Chapter Six:
Over dinner, Colin was silently staring at his plate while Mary jubilantly
gave her father all the details of Lucky's first steps. Lord Craven smiled
as he watched her fondly as he worked on his food. He didn't seem to
notice that Colin was unusually silent. That angered him even more. His
own father didn't even notice his distress. He was fuming. He was livid.
And he wanted his father to notice. He want Mary to notice. After all, it
was her who made him angry in the first place. Her and Dickon. She didn't
even care. He hated her.
No he didn't. He loved her. He loved her more than anything. His life
was miserable and meaningless before he met her. He had secretly thought
she was a beautiful angel come to visit him. She was also his best friend.
So why did she have to betray him? Why would she do that to him?
Colin stood abruptly and threw his napkin on the table. "Excuse me. I am
finished with my meal and I wish to retire."
Lord Craven and Mary stared dumbly as Colin stomped angrily from the room.
"Is it something I said?" Lord Craven asked.
"No father. I think he is angry with me."
"Oh? What for?"
Mary thought a moment. She didn't know why Colin was angry with her.
"I...don't know, father." Mary looked up, suddenly realizing that her
grandmother, Madame De Mimsica and her lovely daughter were not present.
"Where are grandmother and her guests?"
"Oh, Catherine took Madame De Mimsica and her daughter into town today, and
they had a late lunch. They will not be dining with us tonight."
"Pity." Mary muttered sarcastically under her breath. She looked up at
her father, fearing she had said it too loudly. But to her surprise he was
grinning. Mary grinned back, and they resumed their meal.
***
Colin lay on his side, staring at the porcelain elephant on his bedside
table. Angry tears clung to his eyelashes. He suddenly closed his eyes,
faining sleep as he heard someone enter his room. He knew it. He knew
Mary would come to apologize.
"Oh don't try to fool me," came and taunting drawl. "I know you're not
asleep."
He sat up quickly, surprised not to hear Mary's voice, but Dominique's.
"I swear, you are such a child."
"What are you doing in my room. Go away!" He yelled.
"Oh, rich boy's got a temper." She said.
"I said GO AWAY!"
"Go away, go away. I want to moan and complain by myself." She mocked.
"GO!" Colin yelled, as he picked up his porcelain elephant and hurled it
at her. She ducked through just in time, as the elephant landed on the
floor of the corridor with a crashing sound.
Colin immediately jumped out of bed, realizing what he had done. He ran to
the place where the elephant lay. When he reached it, he saw that it's
trunk had been broken off. Now it was, once again, identical to Mary's.
Mary. He was furious with Mary. He turned and stomped back into his room,
slamming the door behind him.
***
Mary sat at her desk, doing her geography homework in the lamp light. As
hard as she tried, she couldn't concentrate. She wondered what she had
done to make her brother so angry at her. Her thoughts also kept straying
to Dickon. She was SURE this time that he was going to kiss her. And he
would have if it wasn't for..."
"Mistress Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow..." sang
Dominique from the doorway.
Mary turned in her chair and glared at her. "Very funny. And original too
might I add. I have never heard that before." She said innocently. She
rolled her eyes and turned back to her homework.
"What's the matter Mistress Marry? Are you upset because you're brother is
angry at you? Or is it because you didn't get your good night kiss from
your boyfriend?" She said the last part with a grin.
"He's not my...what do you know about why my brother's mad at me? What did
he say to you?"
"Wouldn't YOU like to know." She said with a smirk as she turned and left
the room.
Mary let out and angry breath and silently wondered if Dominique had
anything better to do than annoy her brother and herself. She doubted it.
***
The next morning as she reached the landing where the two staircases met,
she met Colin. "Morning, Mary"
She paused for a moment, surprised that his tone sounded cheery.
"Morning..."
They continued to walk down the stairs. Mary was too curious not to ask,
"So...I guess you're not mad at me anymore?"
Colin stared at his feet as he walked. "No. I'm over it." He grinned
self-consciously.
"So...why were you so angry with me?" Mary continued.
