Title: a little adventure
Pairing: Mary/Colin
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The Secret Garden is the property of Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Summary: The Great Escape.
A/N: Mm. I'm in a strange mood and I needed something light-hearted to distract me. This little story is an off-shoot from Body Science, but I'd forgotten all about it until Sin and I did a dead fic swap a few months or so ago and a spark of life came back to my muse. I know it sort of reads weirdly, backwards and forwards. Meh.
It was early in the morning when Mary and Colin left their sleeping wardens behind. Winking at his cousin as they stole out the servant door and into the trimmed hedges, Colin led the way, the iron key swinging from his pointer finger. No one would see them this early. Even the robin was still dreaming in his nest.
As the tall towers disappeared from their sight, the two children kicked up their heels and raced each other; shoulders bumping, edging forward an inch, falling back a step. Neither won for there was a heavily packed picnic basket to think about, but the two grinned til their mouths hurt and their laughter rang out, unfettered. It was good to be free and young.
---
Mary had stubbornly insisted to Colin the night before (right after their grand production of the Rajah and the Tiger) that she wanted to plant lilies by the duck pond. Thus the two had plotted, and when the grandfather clock tolled the curfew, they submitted to separating and with one last excited, shared gaze, were tucked into bed by Martha, to wait for the next dawn.
Before there was light on the Moor to stir him, Colin had woken up to someone pinching his nose and giggling frightfully. After a quick tantrum at Mary, (which she didn't believe whatsoever, for it only lasted a pout and a glare) he buttoned up a coat, dragged on some thick socks and the two had stolen down to the kitchens to liberate a picnic basket from the cupboards.
Cook was out the back, taking herbs from the tiny plot that was hers, so the two had helped themselves. Being quiet had been a big problem however as Colin had looked so frightful eating a cooling macaroon that Mary couldn't help but stuff her fist in her mouth. As Colin disappeared into the ivy, unlocking their special door and crooking her inwards, Mary skipped a bit higher and her mouth widened, a giggle still lingering. Simply remembering the shocked gasp on Colin's face, (the macaroon had burnt his tongue) made her feel warm inside.
---
Now it was much later – the dragonflies had been swallowed by frogs for lunch and the robin had carried off two worms for a light meal - and Mary still didn't feel like leaving. No one had disturbed them yet and the smell of the purple heather and gorse was too divine to get up and walk away from. She'd even packed one of her treasures, a small stub of candlewax, that could be lit when the sun fell down behind the hillside. Content that she'd planned for everything, Mary closed her eyes and let out a little sigh.
Neither had said much all afternoon, deciding instead to either whisper or not talk at all in the garden. It still felt wrong if they raised their voices too loud, though it had been five years since the door had first been discovered. It was only after lunch that they'd gotten louder, with Mary laughing when some clotted cream got on Colin's nose. She'd swiped it off with a finger before sticking it into her mouth for a taste.
Colin had laughed but the look he'd given afterward was something different. It was a warm different. Mary had stubbornly pushed it into the back of her head. She'd worry about it later. It was heavenly here.
