The next morning, I set out from their hole, thanking the Bolger's
profusely for their hospitality, and wishing their garden the best of reaps
in the Shire, as was the custom.
When I reached Number 5 Tuckland Lane, Ruby ran out to greet me.
"Oh, Diamond. Hurry, hurry! Mrs Teagrass surely has your dress done by now, and Emm is in a fit. She was not happy with your running off last night. Says you've gone and gotten yourself pregnant, just to make yourself unapproachable to the good and decent sirs who desire your acquaintance. I knew you would never break your vow, but now, more than ever, do we need to leave the house.
"You can't imagine how I regret leaving Basil and Clover with their stupid mother. Angelica is gone, too. Her father took her on a day-trip this morning, and they won't be back until nightfall. But those poor, poor girls. Em will not rest until you are properly married, and I would see to it that you are not. But what am I to do? I am just your sister, not the Thain himself, who would see you married properly as well. So what do we do? We go get your dress, and hope for the best. What are you standing there for? Em will find us and have our heads!" She grabbed my arm, and together, we hiked our skirts up and ran down the path that I had just came from. I smiled to myself, thinking about how Ruby reminded me of Estel, in happier moods.
Mrs Teagrass had indeed, finished my dress. I waited until I was home to wear it for the first time, for modesty's sake.
Were it not pink, it would have looked lovely. My dress flowed out in a small train that had a tendency to flow behind me when I walked. My bodice was laced up tightly over a white underdress that revealed where the gaps in the lacing were, and a white sash was wrapped around my waist. My neckline dropped quite a bit, although it wasn't revealing, which was more than fine for me. My sleeves stopped at where my elbows bent, so that was a bit uncomfortable, but the silk flared out, draping my lower arms. Every hem on my body was lined in white lace, and I must admit, with the wreath of white roses draping over my auburn ringlets, I looked like a princess.
"Lovely. You are more lovely than I ever could have thought, Sister." Ruby's formality shocked me. She sounded so sad, and I could tell why, simply by looking in the mirror.
I was beautiful. Ruby had told me that the day before, when she had wheedled me into having this dress made. I didn't see it then, but I saw it now. My thin, arched eyebrows accented my large, round, dark eyes. My nose, a perfect patrician that arched up like a "a little mountain on the other side of the valley" as Mother had said. My mouth was small, and delicate, and my face was pale, except for my blooming, soft skin on my cheeks. I looked at plain Ruby, and I realized how right she was. "Oh, Ruby. Please," I begged, although I knew not for what. She hugged me, and whispered in my ear, "please, revoke the vow. Please, you could find your fate so much happier. Consider it, please?" I almost nodded. Almost! But I realized that revoking a vow such as that for no substantial reason was not good enough. I needed a reason. A good, valid reason, or else I would do no such thing; No matter how my heart ached, my head stubbornly refused.
I shook my head. Ruby sighed audibly, and put her hand on my shoulder.
"Diamond, don't do this to yourself. Do you see how happy Oliver and Estella are? Do you see how happy Em has become? Do you want to torment yourself like this?" Ruby's voice dripped of tears, and her eyes scared me. They were frightened, like a deer's, but almost as mad as Farmer Maggot's dog Fang when a trespasser has been caught on his master's property.
Ruby's pleas tore at my heart. I wanted so badly to say yes, I would revoke everything I had tolerated for fifteen years of my life. It would have been so simple for Ruby, and even steadfast Estel, but not me. A simple "I do" had gotten me into this predicament, so why couldn't an "I don't" get me out? I wanted so badly to accept. My heart wanted to, it yearned to. I couldn't and it tore my insides up.
"No, no, please, no," I begged- pleaded nearly. "Don't tell me to. I want to stay lonely and miserable forever," I dropped to my knees, sobbing violently. I shook my head in my hands. My hair fell down around my eyes, and my garland fell off of my head. but I didn't care.
"Oh, Diamond. I am so sorry. I was selfish to bring you to the Well, and have you say that vow. I wanted you to stay alone, like I knew I would be. I wanted you to stay a little girl forever. Please forgive me. Forgive me by revoking the vow!"
Why couldn't I do this? It was as if a hidden spirit within me refused to allow my body and mind to do what it so badly wanted to. There was nothing I could find within me that was restraining me, but I couldn't bring myself to revoke anything.
"Ruby," I struggled, "I will revoke the vow only if- NO!" A cry escaped my lips, and my eyes grew wider. What had I done? What was possessing me to do this?
"Why can't I say yes, Ruby?" I cried, despondently.
"I don't know," she shook her head.
"Ruby, try to revoke your vow." I asked, on a whim. My mind had been working furiously, and I had thought of an idea.
"I will revoke- revo- re, I can't do this, Diamond." In spite of myself, I smiled grimly.
"We cannot. We are bound to this vow," I sobbed, and Ruby hugged me to her bosom. A surge of feelings merged within me. I was angry at Ruby for tricking me into ruining my life at the Well, but I loved my sister.