Colin continued his scrutiny of his shoes, and the shrugged. "I really
don't remember," he said in an offhanded manner.
Mary didn't have time to press him further before they were through the
doors to the dining hall, where their father, grandmother, Madame De
Mimsica and her daughter already sat, waiting. Mary and Colin took their
places at either side of their father.
"Good morning, children." Lord craven said as he kissed each in turn on
the cheek.
"Good morning." They mumbled in unison.
"So," Dominique interjected, "when are we going to the garden?"
Mary and Colin fumed. They had to take her again? When was this going to
end?
After they had finished eating breakfast, Mary, Colin and Dominique headed
towards the gardens. On their way there, they met Dickon under his usual
tree, waiting for them with an enthusiastic Lucky. Mary bent down and held
her arms open for Lucky, who trotted happily to her with a slight hint of a
limp. The group began to walk towards the garden, Mary with Lucky in her
arms. They hadn't gone very far when Lucky began to whine and wriggle in
Mary's arms, trying to free herself from the confines of her arms.
Mary gently set her down. With a look of thanks, the pup began to trot
along side the company, being overly excited to be using her newly
discovered legs.
Dickon grinned at Mary, "She's been doing that all mornin'. She doesn't
want to be carried in her basket either. She's excited to be walkin'."
Dickon and Mary walked along side each other for a ways until Dominique
positioned herself between them, as politely as possible. "Hello, Dickon."
"Hello, Miss Dominique!" "I'm really sorry I had to leave early yesterday. But don't you worry, I get to stay all day today." She said as she batted her eyes. Mary and Colin shared a look and then rolled their eyes. "Well that's wonderful, Dominique. We could use some extra help digging the holes for the magnolia trees." Dickon said with a smile. Mary was delighted to see the look of displeasure on Dominique's face. "She wasn't counting on actually having to work." Colin whispered confidentially to Mary. They both giggled. Dominique turned and shot a vicious glare at the two of them before turning back to Dickon. "So can you actually talk to animals, Dickon?" She went on sweetly. "Well, yeah. It's a gift I suppose. We just understand each other." Dickon said shyly. "That's so incredible. I'm really impressed." She said. Dickon blushed. Mary fumed. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Dickon was blushing because of that...snake! She was enraged. She wasn't going to let Dickon fall for her pathetic act. *** "Here you go Mary." Colin said as he handed her a bucket of fertilizer. "Thanks, Colin." "Just look at her." he said grinning. "She's miserable." Mary looked up to see Dominique making a sour face as she tried to brush some of the soil off of her baby blue dress. Just then Dickon handed her another baby tree. She braved a smile and took the plant from him. As soon as he had looked away her disgusted expression returned. Mary giggled. It pleased her to see her in such misery. Mary and Colin worked together for half an hour until Dominique whined that she was hungry. "Yeah, maybe we should have some lunch." Dickon added, looking up at the sky. "It's a little past midday, already." As they all sat down to eat, Lucky tromped up and laid in the center of the blanket. She soaked up all of the attention as everyone petted her in turn. Colin was feeding her table scraps, so she tended to hover around him the most. After lunch Dominique wanted to try out the swing hanging from the tree. Mary was bothered enough by the idea of Dominique sitting in her family's swing, but she was definitely bothered more by the fact that Dickon had volunteered to push her. Mary glared contemptuously as Dominique laughed heartily while a grinning Dickon pushed her. How can he like her, she wondered. Does he like her? Or is he just being nice? She angrily turned away, only to notice Colin starting at her. "What?" She said, as she spread fertilizer over the freshly planted flowers. "Mary..." Colin said, "We're best friends right?" "Of course, Colin," Mary laughed, "You're my brother!" "Well, you and Dickon are friends as well, right?" "Well, yes. As are you and Dickon." Colin shifted uncomfortably, "Well, I love you, Mary." Mary smiled awkwardly, not understanding what Colin was talking about. "I love you, too, Colin." "And you love Dickon?" "Well," She turned to look at Dickon. He smiled and waved at her in between pushes. She smiled. "Yes, I do. Why?" "Do you love him more than me?" He asked hurriedly. Mary laughed. "No, silly. I love you and Dickon in different ways." "But, if we're both your friends, how is it different." "Well, you're my brother." "But what does that have to do with..." "Oh Dickon, that was so wonderful. What shall we do next, go for a walk?" Dominique said