From Emma to Mary
August 23, 1916
Peter's Ridge
Mary,
Ooh! A handsome chimney sweep! He does sound like a funny, friendly sort of person. I think I would like him. Just think "rakishly handsome blue eyes and black hair". If I were unmarried, he would get both a sigh and a swoon from me. Does he affect you in such a way, dear sister? Oh, I hope so! I desperately want you to fall in love, just like I did. I renew my previous wishes; please fall in love and get married.
I want nieces and nephews,
Emma
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From Mary to Emma
August 24, 1916
The Silver Bird Inn
Emma,
I saw him again. I don't know about falling in love, but I was definitely glad to see him. I had decided to take a walk around the city, just to see the sights (I've been told London is a wonderful place) and I was nearing Big Ben when he nearly ran over me. He called out that he was going to run into me, but I didn't move quick enough. Bert swerved his bike just in the nick of time. I really thought he was going to run over me! I was catching my breath, and he stopped his bike, turned around and grinned at me. Only then did it hit me that he could have easily avoided me, but he couldn't pass up playing a joke! I was quite annoyed with him, so I walked off without a glance in his direction. Bert quickly caught up to me, though, and he rode quietly next to me until I stopped walking.
"Bert," I said "I'm not going to speak to you until you apologize for your ungentlemanly behavior." I was serious, and he could tell, but I know that another joke was on the tip of his tongue. I'm glad he kept it in. Bert leaned his bike against a lamp post, and took my gloved hands in his.
"I'm mighty sorry, Mary, for scaring the living daylights outta you." He wasn't smiling, but his eyes held a mischievous twinkle that proved he was still laughing inside. I looked him straight in the eyes and said "Bert, you do not want to earn my ire. Believe me when I say it." He smiled.
"What could little Mary Poppins do?" I raised a single brow and said nothing. Then, I simply looked at his bike, and told it (in my head, of course) to rush to the nearest neighborhood as fast as possible. Bert watched his bike dumbfoundedly as it sped, of its own accord, across the street and out of sight. He stared at the place the bike had gone, and then turned to me. He didn't say anything, just watched me in amazement. I began to realize that I probably should have kept my magic to myself, or the entire world would easily find out. I started to turn away from him, but he grabbed me by the shoulders and asked me how in the world I had done that. I told Bert that we could discuss it while we retrieved his bike (secretly hoping he would forget about it). We walked back in silence, and I was regretting showing him the hidden side of me. At last, we found his bike. Bert picked it up and held it, and then he watched me expectantly. I avoided his gaze for a full minute, I would wager, and he never moved.
"Mary," Bert said, in a slightly accusatory tone. I finally met his eyes, and I'm sure mine betrayed the fear I was desperately trying to hide. I was afraid he'd pester me and find out what I really was, an Ethereal. We really are not supposed to mingle with humans (as you know, dear Emma) but I had no choice. We are taught at a young age that humans would exploit our magic, if we ever showed it to them. We would be caged and laughed at, maybe even beaten. What a horrible fate. I averted my eyes once again, but Bert turned my face back to his with a finger under my chin.
"Mary," He said softly "If you can't face a lowly chimney sweep, how are you gonna face the world?" I took in a calming breath, his words echoing in my mind.
"Fine. But you must first tell me a secret of your own." I said, my confidence returning in spades. It was then that I decided never to be cowed by my fear. Bert seemed to be able to tell that I was determined, and he played along. "Well," he said "I can't think of a secret of mine fit for a lady's ears." I shoved him, and he laughed. "I'm just pullin' your leg, I'm a perfect gentleman." He bowed low to prove his point. By then we had started walking in the direction of the inn where I am staying. "A secret, Bert," I prodded. "A secret. Let's see… " He thought for a moment. "Ah, I believe I have just the one." After rolling up the sleeve of the arm closest to me, he pointed at a large scar on the inside of his elbow. "That there is from a heroic act I performed." I raised an eyebrow at him. "A little girl was diggin' through the garbage for scraps, and was attacked by a stray cat. Now this cat was no skinny alley cat, it'd been recently abandoned by a wealthy family, and was still very spoiled and healthy. The cat scratched the girl's leg, and I grabbed her before it could bite it off. The cat then bit me so hard that I had to pry it's jaws apart. The girl was safe, and a statue was built in my honor." He finished. I gave Bert a look that conveyed how very fake I thought his story was. "Come on, Mary! Most of it is true! You can't expect me not to fib a little to make myself seem more impressive in the eyes of a pretty lady." I laughed, and then I realized we had reached the Inn. I walked towards the door, hoping Bert had forgotten that I was supposed to tell him my secret. "Not that any Londoners would build a statue for a chimney sweep." I heard him murmur under his breath. I said goodbye to him, and he returned it. He had forgotten! But my triumph was swallowed by thoughts of his haunted comment, and I walked inside in a very pensive mood. I wonder if he was born a chimney sweep, or if he wasn't. Would you research the London records for Herbert Alfred? (Remember that's Bert's real name.)
Love,
Mary
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From Bert to Mary
August 25, 1916
The Charity Apartments
Dear Mary Poppins,
Did you really think I would let you get away without telling me your secret? I felt like an imbecile when I realized you had gone inside.
Sincerely,
Bert
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From Mary to Bert
August 27, 1916
The Silver Bird Inn
Dear Bert,
Haha! I was triumphant when you let me slip away. Now, Bert, you simply cannot expect me to tell you all of my secrets. So I will just tell you one bit at a time. The first thing you must know is that I am not from here. Not from Earth, I mean. I am what you would call an alien. But I do not have green skin or speak a different language, as you know. That is all I will tell you at the moment, but I must ask you to tell me another secret if you wish to know more of me. I am supposed to be very secretive.
Warily,
Mary Poppins
P.S. Why do you insist on calling me by my full name? I thought we were all supposed to call each other "Mr." and "Miss".
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From Bert to Mary
August 29, 1916
The Charity Apartments
Dear Mary Poppins,
Do you really want me to call you "Miss Poppins"? That sounds too formal for the likes of me (and it is "Miss", not "Mrs."? You aren't married, right?). Wow. A real-life alien? Where are you from, then? Jupiter? Oh, I guess I'll have to tell you another secret, or else you won't give me an answer. Here, I'll tell you this. I wasn't born a chimney sweep.
With some confusion,
Bert
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