Chapter Three: Lady Catherine's Intentions
That afternoon, Mary and Colin spent hours in the game room catching up with their grandmother. Colin told her of how he had spent the first ten years of his life in a bed, and then he proceeded to brag about his superior speed he had over Mary and Dickon.
Mary filled in all of the gaps when she explained how she had found Colin shortly after she had been brought to Misselthwaite to live. Then, with enthusiastic voices they told their grandmother all about the Secret Garden and how they had transformed it from a weed infested, hibernating, jungle into a beautiful, lively masterpiece.
Catherine was delighted to hear about the garden, and even more delighted to see that they had such a passion for something.
"Oh, do say you will show me the garden tomorrow." Catherine said hopefully.
"But of course, grandmother." Said Mary. "We'd be delighted."
The afternoon wore on as they told their grandmother of virtually every detail of their lives that had occurred over the past six years. They played board games, as well as card games while they chatted. Mary and Colin were shocked at Catherine's superior card playing skills. Their seventh game was interrupted by the gong of the grandfather clock, which was announcing that it was dinnertime.
Mary and Colin retreated to their respective washrooms to wash up before supper, before heading down the numerous flights of stairs to the dining hall.
"Ah, good evening, children." Lord Craven rose from his chair at the head of the table as they entered the hall.
They took their seats next to their grandmother just as Mrs. Medlock entered the room with a tray of soup. During the meal, Mary and Colin filled Lord Craven in on how they had spent their afternoon with their grandmother. After they had finished their pie and tea, they excused themselves to their room for the evening to do homework and prepare for bed. Catherine became very serious the moment they had left the room.
"Archie, I want to talk to you about Colin and Mary's well being."
"Ah," Lord Craven said dismissively, "I knew there must be something that brought you here. I assure you, Catherine, that the children are very well provided for."
"Archie, honestly." She looked at him with a genuinely concerned expression. "You cannot raise two adolescent teenagers without help."
"Help? I have plenty of help. I have a staff of a hundred or more."
"But Archie, what about Mary? She is becoming a woman. She needs a woman to look up to; a role model; a motherly figure if you will. You don't want her to model her development after a servant do you?" She wrinkled her face and said this last part with a great deal of distaste. At that moment a woman servant was clearing the plates from the table. The young girl looked very offended, and then hurried out of the room
"I happen to think very highly of young Martha. She is a very respectable and intelligent woman; and Mary seems to care a great deal for her."
"Oh, Archie, really. You cannot have your daughter, or your son for that matter, being influenced by a woman of her status. Mary will never learn the proper way for a woman of her elegance and wealth to behave from a servant." Her face wrinkled again. She paused for a moment before going on. "She needs a mother." She finally said in a timid, yet final tone.
Lord Craven looked at her with astonishment and outrage as he stood abruptly. "Absolutely not! What you are insinuating is entirely out of the question." He threw his napkin on the table and turned to walk away.
Catherine rose and hurried after him. "Archie, it's been sixteen years. Its time for you to move on; to think about your future; your children's future."
Lord Craven stopped in his tracks and paused for a moment before turning to walk towards her. He stopped inches in front of her; his expression narrowed. Then, he said in a low growl of a voice that was little more than a whisper, "I said it is out of the question." He articulated each syllable carefully as if he was fighting back the urge to scream. He turned on his heal and walked away.
Catherine yelled after him, "You're being selfish, Archibald. You must think of your children! Don't be a fool!"
He was gone. The same young servant girl had reentered the room to investigate the commotion. Her eyes were fixed on Catherine, and her grave expression was full of fright.
"What are you looking at, girl?" She bellowed at her. "Get back to work before I have you dismissed."
The girl jumped and scurried over to the table, ducking slightly as she passed Catherine as if she were expecting to be hit.
The next morning, Mary and Colin hurried to finish their breakfast as they were anxiously anticipating returning to the garden, as well as showing it to their grandmother.
"Are you going to join us, father?" Colin asked with a hopeful sparkle in his eyes.