as she and Dickon walked back into the clearing where Colin and Mary sat talking. "Well, I'd like to Dominique, but we've really got to get back to work. We've got to get these trees planted before that storm moves in." He pointed towards a dark cloud off on the horizon. "That storm will be here later this evening, or early morning at the latest. The trees need to be in the ground before it rains. That way they'll get all the nutrients they need from a nice little Spring shower." Thunder sounded in the distance, causing the ground to quake slightly. "Dickon, I think that's going to be a little more than a 'Spring shower'." Colin said as he pointed to the dark patch of sky, which now had flashes of lightning illuminating the ominous form of the clouds. "We've been working all day." Dominique whined. "We should go in." "Well if you don't want to stick around and help, you don't have to." Colin said angrily. "No..." she said, looking nervously at the sky. "I'll help." Just as she was kneeling down to help fill the hole around the magnolia tree roots, a loud clap of thunder sounded. Dominique screamed and started to whimper. Dickon was looking concerned. "Maybe we should go back up to the manor..." Dickon said hesitantly. Mary knew he didn't want to leave the job unfinished, and have to wait 'til after the rain. Mary started, "No." It came out louder than she intended. "I mean, we have to finish this tonight. It's our garden..." she said in a more confidential tone. Dickon leaned closer to her. "Maybe I should walk her back, and then we can come back afterward." "Dickon, it will be getting dark by then, this mustn't wait." Dickon sighed and looked from Mary and Dominique and then back to Mary. He knew how much this garden meant to her. And Mary was not about to let this whiny brat ruin it for her. "Need any help, young masters?" It was Ben. Dickon beamed at him, for he couldn't have come at a better time. "Yes you can, Ben old friend," he said clapping him on the back. "Dominique here needs to get back to the manor, and Mary, Colin and I need to finish up with the magnolia trees. Could you escort her?" Dominique's eyes went wide. She look outraged at what she was hearing. "Not a problem." Ben said with a toothy grin. "Be happy to." "All right then. Thanks, Ben!" Dickon said. Dominique shot a glare over her shoulder at the three of them as she was escorted away on Ben's arm. Unfortunately, Dickon had been conveniently looking away at that exact moment. After she had gone, Colin, Mary and Dickon finished filling in the magnolia trees' holes, packed up their equipment and started to head back up towards the manor. Lucky was content to be carried in her basket, being that she was sound asleep. They weren't even halfway back when it started to pour. Mary gasped at the shock of being soaked by the cold rain so suddenly. Dickon put his arm around her shoulder and grabbed the shoulder of Colin's shirt and pulled them both into an opening under tall tree. Mary glanced around at the hollowed out opening of the enormous tree trunk. There was a pallet filled with hay, a fire pit, and a small chair. "Dickon..." Mary said. "Do you LIVE here?" He nodded. "Mostly. I sometimes share Martha's servant quarters with her. But I like the outdoors. I like to sleep with the animals." Mary continued to take in her surroundings in wonder. "Wow" she whispered to herself. "Here." Dickon said as he wrapped a wool blanket around Mary's shoulders. He tossed a second blanket to Colin, who draped it over his shoulders. Dickon turned back to Mary and rubbed both of her arms to warm her. "Would you like me to light a fire, and we can wait out the rain?" "That'd be wonderful." Mary said. As Dickon was crouching down to work at his fire, Colin asked, "How can you have a fire in here without catching the whole tree on fire?" "Well, besides being really careful..." he motioned to the sturdy rock fire pit he had erected, "These trees are nearly fire resistant." "Really?" Colin said in a skeptical tone. "Yeah, it's something in the tree's sap. There we go!" He said as the fire sparked and caught, creating a shimmering ball of warmth. Mary crouched down and held her hands up to the fire to warm them. "I hope father doesn't worry." She said. "Don't worry, we'll have you back just as soon as the rain subsides." Dickon said reassuringly. Colin glanced out the opening, "Are you sure it's going to settle down? It's really coming down out there." "Yes, I'm quite sure. There was one smaller cloud that was a bit ahead of all the others. We'll be able to make it to the manner during the gap." Mary looked admiringly at Dickon as she thought about how intelligent he was. "There we go." He said as he poked his head out into the evening air. "Here's our chance. Ready?" Colin and Mary both nodded and stood up. "We better make a run for it if you want to get there before it starts again."