I hugged her back.
When I reached Number 5 Tuckland Lane, Ruby ran out to greet me.
"Oh, Diamond. Hurry, hurry! Mrs Teagrass surely has your dress done by now, and Emm is in a fit. She was not happy with your running off last night. Says you've gone and gotten yourself pregnant, just to make yourself unapproachable to the good and decent sirs who desire your acquaintance. I knew you would never break your vow, but now, more than ever, do we need to leave the house.
"You can't imagine how I regret leaving Basil and Clover with their stupid mother. Angelica is gone, too. Her father took her on a day-trip this morning, and they won't be back until nightfall. But those poor, poor girls. Em will not rest until you are properly married, and I would see to it that you are not. But what am I to do? I am just your sister, not the Thain himself, who would see you married properly as well. So what do we do? We go get your dress, and hope for the best. What are you standing there for? Em will find us and have our heads!" She grabbed my arm, and together, we hiked our skirts up and ran down the path that I had just came from. I smiled to myself, thinking about how Ruby reminded me of Estel, in happier moods.
Mrs Teagrass had indeed, finished my dress. I waited until I was home to wear it for the first time, for modesty's sake.
Were it not pink, it would have looked lovely. My dress flowed out in a small train that had a tendency to flow behind me when I walked. My bodice was laced up tightly over a white underdress that revealed where the gaps in the lacing were, and a white sash was wrapped around my waist. My neckline dropped quite a bit, although it wasn't revealing, which was more than fine for me. My sleeves stopped at where my elbows bent, so that was a bit uncomfortable, but the silk flared out, draping my lower arms. Every hem on my body was lined in white lace, and I must admit, with the wreath of white roses draping over my auburn ringlets, I looked like a princess.
"Lovely. You are more lovely than I ever could have thought, Sister." Ruby's formality shocked me. She sounded so sad, and I could tell why, simply by looking in the mirror.
I was beautiful. Ruby had told me that the day before, when she had wheedled me into having this dress made. I didn't see it then, but I saw it now. My thin, arched eyebrows accented my large, round, dark eyes. My nose, a perfect patrician that arched up like a "a little mountain on the other side of the valley" as Mother had said. My mouth was small, and delicate, and my face was pale, except for my blooming, soft skin on my cheeks. I looked at plain Ruby, and I realized how right she was. "Oh, Ruby. Please," I begged, although I knew not for what. She hugged me, and whispered in my ear, "please, revoke the vow. Please, you could find your fate so much happier. Consider it, please?" I almost nodded. Almost! But I realized that revoking a vow such as that for no substantial reason was not good enough. I needed a reason. A good, valid reason, or else I would do no such thing; No matter how my heart ached, my head stubbornly refused.
I shook my head. Ruby sighed audibly, and put her hand on my shoulder.
"Diamond, don't do this to yourself. Do you see how happy Oliver and Estella are? Do you see how happy Em has become? Do you want to torment yourself like this?" Ruby's voice dripped of tears, and her eyes scared me. They were frightened, like a deer's, but almost as mad as Farmer Maggot's dog Fang when a trespasser has been caught on his master's property.
Ruby's pleas tore at my heart. I wanted so badly to say yes, I would revoke everything I had tolerated for fifteen years of my life. It would have been so simple for Ruby, and even steadfast Estel, but not me. A simple "I do" had gotten me into this predicament, so why couldn't an "I don't" get me out? I wanted so badly to accept. My heart wanted to, it yearned to. I couldn't and it tore my insides up.
"No, no, please, no," I begged- pleaded nearly. "Don't tell me to. I want to stay lonely and miserable forever," I dropped to my knees, sobbing violently. I shook my head in my hands. My hair fell down around my eyes, and my garland fell off of my head. but I didn't care.
"Oh, Diamond. I am so sorry. I was selfish to bring you to the Well, and have you say that vow. I wanted you to stay alone, like I knew I would be. I wanted you to stay a little girl forever. Please forgive me. Forgive me by revoking the vow!"
Why couldn't I do this? It was as if a hidden spirit within me refused to allow my body and mind to do what it so badly wanted to. There was nothing I could find within me that was restraining me, but I couldn't bring myself to revoke anything.
"Ruby," I struggled, "I will revoke the vow only if- NO!" A cry escaped my lips, and my eyes grew wider. What had I done? What was possessing me to do this?
"Why can't I say yes, Ruby?" I cried, despondently.
"I don't know," she shook her head.
"Ruby, try to revoke your vow." I asked, on a whim. My mind had been working furiously, and I had thought of an idea.
"I will revoke- revo- re, I can't do this, Diamond." In spite of myself, I smiled grimly.
"We cannot. We are bound to this vow," I sobbed, and Ruby hugged me to her bosom. A surge of feelings merged within me. I was angry at Ruby for tricking me into ruining my life at the Well, but I loved my sister.
I hugged her back.