~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mary ran down the path to the manor. Home! She pulled impatiently at the door, cursing vividly as she tripped over her lacy skirt. Stupid thing, always hated it. Posy, her maid, had cut the bloody neckline too low, the back too low, and the skirt too long.
After three years at that awful boarding school, Mary was sixteen, taller, and absolutely homesick. All she had been taught was handwriting and being pretty.
"A proper lady speaks softly, walks quietly, and uses her modesty," Mistress Prudence had admonished the girl. "And you do not show any of these womanly qualities!" In response, Mary had rolled her eyes.
Bursting through the heavy wooden doors, Mary ran smack into someone. "Martha!" she cried joyfully.
The maid hugged her. "Miss Mary, you home? For real?"
"Yes, Martha!" Mary shouted. "I'm home!" Peering around Martha's shoulder, she scanned the hallway. "Where's Colin and Dickon?"
"Master Colin is out, Miss Mary. Me brother's in the garden."
Grabbing her coat, Mary snatched her satchel full of seed packets and raced back through the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Running through the pathways, Mary twisted her hip length hair into a bun. Creeping up to the garden door, she snuck in.
Peeking around the holly hedge, Mary saw a tall lad bending over a patch of crocus sproutlings. Standing quickly, he moved with strong, striding grace.
She was unable to restrain herself. "Dickon!" she screamed, excited at being in the wonderous garden once more.
Straightening, Dickon looked up. "Mary?" Dropping his shovel, he ran up to her. "Mary!" Stopping right before he hit her, his handsome face blushed. "Miss, what are you wearing?"
Looking down at herself, Mary turned pink also. "Oh, nevermind that." She wrapped her coat over the low neckline. "I brought more seeds, from that awful place!"
"Come on then, lets go plant them!"
Mary smirked. "Gotta go change." She pointed to her covered chest. "I didn't do washing, so I had to come home in this."
Agreeing, the boy casually sauntered to the left, then grabbed her wrist. "Too bad!" he yelled gleefully, dragging her with him down the garden's center path.
Mary shrieked, writhing playfully and shedding her coat in the process. Her bun fell apart, swinging down to her hips. Tangling her legs in his, the girl effectively tripped him. Falling backwards onto the soft grass, Mary's hands lost hold of the satchel as she thumped on her back. A shower of seeds flew through the air, and they both paused, watching the decending amber droplets.
"That just did the job for us!" Dickon grinned down at her. Tweaking her nose, he froze, his hands on her waist and legs still entangled. His sky blue eyes were wide open, mirroring his shock and...hope?
~~~~~~~~
please r/r! next chapter coming soon!