Dickon held a branch aside as they ran out ahead of him, before falling in behind them, and the three of them made their way up the hill to the manor.
"Hello, Miss Dominique!" "I'm really sorry I had to leave early yesterday. But don't you worry, I get to stay all day today." She said as she batted her eyes. Mary and Colin shared a look and then rolled their eyes. "Well that's wonderful, Dominique. We could use some extra help digging the holes for the magnolia trees." Dickon said with a smile. Mary was delighted to see the look of displeasure on Dominique's face. "She wasn't counting on actually having to work." Colin whispered confidentially to Mary. They both giggled. Dominique turned and shot a vicious glare at the two of them before turning back to Dickon. "So can you actually talk to animals, Dickon?" She went on sweetly. "Well, yeah. It's a gift I suppose. We just understand each other." Dickon said shyly. "That's so incredible. I'm really impressed." She said. Dickon blushed. Mary fumed. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Dickon was blushing because of that...snake! She was enraged. She wasn't going to let Dickon fall for her pathetic act. *** "Here you go Mary." Colin said as he handed her a bucket of fertilizer. "Thanks, Colin." "Just look at her." he said grinning. "She's miserable." Mary looked up to see Dominique making a sour face as she tried to brush some of the soil off of her baby blue dress. Just then Dickon handed her another baby tree. She braved a smile and took the plant from him. As soon as he had looked away her disgusted expression returned. Mary giggled. It pleased her to see her in such misery. Mary and Colin worked together for half an hour until Dominique whined that she was hungry. "Yeah, maybe we should have some lunch." Dickon added, looking up at the sky. "It's a little past midday, already." As they all sat down to eat, Lucky tromped up and laid in the center of the blanket. She soaked up all of the attention as everyone petted her in turn. Colin was feeding her table scraps, so she tended to hover around him the most. After lunch Dominique wanted to try out the swing hanging from the tree. Mary was bothered enough by the idea of Dominique sitting in her family's swing, but she was definitely bothered more by the fact that Dickon had volunteered to push her. Mary glared contemptuously as Dominique laughed heartily while a grinning Dickon pushed her. How can he like her, she wondered. Does he like her? Or is he just being nice? She angrily turned away, only to notice Colin starting at her. "What?" She said, as she spread fertilizer over the freshly planted flowers. "Mary..." Colin said, "We're best friends right?" "Of course, Colin," Mary laughed, "You're my brother!" "Well, you and Dickon are friends as well, right?" "Well, yes. As are you and Dickon." Colin shifted uncomfortably, "Well, I love you, Mary." Mary smiled awkwardly, not understanding what Colin was talking about. "I love you, too, Colin." "And you love Dickon?" "Well," She turned to look at Dickon. He smiled and waved at her in between pushes. She smiled. "Yes, I do. Why?" "Do you love him more than me?" He asked hurriedly. Mary laughed. "No, silly. I love you and Dickon in different ways." "But, if we're both your friends, how is it different." "Well, you're my brother." "But what does that have to do with..." "Oh Dickon, that was so wonderful. What shall we do next, go for a walk?" Dominique said as she and Dickon walked back into the clearing where Colin and Mary sat talking. "Well, I'd like to Dominique, but we've really got to get back to work. We've got to get these trees planted before that storm moves in." He pointed towards a dark cloud off on the horizon. "That storm will be here later this evening, or early morning at the latest. The trees need to be in the ground before it rains. That way they'll get all the nutrients they need from a nice little Spring shower." Thunder sounded in the distance, causing the ground to quake slightly. "Dickon, I think that's going to be a little more than a 'Spring shower'." Colin said as he pointed to the dark patch of sky, which now had flashes of lightning illuminating the ominous form of the clouds. "We've been working all day." Dominique