A Moonacre Fanfiction Peace on Earth

Robin followed Maria into Moonacre Manor, grudgingly leaving the glistening white outdoors. Almost immediately, they stumbled upon a crush of people in the front room. It seemed everyone had come to welcome Miss Heliotrope and Digweed back again. Robin glanced hopefully at Maria. She raised her eyebrows. This could be good. Perhaps no one would notice their wet, bedraggled state…

"Maria!" Miss Heliotrope's shrill voice cut the air. "Come by the fire quickly, child. What is this, how did your hair get wet?"

"Welcome back, Miss Heliotrope," Maria grinned, ducking through the others to greet her tutor. "We were worried about you in the snow last night."

"Well, you need not have worried about us," Miss Heliotrope smoothed her dress. "Digweed and I had the good sense to stay in town. But you, how did you come to be so wet? Your hair is positively soaked! And—"

"I tripped and fell in the snow," Maria lied. She knew that Miss Heliotrope would have a fit if she learned of Maria's tree climbing and snowball fights. Miss Heliotrope frowned disapprovingly, as though Maria should've known better than to trip and fall. She squinted through her spectacles at Maria a moment, then diverted her attentions to Robin, whom she knew without a doubt had accompanied her pupil.

"And you? What is the meaning of your face, also wet?" Robin shrugged innocently.

"I fell too," he said. Miss Heliotrope stared.

"It was very slick," Maria piped up helpfully.

"Very slick," Robin agreed.

"Well then, young man," Miss Heliotrope bristled, "you ought not to have taken Maria outside. Surely you, having grown up around here with snow every winter, should have known that it could be difficult to walk on, and you should therefore not have attempted to go for a walk in such dangerous weather." Robin was ready to protest that they were in no danger whatsoever, but Maria caught his eye and shook her head urgently. His argumentative pride deflated.

"Yes, of course. It won't happen again." Miss Heliotrope nodded curtly.

"See to it that it doesn't."

Loveday, having decided that her brother had been scolded long enough, stepped forward.

"I'm sure you must be tired, Miss Heliotrope, and Digweed too. You must get your rest before the Christmas Eve feast." She held out an arm, ready to usher Miss Heliotrope to her room. Lillian draped an arm around her cousin's shoulders and helped Loveday escort her. As they headed down the hall, Loveday called back over her shoulder to Maria.

"Don't you think I've forgotten about you, darling. Grab a bite to eat, and then scurry on up to your room, I'll help you get ready for tonight." Maria bounced on her toes.

"All right." She shot Robin an excited smile before skipping off to the kitchen. This left Robin, Sir Benjamin, Coeur De Noir, and Digweed standing awkwardly in the antechamber.

"Well." Sir Benjamin clapped his hands together, then turned abruptly and went further into the house. Digweed followed him dutifully.

"Yes, hm, right," Coeur De Noir grunted. Robin studied his father. He'd never seen Coeur De Noir so dazed. It was as though he was in a beautiful dream and he was stubbornly determined not to wake up. Robin suspected it had everything to do with Lillian. But if his father wasn't in his right mind, it was Robin's responsibility to look after him.

"We'd better go back to the village and prepare for tonight too," Robin said to his father, tilting his head towards the door. "You know, get dressed, and all that."

"Hm? Ah, yes. Yes, right. Well then, best be off." Coeur De Noir nodded, though he did not move. His eyes traced the hallway down which Lillian had just gone. Robin rolled his eyes, but he clapped his father on the shoulder and guided him out the door.

A little while later, Loveday emerged from the miniature doorway in Maria's room.

"Ready? I think it's best I help you first, and then get dressed myself, don't you think? Maria?" Maria was sitting by her window, braiding her hair absentmindedly. "Maria! You haven't even taken off the wet wool and muslin! You're going to dampen the chair, if you haven't already. Come now, let's get you dried off." Maria looked up.

"Hm? Oh, yes, sorry. Just…thinking."

"You think a great deal, darling, and I'm glad. But right now, we'll need a little more action."

"Yes, I'm sorry." Maria hurried to change out of her dress and apron. "I am excited for the feast tonight. I've never been to a Christmas Eve party." She laid the apron on her bed, and Loveday promptly threw it off, not wanting the bed to get wet. "Most of our Christmas Eves were quiet. But have you been to the feast here before?"

"Once." A smile ghosted across Loveday's lips. "A while ago. When Benjamin and I…when we were first in love. He invited business partners from the cities, for he didn't really have friends here." She folded Maria's dress. "It was rather lonely here before you came."

"What was it like? The party, I mean." Maria shivered in her undergarments. Loveday tossed her a blanket.

"Oh, grand as anything. He had Marmaduke for the food still, and Digweed for keeping the house. Digweed has an eye for details. The flower arrangements were marvelous, and in the dead of winter, we appreciate fresh blooms so much. I've never been to Digweed's greenhouse, but I imagine it's a sight to behold."

"You know," Maria said, plopping down on the bed in her blanket, "I think that's why Miss Heliotrope and Digweed love each other." Loveday paused.

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Digweed loves beauty and fragile things like flowers. He sees little things." Maria crisscrossed her legs and propped up her chin like a philosopher. "Miss Heliotrope isn't an extraordinarily beautiful woman; since she is my dear friend, I can say such a thing and be honest. You know I love her. But she is not the handsomest woman, it cannot be denied. Yet Digweed sees the beauty in her." Maria's gaze grew distant. "He sees the grace and poise that I've gotten so used to, I overlook. She always tries to do the good thing, and so does he." She looked up at Loveday. "You didn't know us before we came here, but you know that we lived in a city. Cities are full of hard people, Loveday. You have to be hard in a city to get by. You cannot afford to have softness." She smiled a little. "But when we came here…well, I'd never met anyone like Digweed before. Neither of us had. I expect Miss Heliotrope had given up in her search for love. But there's something about Digweed…some sort of gentleness…don't misunderstand me, he's bumbling and awkward, but he is soft and kind. I don't think Miss Heliotrope knew that was possible in a man until we came here." She laughed. "Am I making any sense? I'm sorry, I should be dressing." Loveday smiled warmly and sat down next to her niece.

"I understand what you mean. It is good that they found each other." Maria nodded, and they both meditated on this for a moment. Then Loveday cast a sidelong glance at Maria. "Is this what you were thinking about when I came in here?" Maria's eyes twinkled.

"Part of it. I was also thinking about your father and Lillian—"

"Oh dear, you'd better not start talking about them," Loveday chuckled, rising from the bed, "Or you won't be dressed until midnight! There is much to say on the topic, I know, but we'd better focus."

"Right as always," Maria grumbled. Then her face brightened and she bounced from the bed. "Now, let's find that beautiful dress!"

A/N: My dear readers,

Thank you so much for your reviews! I love hearing from you. Sorry about the delay in updating; my laptop was a crucial part of Vacation Bible School at my church and I was unable to type until now. Thank you for your patience! I'm going to try to crank out the rest of this story soon, I assure you, but even the best of intentions can be thwarted. Let's hope our story reaches its resolution soon! I'm as anxious as you are for the end, believe me. At any rate, thanks for keeping up with our lovely characters, and please review!

Love,

Ponygirl7