This story is almost a year old! I started writing it in April last year, and always promised that i would get around to finishing it one day. Well, here it is - not finished as such, but at least on the way to becoming something. I've always been curious about Archie's romance with Lilias, and how it came about - oh, and I'm a sucker for tragic love stories, too. So here is my take on how Archie and Lilias fall in love - I hope you like it.

Chapter 3

The journey into London was relatively uneventful.

Archibald Craven, at the experienced age of 26 years, had visited London many times before. He knew the city well – so he thought. As well as any man could know it having spent a greater part of his life there. Of course, unlike most young men, it was the hospitals of London that he knew best of all.

William and Eleanor had spent the entire trip to London in easy conversation, trying to engage him whenever possible. Archie wished that he could converse with such ease, but he was just not used to other people being around. He was not used to making the effort. At Misselthwaite, for the most part, the only people he saw most days were his manservant, Pitcher, and Mrs Medlock. Conversation did not come easy to him, and he had spent his life as a solitary individual.

He vividly remembered his first trip into London as a child. This was, of course, before he had become ill. Before his back had become crooked. Before he had to endure all the stares, and endless whispered comments.

His Mother and Father had taken him around Hyde Park and the Kensington gardens. How he had loved the park! With it's long walkways and beautifully coloured flowers. He recalled how free he had felt, running far ahead of his parents and governess.

Perhaps I could visit the park again, he mused to himself. How he would love to see that symphony of colour again!

His cousin's voice jolted him out of his thoughts, and it was only then that he noticed their train had stopped.

'We're here.' William said gently. 'Come on, Archie, Elaenor. The carriage will be waiting for us.'

'A photographic convention?!' Archie exclaimed excitedly. 'There is a photographic convention here in London?'

They were seated rather comfortably in the parlour of William's Father's town house. Hot tea had just been served, and William had just broke the news to Archie – that the Photographic convention of Great Britain was to be held in the St James Hall, in London.

Archie brushed his long hair away from his forehead in an impatient manner. He had long been interested in photography, and the art of capturing an image forever fascinated him. And to think, that there was to be a convention on photography, right here in London! It seemed too wonderful to be true.

William Craven chuckled at his cousin's excitement, his eyes twinkling as he watched his younger cousin practically devour the pamphlet advertising the convention.

'Well, yes Cousin. I found out about it a while ago from a mutual friend, and thought it was only fitting that we attend, seeing everyone knows your passion for photography.'

'Yes, yes,' his cousin said absently, 'I wonder, do you think they will be showing the latest Kodak camera? Apparently it is able to hold 250 exposures! Why, my camera cannot even hold half that amount!'

William Craven glanced towards his young wife, who was sitting opposite the two young men, a bemused expression on her face.

'Well my dear, what say you to attending a photographic convention tomorrow?'

Eleanor's small smile was agreeable.

Archie read on, blissfully unaware that the convention of the following day would propel his life into directions he'd never dreamed.

As promised by the pamphlet, the convention was host to the most amazing photographic equipment of the modern age.

Archie found himself marvelling at Cameras that could hold multiple exposures, and staring in amazement at the 'motion picture cameras' which had been developed by an entrepreneur of the name 'Thomas Eddison'. Archie could scarcely believe that such a thing was possible – capturing moving pictures – the idea was astounding.

He knew that before the day was out, he would be taking on of those 'moving picture' camera's home to Misselthwaite.

Archie moved to a table of photographs, produced by the latest Kodak camera. A huge crowd jostled about, and Archie awkwardly slid through the crowd, making his way up to the table.

The table was covered with all manner of photographs – from portraits of people from countries he'd never seen, to pictures of landscape, of buildings, animals, and wildlife. A picture of a single rose caught his eye, a rose, which was not black and white, like all the other photographs, but which had amazingly been coloured a deep red

He reached towards it, at the same time as another hand – this one small and glove clad.

He looked up, into the surprised eyes of a young woman.

'Oh, ah, please excuse me.' He mumbled, embarrassed, then lowering his head, offered her the photograph. 'here, please take it.'

'But sir, you did touch the photograph first.' She replied. Her voice was light and musical, with a touch of humor to it. He looked up once again, and found himself staring into the most beautiful and compelling eyes he had ever seen - agate gray in colour, framed by long dark lashes. The young woman was smiling at him, in a rather amused way, and looked as though she was about to break into laughter. He then realised that he'd just been staring at her, while she was patiently waiting with the photograph in her hand. Feeling like a fool, he hastily took it, mumbling his thanks.

'Let me introduce myself', she began, still looking amused. 'My name is Miss Lilias Lawrence. And you are….?'

'Mr Archibald Craven.' He began, feeling his cheeks burning bright red. Could it be possible that this young woman – this beautiful young woman – was actually introducing herself to him?

She offered her hand and he took it, noting how small it felt within his own, and how warm. He shook it, much like he would a man's hand, and she laughed again.

'Very pleased to meet you, Mr Craven. So tell me, do you always come to these conventions intent on browsing through photographs of flowers?'

'I … ah….. I have always had a keen interest in flowers, and I love gardens.' You love gardens? He cursed himself inwardly, good god man, why is it that every time you are around a beautiful woman you can think of nothing sensible to say?

'So I see!' she replied, and he once more noted how melodic her voice sounded, and how he dark eyes lit up when she smiled.

'Here', he said softly, and passed the photograph to her, with trembling hands - even though he had barely looked at it. Her fingers curled around it gently as she took it from him and he watched her as she proceeded to examine it, her face radiant with a childlike wonder.

'Isn't it the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?' she exclaimed drawing in her breath.

'Yes', he agreed, not looking at the picture, but instead at Miss Lilias Lawrence. 'It is'.

Ok, so that is all for now. Please feel free to leave any thoughts you may have on this chapter, or on the chapters that precede it!

Archie is in love! awww... and Lilias will soon be, too - once she gets to know him.

Note - in case you were wondering, colour photography of this nature (where colours are superimposed onto black and white photos) was introduced in the late 1870's. So the photo Archie and Lilias are looking at would have been created using this technique.

I have based Lilias's character on the 1993 movie, in which Lilias and Mary's mother are twins. The book is slightly different - in the book Lilias is Captain Lennox's sister - hence in the book she would have been 'Lilias Lennox' before she married. However, in this story I have devised the fictional surname of 'Lawrence' as in the movie it is Lilias's twin sister who marries Captain Lennox. I hope this helps clarify things.