Lord Craven, who had been staring down into his porridge, looked up at Colin who was looking expectantly at him. He had not said a work all morning, and had made it a point not to make eye contact with Catherine.
"Uh," he shifted uncomfortably, "I'm afraid I can't today, Colin. Lots of work to do."
Catherine clanked her spoon on the side of her bowl, rather loudly it seemed, as she scooped another spoonful of her porridge.
"But father." Colin started, with tears filling in his eyes. He looked both disappointed and angry.
Lord Craven's heart sank as he saw Colin's expression. "I'm sorry, Colin." And he genuinely looked it. "I'm afraid I've got work to do, rather pressing."
"Work?" Colin all but shouted this. "What work? What do you possibly have to work on?"
"Colin!" Mary cut in, shooting a warning look at her brother. He looked down apologetically.
"I'm sorry, son." Lord craven began again, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "I will come soon. I promise." He looked meaningfully into Colin's eyes and smiled.
"Okay father." Colin leaned over to hug his father, slightly standing to do so. Catherine then stood up and cleared her throat, causing Colin to break off his hug. "Shall we go then" she asked stoutly.
"Yes, Grandmother", Mary and Colin said together.
As they walked outside, and began towards the gardens, Catherine looked around curiously and asked, "Where are our horses?"
"Horses?" Asked Mary. "I though we would walk."
"Oh, nonsense." Catherine said with a nervous smile. "The gardens are much too far to walk, dear."
"But we always..."
"Nonsense, child. You will have the servants fetch us some horses, immediately." She stated firmly to Mary; placing her hands on her hips.
"Yes, grandmother." She said quietly as she turned to walk back into the manor. She couldn't help but feeling hurt.
***
Lord Craven thrashed papers violently off of his desk in a rage. He stood and walked rapidly to the fireplace where he gazed at the picture of his pregnant wife and himself, who were sitting in the swing in the garden. He picked up the picture and pondered it for a moment before setting it carefully back down. He leaned his head on his arm, which was propped against the mantle, and cried.
That afternoon, Mary and Colin spent hours in the game room catching up with their grandmother. Colin told her of how he had spent the first ten years of his life in a bed, and then he proceeded to brag about his superior speed he had over Mary and Dickon.
Mary filled in all of the gaps when she explained how she had found Colin shortly after she had been brought to Misselthwaite to live. Then, with enthusiastic voices they told their grandmother all about the Secret Garden and how they had transformed it from a weed infested, hibernating, jungle into a beautiful, lively masterpiece.
Catherine was delighted to hear about the garden, and even more delighted to see that they had such a passion for something.
"Oh, do say you will show me the garden tomorrow." Catherine said hopefully.
"But of course, grandmother." Said Mary. "We'd be delighted."
The afternoon wore on as they told their grandmother of virtually every detail of their lives that had occurred over the past six years. They played board games, as well as card games while they chatted. Mary and Colin were shocked at Catherine's superior card playing skills. Their seventh game was interrupted by the gong of the grandfather clock, which was announcing that it was dinnertime.
Mary and Colin retreated to their respective washrooms to wash up before supper, before heading down the numerous flights of stairs to the dining hall.
"Ah, good evening, children." Lord Craven rose from his chair at the head of the table as they entered the hall.
They took their seats next to their grandmother just as Mrs. Medlock entered the room with a tray of soup. During the meal, Mary and Colin filled Lord Craven in on how they had spent their afternoon with their grandmother. After they had finished their pie and tea, they excused themselves to their room for the evening to do homework and prepare for bed. Catherine became very serious the moment they had left the room.
"Archie, I want to talk to you about Colin and Mary's well being."
"Ah," Lord Craven said dismissively, "I knew there must be something that brought you here. I assure you, Catherine, that the children are very well provided for."
"Archie, honestly." She looked at him with a genuinely concerned expression. "You cannot raise two adolescent teenagers without help."
"Help? I have plenty of help. I have a staff of a hundred or more."