whined. "We should go in." "Well if you don't want to stick around and help, you don't have to." Colin said angrily. "No..." she said, looking nervously at the sky. "I'll help." Just as she was kneeling down to help fill the hole around the magnolia tree roots, a loud clap of thunder sounded. Dominique screamed and started to whimper. Dickon was looking concerned. "Maybe we should go back up to the manor..." Dickon said hesitantly. Mary knew he didn't want to leave the job unfinished, and have to wait 'til after the rain. Mary started, "No." It came out louder than she intended. "I mean, we have to finish this tonight. It's our garden..." she said in a more confidential tone. Dickon leaned closer to her. "Maybe I should walk her back, and then we can come back afterward." "Dickon, it will be getting dark by then, this mustn't wait." Dickon sighed and looked from Mary and Dominique and then back to Mary. He knew how much this garden meant to her. And Mary was not about to let this whiny brat ruin it for her. "Need any help, young masters?" It was Ben. Dickon beamed at him, for he couldn't have come at a better time. "Yes you can, Ben old friend," he said clapping him on the back. "Dominique here needs to get back to the manor, and Mary, Colin and I need to finish up with the magnolia trees. Could you escort her?" Dominique's eyes went wide. She look outraged at what she was hearing. "Not a problem." Ben said with a toothy grin. "Be happy to." "All right then. Thanks, Ben!" Dickon said. Dominique shot a glare over her shoulder at the three of them as she was escorted away on Ben's arm. Unfortunately, Dickon had been conveniently looking away at that exact moment. After she had gone, Colin, Mary and Dickon finished filling in the magnolia trees' holes, packed up their equipment and started to head back up towards the manor. Lucky was content to be carried in her basket, being that she was sound asleep. They weren't even halfway back when it started to pour. Mary gasped at the shock of being soaked by the cold rain so suddenly. Dickon put his arm around her shoulder and grabbed the shoulder of Colin's shirt and pulled them both into an opening under tall tree. Mary glanced around at the hollowed out opening of the enormous tree trunk. There was a pallet filled with hay, a fire pit, and a small chair. "Dickon..." Mary said. "Do you LIVE here?" He nodded. "Mostly. I sometimes share Martha's servant quarters with her. But I like the outdoors. I like to sleep with the animals." Mary continued to take in her surroundings in wonder. "Wow" she whispered to herself. "Here." Dickon said as he wrapped a wool blanket around Mary's shoulders. He tossed a second blanket to Colin, who draped it over his shoulders. Dickon turned back to Mary and rubbed both of her arms to warm her. "Would you like me to light a fire, and we can wait out the rain?" "That'd be wonderful." Mary said. As Dickon was crouching down to work at his fire, Colin asked, "How can you have a fire in here without catching the whole tree on fire?" "Well, besides being really careful..." he motioned to the sturdy rock fire pit he had erected, "These trees are nearly fire resistant." "Really?" Colin said in a skeptical tone. "Yeah, it's something in the tree's sap. There we go!" He said as the fire sparked and caught, creating a shimmering ball of warmth. Mary crouched down and held her hands up to the fire to warm them. "I hope father doesn't worry." She said. "Don't worry, we'll have you back just as soon as the rain subsides." Dickon said reassuringly. Colin glanced out the opening, "Are you sure it's going to settle down? It's really coming down out there." "Yes, I'm quite sure. There was one smaller cloud that was a bit ahead of all the others. We'll be able to make it to the manner during the gap." Mary looked admiringly at Dickon as she thought about how intelligent he was. "There we go." He said as he poked his head out into the evening air. "Here's our chance. Ready?" Colin and Mary both nodded and stood up. "We better make a run for it if you want to get there before it starts again."
Dickon held a branch aside as they ran out ahead of him, before falling in behind them, and the three of them made their way up the hill to the manor.