A/N: I realized my first chapter was short. I'm not sure how long they will be in the future if I take this story any further then this chapter, but I will try. Keep reviewing!

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"Mary? Mary, where are you?" came an all to familiar voice down the corridor. Mary roused herself. She must have fallen asleep that afternoon reading her novel. As a child she preferred to be out of doors in the garden, but in the state she was in she could only dream about it as she watched the moors out her window. She knew that voice, though. She'd spent hours everyday with it's owners for years.

Clumsily, Mary stood up from her high-back, plush chair. She placed her hands on her back, stretching, before waddling over to the door. It flew open before she could reach it. There in the doorway he stood. "I'm home, Mary! Isn't it wonderful? Home at last."

"I cannot believe you are here, Colin," she began.

"I have so much to tell you, Mary! Look at you! You look wonderful. How is the garden? Have you been keeping it up? I suppose not with the state you are in. I suppose Mrs. Medlock has been keeping you indoors. I can just imagine what she would say 'Now Mistress Mary, you need to keep yourself abed. What would Master Craven say if you saw you wandering around like a little heathen? Come along now, Mistress Mary.' " Colin's ramblings and immitation of Mrs. Medlock, the housekeeper, was enough to get them both into a fit of laughing.

Feet wearing ladies boots came thumping down the hallway. It could only be one person. Before Mary or Colin could control their laughing, Mrs. Medlock stood in the doorway. "Mistress Mary! What are you doing up and about? You ought to be napping, child."

"Dear Mrs. Medlock, I do think you forget I am no longer a child. I am a woman of twenty, but you already know that."

"Yes, yes I do. But some days you act like an unruly child," the old housekeeper scolded Mary. She turned to Master Colin. "You ought to know better as well, sir. She shouldn't be out of bed!"

"Oh Mary is all right, Mrs. Medlock. Why don't you go take a break before supper is served? You will have plenty of time. Put your feet up. I'm sure you have been on them all day. I'll take care of Miss Mary. Don't you worry. " No longer the little Rajah, Colin had grown into a charming young man. Too charming at times.

"Well, it would be nice to rest for a few moments, and I have been on my feet for hours...," Mrs. Medlock pondered. "All right. But you get into bed until suppertime, young lady."

Miss Mary curtsied at Mrs. Medlock as Colin guided her to the door. "Come along Medlock, dear. Off you go."

"Supper will be brought up to you, Miss Mary, at five sharp. Do not go wandering off, stay abed, and..."

"Yes, Mrs. Medlock. We know the routine. Off with you now," Colin insisted. He gently pushed her into the corridor, closing the door behind her.

Mary let out a scowl. "She worries too much! Sometimes she treats me like a ten year old. Honestly!"

Colin laughed at Mary. "Don't be so contrary, Mary. She's gone, is she not? I can tell you all about my travels now, and you can tell me how things have been going here at the mansion. I believe I will take my supper with you, if that's all right."

Mary consentented to this. Colin helped her into the high, carved bed. He seated himself next to her as Mary propped herself up with several downy pillows. He began to convey his travels, from the ones to Ireland all the way to China. He told her great tales of all the people he once saw, how different they were from those of Yorkshire. He told her of how he meet great officers and a princess in a far away country. He told her stories until she began drifting off to sleep, much the same as Mary had done for him all those years ago. Colin pushed himself off the great bed. He went to sit in the high back chair, picking up Mary's novel to read until supper time.

Anne knocked at the door an hour or two later. When Colin greeted her at the door, she was greatly taken back. "Mester Colin! I 'ad no idea tha' was 'ome, sir! Please forgive us for intrudin'," she exclaimed.

"You are doing nothing of the sort. You may set the meal on the table by the fireplace. I don't believe I have meet you. Are you new?"

Anne ventured forward, sitting the tray with the two dinners on the table. "Aye. Six months ago, sir. My name be Anne, if thee pleases, sir."

"I am Master Colin, as you know. You are Martha's replacement, no doubt."

"No, sir. Martha's been gone goin' on a year. I's replacin' Alice as Miss Mary's servin' gal. Alice's mama died 'n she 'ad to go on 'ome to care for the young 'uns." Anne acted as though she was very nerous and tense.

"Very well. You may go Anne. Don't worry about the dishes until the morning."

"Yes 'um." Anne scurried out the door like a frightened little mouse.

Colin went to the bed to rouse Mary. He gently shook her until she woke. "Supper time, Miss Contrary Mary."

"Oh Colin! I do wish you wouldn't call me that!"

"You haven't changed a bit! But that doesn't matter now. It is time for your evening meal."

"I'm not much hungry. I suppose I ought to."

"Yes, you ought." When Mary was seated at the table next to him, Colin began in again. "That serving girl of your's sure is jumpy, isn't she?"

"Was Anne here? She would be jumpy around you. She's never seen you before tonight, poor creature."

"Poor she may be, but she's not bad to look at."

"Colin! How dare you... and at the table!"

"Oh Mary. Do settle down. I was only joking. I'm sure she has her leg over a stable hand at night no doubt."

Mary shook her head at her cousin. "You really are terrible sometimes."

"But you love me just the same!"

"Who couldn't? You're a charmer. You aren't Mister Rajah anymore, my dear Colin!"

Colin and Mary both laughed at this. They enjoyed a hearty meal, sitting by the glowing, golden fire. They chatted far into the night, catching up on old times and sharing stories while the rest of Misselthwaite slept.