"But Archie, what about Mary? She is becoming a woman. She needs a woman to look up to; a role model; a motherly figure if you will. You don't want her to model her development after a servant do you?" She wrinkled her face and said this last part with a great deal of distaste. At that moment a woman servant was clearing the plates from the table. The young girl looked very offended, and then hurried out of the room
"I happen to think very highly of young Martha. She is a very respectable and intelligent woman; and Mary seems to care a great deal for her."
"Oh, Archie, really. You cannot have your daughter, or your son for that matter, being influenced by a woman of her status. Mary will never learn the proper way for a woman of her elegance and wealth to behave from a servant." Her face wrinkled again. She paused for a moment before going on. "She needs a mother." She finally said in a timid, yet final tone.
Lord Craven looked at her with astonishment and outrage as he stood abruptly. "Absolutely not! What you are insinuating is entirely out of the question." He threw his napkin on the table and turned to walk away.
Catherine rose and hurried after him. "Archie, it's been sixteen years. Its time for you to move on; to think about your future; your children's future."
Lord Craven stopped in his tracks and paused for a moment before turning to walk towards her. He stopped inches in front of her; his expression narrowed. Then, he said in a low growl of a voice that was little more than a whisper, "I said it is out of the question." He articulated each syllable carefully as if he was fighting back the urge to scream. He turned on his heal and walked away.
Catherine yelled after him, "You're being selfish, Archibald. You must think of your children! Don't be a fool!"
He was gone. The same young servant girl had reentered the room to investigate the commotion. Her eyes were fixed on Catherine, and her grave expression was full of fright.
"What are you looking at, girl?" She bellowed at her. "Get back to work before I have you dismissed."
The girl jumped and scurried over to the table, ducking slightly as she passed Catherine as if she were expecting to be hit.
The next morning, Mary and Colin hurried to finish their breakfast as they were anxiously anticipating returning to the garden, as well as showing it to their grandmother.
"Are you going to join us, father?" Colin asked with a hopeful sparkle in his eyes.
Lord Craven, who had been staring down into his porridge, looked up at Colin who was looking expectantly at him. He had not said a work all morning, and had made it a point not to make eye contact with Catherine.
"Uh," he shifted uncomfortably, "I'm afraid I can't today, Colin. Lots of work to do."
Catherine clanked her spoon on the side of her bowl, rather loudly it seemed, as she scooped another spoonful of her porridge.
"But father." Colin started, with tears filling in his eyes. He looked both disappointed and angry.
Lord Craven's heart sank as he saw Colin's expression. "I'm sorry, Colin." And he genuinely looked it. "I'm afraid I've got work to do, rather pressing."
"Work?" Colin all but shouted this. "What work? What do you possibly have to work on?"
"Colin!" Mary cut in, shooting a warning look at her brother. He looked down apologetically.
"I'm sorry, son." Lord craven began again, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "I will come soon. I promise." He looked meaningfully into Colin's eyes and smiled.
"Okay father." Colin leaned over to hug his father, slightly standing to do so. Catherine then stood up and cleared her throat, causing Colin to break off his hug. "Shall we go then" she asked stoutly.
"Yes, Grandmother", Mary and Colin said together.
As they walked outside, and began towards the gardens, Catherine looked around curiously and asked, "Where are our horses?"
"Horses?" Asked Mary. "I though we would walk."
"Oh, nonsense." Catherine said with a nervous smile. "The gardens are much too far to walk, dear."
"But we always..."
"Nonsense, child. You will have the servants fetch us some horses, immediately." She stated firmly to Mary; placing her hands on her hips.
"Yes, grandmother." She said quietly as she turned to walk back into the manor. She couldn't help but feeling hurt.
***
Lord Craven thrashed papers violently off of his desk in a rage. He stood and walked rapidly to the fireplace where he gazed at the picture of his pregnant wife and himself, who were sitting in the swing in the garden. He picked up the picture and pondered it for a moment before setting it carefully back down. He leaned his head on his arm, which was propped against the mantle, and cried.