Mary's Choice
Mary Lenox sat by her window. She was thinking about what she overheard Mrs. Medlock tell her Uncle Archie. "Mary, although only 12, Milord, must start to look for a husband. Milord, you must consider looking for suitors."
Mary couldn't see her uncle's face, or hear his response, if he said one. "How could anyone think that a 12 year old should marry?" Mary thought. It seemed, unthinkable, absolutely unthinkable.
However, that got Mary thinking. She was going to get married one day, wasn't she? But, whenever she thought about marriage, she thought of Dickon. The only one she even thought of telling this too was Martha. She eventually told her, but it took a while.
"I thin', Miss Mary, that thou art too youn'. An' I also thin', that tha'rt fallin' fo' Dickon."
"Am I?" asked Mary.
"Sounds like it Miss Mary." Answered Martha
"You know, Martha, Collin has also fallen for me. Two years ago he asked me to marry him."
"He did!? But, you're cosines!"
"That's what I told him. He said he didn't care, he just wanted us to always be together."
As the two chatted, they were unaware that Collin, and an apprehensive Dickon were eavesdropping. They were standing behind Mary's secret door behind the tapestry. It was Collin's idea, for he noticed his cosine acting strange lately. Dickon noticed two, but he didn't want to spy.
Dickon and Collin were sitting in their garden waiting for Marry. They had just finished eavesdropping on her and Martha. They were pondering what they heard.
"I wonder why Medlock would want Miss Mary to be engaged at such a youn' age?" Dickon asked.
"That's society today. Marry young and rich." Answered Collin. "To be honest, I still want to marry Mary, even though we're cosines and young."
"I thought that she said you were just close family, Master Collin?" said Dickon.
"She did. She also said she was falling for you."
"Yea. She is wonderful lass."
After a few minutes of talking, it was clear that both boys had fallen for Mary. They didn't like having to compete for Mary's romantic love. Before they could have an actual fight, Mary came in. The boys decided not to talk about their romantic feelings for fear that it would make Mary mad.
Mary eventually found out though. Ben Weatherstaff had been listening to the boys that day. He decided to tell Mary as soon as possible. Mary was furious!
"How dare people talk about who I should marry behind my back!" Mary shouted!
"It's a shame Miss." Ben said.
"Those two pigs are going hear about this!"
And hear it they did. Mary stormed into the Garden and told them what she knew. Collin and Dickon were speechless. They did their best to apologize, but Mary wouldn't hear it. She stormed out of the Garden and into the Moors. The boys followed her, all the while calling out to her.
When they reached her, Dickon said, "We did no' mean to make ye mad Mary."
"It's true, and the eavesdropping was entirely my idea." Said Collin.
"Really Mr. Rajah?" Mary angerly replied.
"Yes, we did it because, well you were acting so strange. We had to know why." Collin said.
"We were worried abou' thee." Said Dickon.
"You could've just asked me." Said Mary.
"That's wha' I said." Said Dickon.
"No you didn't." said Collin.
"Yea, I did." Said Dickon.
"Well I know, that this has all been a bunch of nonsense!" said Mary, "I should be allowed to choose for myself!"
"And so thee shall." Said Dickon and Collin at once. Collin and Mary were fluent in English and Yorkshire.
After that it was decided that the three of them would remain friends, and Mary alone would choose who she would marry. It was entirely her choice, of when and who she would choose her boyfriend and future husband.