.

I batted Dilly's hands away and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Of all the crazy things to do! You could have been followed!"

I let go of her, rushed over to the window and peered through the Venetian blinds, out onto the street below. I saw that the streets were empty and that there were no signs of any police cars and S.W.A.T. teams. I gave a sigh of relief.

Dilly started to make her way over towards the door. "I knew it was a mistake coming here. I'm sorry to have troubled you, Jonathan."

"No, wait," I said. I ran my fingers through my raven-black hair. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I just wasn't expecting you to turn up here."

Dilly stopped and looked at me.

I held out my arms. "It's good to see you again, Dilly."

"And it's good to see you too, Jonathan" she replied, as we fell into each others arms.

We hugged and kissed each other, both crying and laughing at the same time. Then I took her by the arm and guided her towards a chair. Dilly sat down and I sat opposite her behind my desk. I held out my hand across it and she took it in hers, smiling. Dilly picked up the brass plaque from off my desk and looked at it. On it was carved my false psychotherapist name of Doctor Stephen Crowe.

"Doctor S. Crowe," she said, laughing, "That's very good. I like it."

I looked puzzled for a moment and then the penny dropped. "Oh yes. S. Crowe – Scarecrow. My alter ego."

Dilly placed the plaque back down and then withdrew her hand from mine.

I opened up a small wooden box that was sitting on my desk and spun it round to face her.

"Cigarette?"

"No, thanks. I don't smoke."

I took out a cigarette for myself, shut the lid and picked up the whiskey bottle. "Drink, then?"

"I don't drink either. Well, apart from champagne."

I started smirking. "Don't drink? Don't smoke? What do you do?"

Dilly looked embarrassed and lowered her eyes.

"Maybe it's just as well."

Dilly looked up at me again.

"There's none left," I grinned, tipping the bottle upside-down.

Dilly looked around my office. "So, how long have you been holed up here?"

"For about a year," I replied, lighting the cigarette and taking a puff, "What about you? Where have you been hiding?"

"Oh, here and there."

I gestured 'where exactly' with my hand and facial expression, but Dilly did not offer up an explanation and quickly changed the subject.

"Oh, I nearly forgot," she said, rummaging in her handbag, "I bought you a present."

Dilly handed me a small parcel, loosely wrapped in purple tissue paper. I tore off the paper and inside was a silver music box. I wound it up and it started to play the tune Lavender's Blue.

"Thank you. I love it," I said, placing the music box down onto my desk, "By the way, how's your parent's perfume business?"

Dilly's face suddenly turned sour. "Wayne Enterprises own it now. They took it over when my parents ran into financial difficulty."

"Wayne, as in your cousin Bruce? I thought he was dead?"

"He is, but Wayne Enterprises still lives on. That's the other reason I'm here."

"I don't follow."

"My parents lost everything when Wayne Enterprises bought them out and in return, I lost my inheritance," said Dilly, coldly, "I want you to help me destroy Lavender's Blue and bring down Wayne Enterprises."

I continued to puff away on my cigarette. "How exactly?"

"I take it that you still know how to make that psychotropic hallucinogen of yours?"

My eyes darted over to where the container of fear toxin was stood. I looked back at Dilly and nodded.

"Good," she said, "Because I want you to start manufacturing it again."

"So, what's the plan?"

"To infiltrate Lavender's Blue and put your panic-inducing poison into the perfume. The law-suit against Wayne Enterprises will be so huge that it will put straight out of business."

I took a final puff from my cigarette and grinned. "I like your way of thinking."

Dilly held out her hand for me to shake. "So, are you in?"

I reached across my desk, shook Dilly's hand and smiled. "Yeah, I'm in."

Dilly clapped her hands together excitedly. "This calls for a celebration. Have you got any champagne?"

"No, but I know where I might be able to get some," I replied, stubbing out my cigarette and standing up, "There's a liquor store opposite. I can nip across and get some if you like."

"Oh, Jonathan, thank you," said Dilly, walking over to me and throwing her arms around my neck, "You won't regret this, I promise. Wayne Enterprises has had it coming for years."

We kissed and then checking that I had my wallet in my jacket pocket, I left the office and went across the street to the liquor store. It did not have much in the way of proper champagne, probably because there was not much call for it in that part of town, but I managed to purchase a rather nice bottle of sparkling rosé wine instead. I made my way back to my office, taking the stairs two at a time. When I reached the top, I stopped to get my breath back and that was when I heard Dilly talking to somebody on the telephone. The door was open a little, so I strained my ears to hear what she was saying, but she was talking far too softly for me to make out any of her words. I lightly coughed and heard the click of the receiver being placed back down onto the telephone. I pushed open the office door and then locking it behind me, I dimmed the light. Dilly was stood looking out of the window, her back facing me. I took off my jacket and placed it on the back of my chair.

"Who was that?" I enquired.

Dilly looked over her shoulder at me. "Hmm?"

"On the telephone, just then. Who were you talking to?"

Dilly looked out of the window again. "Oh, that. It was a wrong number."

I placed the bottle of wine down onto my desk, picked up the music box, wound it up and placed it back down. The tune Lavender's Blue started to emanate from it again. I walked over to Dilly and pressed my body firmly against hers. The scent of her lavender perfume combined with the whiskey I had consumed earlier was beginning to have an effect on me. I could feel my desire for her escalating. I started massaging her neck and nuzzling her ear.

"Jonathan. Don't..." she said.

