Prologue – "Across the lawn came the Master of Misselthwaite, and he looked as many of them had never seen him. And by his side with his head up in the air and his eyes full of laughter walked as strongly and steadily as any boy in Yorkshire – Master Colin!"
Chapter 1 – Time Flies (Summer 1911 – Summer 1913)
The next two years passed quickly and happily for the residents of Misselthwaite and its surrounding environs. The halls and gardens of Misselthwaite Manor, once so dark and gloomy, were now bright with sunshine and rang with the laughter of children. Mary was no long a pinched and sour little thing, but a bright young girl with spirit and laughter in her soul. Colin was no longer a cranky invalid, but an active and adventurous boy. Even Master Craven had changed, as he now remained in Yorkshire a majority of the time, with a soft smile on his lips and a spring in his step.
Most importantly, Archibald Craven took an active interest in the lives of his niece and son. He ate with them, laughed with them, and even tended the garden with them. But he also decided it was high time he took an interest in their future, as he now expected Colin to live a long and full life, which also made him realize he would need to make preparations for Mary's future as well.
So although the children protested, Archibald Craven set forth to find a proper governess for them both. In the end, he secured the services of a Jane Rhys-Davies, a highly educated young woman who he felt could handle the learning needs of both her young charges. Since neither Mary nor Colin had been a willing scholar in the past, their education had been spotty at best, downright dismal at worst. Miss Rhys-Davies had her work cut out for them, especially since Mr. Craven had confided he wanted Colin to be able to enter Eton when he turned thirteen. That gave poor Ms. Rhys-Davies only two short years to catch Colin up to boys who had spent years having knowledge drilled into their heads.
Mary's needs were not so pressing, as she was only expected to attend a finishing school, where the academic standards were not so lofty. However, Mary had a competitive spirit and she did not want to fall behind her cousin in their lessons. Neither would Miss Rhys-Davies allow her to, as Miss Rhys-Davies did not go along with the common belief that a woman's brain was any less capable of rational thought than that of a man. Having been unable to pursue a course of study at a university was particularly galling to the brilliant young woman, so she had vowed never to hold back one of her own students just because of their gender.
There was one other, completely unexpected student in their little school. Dickon also became Miss Rhys-Davies student. This unprecedented event happened in the most mundane and simple of ways. On the first day of lessons, Miss Rhys-Davies awaited her charges in the library. They were ten minutes late, and Miss Rhys-Davies was more than a little put out. She had tutored the children of wealthy families for over a decade, and she was well aware of how spoilt and impertinent some of them could be. Then she heard the sounds of childish laughter in the distance.
Peering out the door and down the hallway, she witnessed Mary, Colin, and Dickon engaged in a highly physical game of tag. She was quite surprised to see the pair of well dressed children engaged in such rough and tumble play, but even more so at the sight of a child who was so obviously from the lower classes playing as an equal.
"Ahem!" she cleared her throat and the children froze like statues. "You must be Master Colin and Miss Mary."
"Oh no, we're late aren't we?" Mary all but wailed.
"Yes, but we can go in, get started, and still get off on the right foot," Miss Rhys-Davies said to them.
"Um…I suppose I should leave thee to tha' lessons," said Dickon quietly. There was something in the way he said it, so heart breakingly sadly, that tugged at Miss Rhys-Davies' own heart.
"Perhaps you could come in and keep these two company while they learn their lessons," she offered him. Dickon's already round blue eyes grew even rounder when he heard this. He had assumed a governess would chase him off if he attempted to stay for lessons. But he had to admit that he was curious to see what learning with a governess would be like. So he shyly followed them into the library and took as seat a good ways back from the proceedings.
For the next hour, Miss Rhys Davis quizzed Mary and Colin in grammar, sums, spelling, geography, and history. Although both were behind in all subjects, they were not as far backward as she feared, and both seemed bright and willing to learn. After finishing her assessment , she began with some basic lessons and then assigned reading for the evening. When she dismissed her charges for the day, Colin cried "Race you to the garden, Mary," before speeding out of the room.
