Chapter 4

"Aye, Mary. That I do…"

Mary was getting ready for bed when she saw it...

She had been admiring her beautiful roses and gently kissing the petals.

She had been thinking of how kind Colin had turned out; compared to the horrid, sickly child he was before. Though he did have his moments of pure selfishness and tantrums, he was kinder, sweeter, more gentle. She noticed how he no longer barked out orders to his staff instead he asked them kindly, even adding a 'please' and 'thank you'.

Just as these thoughts went through her mind, she turned around and saw the piece of parchment sticking out from beneath the heavy layers of blankets of her bed.

Her left eyebrow shot upward as she picked the parchment up and saw that it was a sheet of paper folded neatly in half. When she turned it over and she saw her own name printed broadly on the crisp parchment.

"That's strange; Colin writes, he hates to print… The only boy I know who uses print is Dickon, but he's already left." Her features grew mournful as she slowly peeled the parchment opened.

What she saw printed inside had made her heart leap up to her throat and her blood boil with absolute rage.

Colin had lied to her about the roses…

As her eyes swept across the page, her rage began to ebb away until only sorrow and regret was left. Her knees trembled before they could no longer bear her weight and crumbled, slamming against the hardwooden floor, brusing painfully. Yet, Mary did not notice. Her fingers clutched the parchment tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force as her body shook with sobs.

Dear Miss Mary,

I write this note because I am a coward. I cannot tell you this in person because my throat clogs up as soon as you glance my way with those beautiful eyes of yours and my palms go sweaty as soon as you say my name. And so I tell you this by note:

I love you.

I love the way you smile, the way you laugh. I envy the roses you kiss and I envy Colin, I envy him not for his wealth, but because he could be there for you wherever you may be and give you the things I only wish I could. I envy the garden you love; I envy the animals you hug. You, my sweet rose, mean more to me than the beautiful moor itself.

I Wish you understood that it was you who brought my beloved moor to life. As a boy I would run and jump and laugh in the moor, but as I grew older I realized that I felt so lonely. My brothers and sisters were never one to be out as long as I and that left the animals as my only companion, but I wanted more than the animals…

But then you came into my life and showed me the true meaning of friendship. Do you know that I still remember the first time we met as though it was only yesterday? I remember every detail and even then I saw you beautiful, despite your scowl and fiery look. I remember your glee from getting those seeds and tools. You listened so intently at the instructions I gave you, making notes in the precious little head of yours.

It was then I knew that you were the only one for me… Well, back then I thought you were the perfect best friend for me, but as our time together grew on, I realized that you were truly the only person who could make my heart soar.

I may only be a commoner and my love for you is highly forbidden, but I don't care. I never did as a child and I never will as an adult. I know that it's proper for you to marry Colin, but would you be happy? You told me yourself that he was a never ending chain of boredom… But if you love him, I would not interfere. You deserve happiness.

I wish you the best Miss. Mary.

So that's why I send a 12 roses,

When the last one dies,

My love for you has burned out.

Take care of them, Miss. Mary… They hold my heart.

Love, Dickon Sowerby

The regret, the horrid regret, twisted and churned in her heart as her mind suddenly thought back to all those wonderful, magical times she had spent in Dickon's presence.

She should have told him then and there about how much she had loved him. She should have told him about how much she she treasured and cherished all those memories and that they were what helped her finish her schooling quickly. She should've just old him about everything she held in her heart.

But she hadn't and now she couldn't.

She glanced around the large room and laughed bitterly as she thought of what he had written. He envied Colin because he could give me what he couldn't?

She got up to approach the window, her knees aching from the harsh empact of falling. She flicked up the latch of the window and forced it open, ignoring the freezing air and unforgiving rain from the vicious storm outside.

"You are a fool, Dickon!" She shouted, outraged by his thoughts that had been printed boldly on the parchment she still held. "I don't want all this! I've never cared for wealth! All I need is my garden and you!" She screamed, her tears mingling with the rain as she leaned out the window.