"DON'T?" The word burst harshly from my lips, as I recalled that same feeling of utter despair when Sherry Squires rejected me. My hands tightened slightly around Dilly's throat.

Dilly turned to face me and calmly said, "You didn't let me finish my sentence."

I looked into her eyes, expecting them to be full of fright, but they were not.

"Why do you not fear me?" I asked, my eyes searching hers for answers, "You know full well what I'm capable of."

Dilly gently took hold of my hands and removed them from around her neck. "I could never fear you, Jonathan."

"Then why are you trembling?"

Dilly started to unbutton my shirt. "I'm trembling with anticipation, not trepidation."

I tried to suppress the elated smile that was forming on my face.

Dilly's lips were now millimetres away from mine. "And I was going to say don't let's do it here, let's go to a motel instead."

Dilly gently kissed me and then whispered the words that I had been waiting so long to hear. "Make love to me, Doctor Crane."

I took off my shirt, fumbled for the zip on the back of Dilly's dress and slid the frock from off her body. As she slipped out of her underwear, I gazed at her naked body in the moonlight. Dilly unzipped my pants, pulled me onto the worn leather consulting couch and down on top of her. There was now a different look in her eyes, one of pleading – pleading for me to continue what had started. I slid my hand along the inside of her thigh and found to my surprise how incredibly responsive she was to my touch, something I had never encountered with previous women. I nervously allowed my hand to caress the most intimate part of her body. The smile of pleasure on her face told me that I had made the right decision. My breathing became heavy and irregular, as a wave of excitement rippled through me and a familiar sensation began stirring in my loins. I pressed my lips against hers and we kissed passionately, our tongue entwining. As Dilly pushed my pants down over my hips, the sensation was growing even stronger and when I thought I could no longer stand it, we finally consummated our love.

"I love you, Dilly," I murmured, "I always have and always will."

"I love you too," she whispered back, "Please remember that. No matter what happens."

I was slightly bemused by her last four words but I was far too euphoric to even care. As the chimes from the musical box played, the words resounded in my head.

Lavender's Blue, Dilly, Dilly, Lavender's Green,

When I Am King, Dilly, Dilly, You Shall Be Queen.

As our love-making came steadily to a close, I felt like king of the world and Dilly was my queen. We retired to my bedroom soon after that and made love again; Dilly taking charge this time. Then we slept, wrapped in each other's arms, both of us knowing that it was not only our bodies that had become one, but our hearts and minds as well.

I was the first to awake that next morning to the sound of 'thud', 'thud', 'thud'. I first thought that it was a client knocking on the door. Then I remembered that it was Saturday and the knocking sound was actually coming from inside my head, which was hardly surprising considering the amount of whiskey I had drunk the night before.

I got up, pulled on my pants, went into the bathroom and opened up the mirrored cabinet on the wall. I rummaged around looking for some painkillers but there were none. I padded softly through the bedroom, so not to disturb Dilly and went into my office. I searched my desk for some aspirin, but to no avail. I looked at my watch. It was nearly nine O'clock. The drug store across the street would be open in a minute. I picked up my shirt which, along with Dilly's dress and underwear, was still lying on the floor. I inhaled the scent on her lilac-coloured petticoat and smiled to myself. I placed Dilly's clothes on the back of the consulting couch and then put on my shirt.

I saw Dilly's handbag leaning against the side of the couch. Perhaps she might have some analgesics in there, as women often kept that sort of thing in their bags. I sat down on the couch, picked up the bag and rooted around inside. My hand immediately made contact with wallet-shaped object with a large metal stud on it. I pulled it out and looked at it. It was a police badge and on it was the letters G.C.P.D. – Gotham City Police Department. My hands started to shake as I opened up the badge. Inside was a passport photo of Dilly with the words Detective Dilys Lavender underneath. I stood up and stumbled across to the telephone. I felt my throat tighten and my heart begin to pound again as I pressed the L.N.R. button. The phone began to dial the last number called from it. There was a click and a man's voice said, "Good morning, Gotham City Police Department."

I slammed the receiver back down onto the telephone. My breathing once again became heavy and irregular but for a different reason this time, as I started to hyperventilate in panic. Everything was starting to make sense. Dilly was a cop, most likely an undercover officer and hence why she had been in Blackgate Prison, probably on a covert operation. No wonder she never wanted to talk about why she was in there. Then there was the advert in the personal column; that had clearly been a set-up in order to catch me and put me back behind bars, and as for where she had been this past year, well that was now obvious. She had been working at the Gotham City Police Department. But was the story about her wanting to take revenge on Wayne Enterprises for the destruction of her parent's business all part of the act too? There was only one way to find out. I quickly dialled the operator and asked to be put through to the perfume company Lavender's Blue. A few seconds later, a woman answered, "Lavender's Blue. Can I help you?"

"D...does the Lavender family still own this company?" I stammered.

"Yes, they do..." began the woman.

That was all I needed to hear. I replaced the receiver again and put both of my hands on the desk to steady myself. I looked at the silver music box in front of me, grabbed it and threw it across the room. It bounced off the wall, landed on the floor and started to strike up its tune again. I had been betrayed by the only woman I had ever truly loved and it was only a matter of time before the GothamCity police were coming to get me. There was only one thing left for me to do before I made my escape. With the tune of Lavender's Blue growing ever louder in my head, I donned my burlap mask, picked up the container of fear toxin and went back inside the bedroom.

The End