"Colin Craven, you cheat," Mary cried, running after him and unwittingly knocking several books off the table by the door as she sped out of the room. Miss Rhys-Davies went to go pick them up, but Dickon was faster and beat her there. Still, she knelt to help him.
"Thank you, Dickon," she said to him as he helped her pile the books back on the table.
"Aye, glad ta be helpful. An' I wish to thank thee for tha lessons," he said softly.
"You enjoyed?" asked Miss Rhys-Davies.
"Aye, tha I did. I's too long since I studied," he told her.
"You don't go to school?" asked Miss Rhys-Davies, horrified that a boy his age was not in some sort of a classroom.
"Aye. I've learned my letters and my sums, so t'was time to start earning my keep. I'm an under gardener here at Misselthwaite."
'Would you like to learn more?" she asked.
He looked shocked to be asked, but nodded his head and smiled softly. His keen blue eyes sparkled so at the idea of further schooling, that Miss Rhys-Davies obtained permission from Mr. Craven to add Dickon to her small class. Her request took him by surprise, but he had a soft spot for the lad who had done so much for his own son, and since he and his family were to proud to take an financial gifts he would offer them as thanks for that, the least he could do was provide an education to allow Dickon a chance to better himself.
So most mornings, Mary and Colin rose, dressed, and ate an early breakfast with Mr. Craven. Then they took a short exercise time in the main gardens, running, skipping, and hopping so that Colin could continue to build his strength and stay healthy. Dickon would work all this time in the gardens or the stables, then join them when they went to their lessons. They would break for lunch, have another set of lessons, then spend the rest of the afternoon in their Garden, tending to it and enjoying the Magic they shared together. Then, Dickon would return to his work and Mary and Colin would clean up and join Mr. Craven for dinner. Evenings were spent reading, doing additional assigned schoolwork, and playing games.
The children's' minds were not dissimilar to the flowers in The Garden, and under Miss Rhys-Davies' tender ministrations, they blossomed. Colin excelled at all things logical, such as mathematics and grammar, extending from his love of puzzles and riddles. He also enjoyed Miss Rhys-Davies introducing him to sciences, such as Botany and Astronomy. Mary was a brilliant speller, and she adored Geography, History, and Literature. She excelled in these areas partly due to her being so well traveled compared to her companions, but also due to loving to read.
But the real surprise was Dickon. Dickon turned out to have a far keener mind than Miss Rhys-Davies anticipated and he absorbed knowledge like a sponge. Whether it was math or history or botany, Dickon was often the first to catch on to a new concept. And Dickon turned out to have a gift for writing. His essays were so beautifully written, it amazed Miss Rhys-Davies to realize they were written by a child. Dickon had a gift for the written language. Yes, his handwriting was atrocious and he was never the best of spellers. But his way with words was well beyond his age level. It was simply astounding.
Life was busy and joyful at Misselthwaite Manor. The only thing that loomed over the heads of the youngsters who lived there was boarding school. All of them knew the day would soon come where Colin and Mary would be sent away. And no amount of begging or arguments would convince Mr. Craven otherwise. So the happy and peaceful life they knew came to an end in the fall of 1913, when Colin left Misselthwaite for Eton and Mary left Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Girls.
Dickon watched sadly as his friends rode off in the carriage and away to worlds he would never know. Posh boarding schools were not options for a lad such as himself. He was already far better educated than anyone else in all of Thwaite, save Reverend Chaucer, Dr. Craven, or Lawyer Wilson. And he intended to continue studying alone. Although Miss Rhys-Davies also left, before she did she prepared a plan of study for Dickon to use over the next several years. And Mr. Craven kindly agreed to lend him the books he needed from his own library. But it wouldn't be the same without Colin and Mary to study and play with. Especially Mary, Dickon thought to himself. He sighed, knowing it would be a long six years until she returned to Misselthwaite for good.