Mary's POV:
Spring was over and summer was upon us, my Uncle was to leave on a rather long business trip in a few days and wanted to come with us to the garden. Thus I fetched the key, unlocked the door and we stepped in. Though this heat was nothing like India, it still proved hot for the others that were used to the chilly weather here. Dickon was wearing a sleeveless shirt with a pair of loose fitting pants and his gardening shoes. Colin was wearing a rather nice white button-downed shirt, a pair of simple pants and black boots. My Uncle was no longer wearing black, but instead a forest green vest with matching pants and black boots. His hair was trimmed and tamed, his face was clean shaven, all save his moustache and side-burns. He looked so much more cheerful and so full of life.
"Shall we have our afternoon tea here?" He asked as we all agreed, he sent Ben to fetch Martha as we looked all around us finding various animals, insects, and plants.
"It smells lovely." I walked over towards the gardenias and inhaled their heavenly scent as Dickon wandered off for a moment; Colin came up to me and placed a red rose in my hair.
"I know I shouldn't have cut it, but I thought it would look lovely in your pretty brown hair." He smiled sweetly as I returned the smile. I felt the flower and wondered what I looked like.
"Here." Colin led me over towards the small spring where I could see my reflection. It was shocking how much I looked like my mother, I knew at times it startled even my Uncle, who would occasionally call me by his deceased wife's name. My brown eyes were sparking and my light brown hair had grown long and was slightly curled at the ends. I often wore it down but whenever I would tend to the garden I'd often tie it up. Martha showed me how to do that, now I can even dress myself, though I still often have problems with strange buttons and lacing things. Corsets were not very comfortable but Mrs. Medlock insisted that I wear them, the only time I didn't have to wear it was when I went horseback riding and gardening. I even managed to wear a pair of riding pants that Dickon gifted me for my birthday. I was slender and thanks to the corset was well curved, but I didn't think much of my figure. Mrs. Medlock would often tell Martha to help me dress and Colin would often suggest certain styles and clothes he'd seen when out with his father. Dickon even recommended that I try and braid my hair in order to get it to look curlier; once he called me goddess and I blushed bright red, he's been quite sweet on me over the past few years.
"Here Mary, this is Todd." Dickon handed me a baby fox as I smiled from ear to ear.
"He's precious. Hello Todd, where are your parents?" I asked as Dickon's smile grew faint.
"He's like me isn't he, with no parents." I said in a somber tone as I petted Todd. He was quite tame and licked my fingers as I giggled.
"He's like the two of us." Dickon said as he knelt down beside me.
"Have you been looking after him Dickon?" I looked into his vivid blue eyes as his peachy freckled skin turned a light pink.
"Yes." He scratched the back of his head, roughing up his light brown hair.
"May I hold him?" Colin asked, he held out his light skinned white freckled hands, his pale blue eyes concentrated on my own eyes.
"Sure, just be careful." Dickon said in a gentle tone.
"Of course." Colin nodded, he somewhat snapped at Dickon but that was to be expected. He's been terribly jealous of Dickon lately, since he's been gone so often, he didn't like that Dickon and I had been spending a lot of time together. As I handed Todd over to Colin, he squirmed slightly but got used to his touch. We wound up running around with him as my Uncle had some afternoon tea with Ben.
Narrator's POV:
"They all grew up so fast." Lord Craven sighed as Ben agreed.
"It seems like it was just the other day when Mary first arrived here." Ben felt nostalgic.
"Aye, she was such a stubborn child, but she's grown into such a kind and warm-hearted young lady." Martha wiped away a few tears as she noticed how Dickon and Colin were looking at Mary as a young lady; no longer a child.
"She's of marrying age now." Lord Craven stood as Ben and Martha watched him walk towards the swing where his beloved wife used to sit. He began to swing his legs as he looked out at the scene before him. He could see the love in Colin's eyes, and that of Dickon's eyes as well. The question would be, who would Mary accept as her suitor?
"Marriage, such a complicated thing." Ben shook his head as Martha sighed.
"I'd hoped by now that she'd fall in love with one of them, but she has a difficult decision. At least she has two men to choose from, girls like me would be lucky if one man would ask for her hand." Martha began to push the tea cart and walked back towards the manor, the new laborer Johnathan Smith caught up with her and held the door open for her.
"Martha, you're looking as lovely as ever." He observed her soft features.
"Good afternoon Johnathan, what are you up to now?" Martha asked teasingly as he laughed heartily.
"I'm just helping a young maiden get her chores done. How about I wash the dishes while you prepare the table for lunch?" He asked with a smile, his charismatic manner shone threw as she smirked.
"How about I wash the dishes and prepare the table while you finish your work out here? I don't want Mrs. Medlock getting vexed at me." Martha said the latter with a semi-nervous tone.
"You let her get to you too much, you should stand up to the old hag." Johnathan cupped Martha's face as she nearly stumbled forward.
"Worrying your pretty little head over her isn't worth your precious time." He was gazing into her warm brown eyes as she could feel him drawing closer.
"I-I must get back to work!" Martha ran off as Johnathan sighed and went back to fixing the horse stalls.
"Hmm, no one interested in girls like her hu? Phooey, there's a young man right there that's clearly interested. Ahh to be young again." Ben walked back towards his work as he remembered being a young man.