"You stupid, stupid, unbelievably good man!" She sobbed, her voice cracking from the force. The thunder grew louder and the lightning frightingly shot through the sky stricking the ground with fury. "I want nothing but you!"

Her body slid down from her position by the window, her strength leaving her as she sobbed, mumbling angrily to herself.

But after some time her broken heart was filled with a furious rage as another man popped into her foggy mind.

Colin had lied to her and she had fallen for it like a fool. She actually thought Colin had changed! But now she knows he's a lying little ferret and needs to be thought a lesson… He will pay for claiming Dickon's roses as his own gift to her.

Oh, he will pay… sooner or later…


Colin woke up early the next morning with a proud grin on his face.

He didn't have the slightest idea of who it was who had sent those roses, but he was forever grateful to that person for not sending a note with those blasted roses.

He knew he should feel some sort of remorse for his actions, but at the moment he could only feel outmost joy! He awas one step closer towards stealing her heart and then outing her into wedlock where she would be his forever, just like they promised one another when they were children.

Mary would love him sooner or later and if the unknown person continues sending roses he will only gain more and more praises.

Life couldn't have gotten better for Colin at that very moment...


That morning Mary refused to get out of bed. She lay under her covers with heavy purple bags under her eyes and her hair tousled and damp. Her cheeks were blotchy after a full nights cry and sitting on the window, listening to the storms roar, as well as swollen. She had hidden the note under her covers. But kept it held close to her, just above her heart.

Martha came in with her breakfast and was immediately startled over what she saw. She was so used to seeing Mary up and about by this time that it was startling to see her look so horrible.

She had a feeling she knew why…

"Why, Miss Mary! Look at tha! Have thy gotten sick? I do believe this is the firs' time I've ever seen tha look so sick."

Mary lifted her head and looked at Martha with tired, sleepless eyes. "I think so…"

Martha tsked and set the tray down on Mary's bedside table. She leaned over the large bed and placed a hand on Mary's forehead. As soon as Martha's cold hand met Mary's skin she drew it back.

"Oh, dear lord! You're burnin' up a high fever, Miss Mary. You must 'tay in bed for th' day." Martha ran out of the room, leaving a very confused Mary behind. Mary propped herself up using her elbows for leverage and stared at the door with a question in her eyes.

She soon came back with a bucket of water and a few cloths slung over her arm. She sat the bucket next to the bed and Mary saw ice cubes floating within the bucket's contents. Martha gave her no explanation. She dipped one of the cloths into the bucket, pulled it out and squeezed the water out of it.

When Martha was done with that she spun around and pushed Mary onto her back. Too weak to protest, Mary allowed it. Martha was then quick to lay the towel on top of Mary's forehead, which made Mary wince but sigh in relief.

The freezing cloth cooled her fever and she felt so much better.

Mary closed her eyes and enjoyed the soothing powers of the cloth.

"How's tha feelin' now?" Martha asked as she held a new dampened cloth in her hand and began stroking Mary's blotched cheeks with it.

"Much better. Thank you, Martha. What would I have done without you?" Mary opened one eye and gave Martha a small smile.

Martha blushed and smiled widely back. "Eh! t'was nothin', Miss. I'm merely doin' mi job! You shoulda seen lil Elizabeth when she was sick! The lil lass was as sick as a dog! Always retching up everything we could stuff down her throat."

Mary shook her head and re-closed her eye. Relaxing under Martha's gentle touch with the cool rag. "You are much more than a maid to me, Martha. I hope you know that."

Martha smiled fondly down at the girl. It made her heart swell at hearing Mary tell her those things.

Mary was a beautiful girl and Martha had been there to see her beauty bloom. Mary was a sister to her now. Hopefully Dickon would man up and claim her as his own soon.

"Aye, Mary. That I do…"


Disclaimer: Oh, the story is up for sale?! I gotta place a bid!... Wait... It was withdrawn... Dammit all I still own nothing!