Disclaimer: Yeah….still don't own these characters.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading thus far! Yes, the Duke is horrible. I particularly like to call him Buescher the Doucher, cuz that's what he is and I'm afraid is reign of Douche is not yet over…

Also for some reason likes to post my chapters twice…why?

"Mary! What happened?" Colin exclaimed as he saw his very wet cousin coming in the house still with Dickon's jacket wrapped around her.

"I fell in the pond." She said sourly and wearing her contrary expression.

"I can see that but how? Is that Dickon's?" He noted as he looked at the jacket around her.

"I was in the garden and I thought I was along and when I found out I wasn't…I fell in." She said but she looked to her cousin who was in deep concern.

"I'll go speak to Dickon about sneaking up on a lady." He moved but Mary grabbed his arm.

"No don't! It wasn't his fault! He didn't do anything wrong, I was just too caught up in my thoughts to notice he was there. Colin please don't say anything, I need to go change I'm sopping wet!" Mary released her cousin to stand there thinking.

Mary rushed to her room and had called for Martha to take away her wet clothes and to bring her a towel.

"Why Miss Mary, what happened to tha?" She had asked immediately when she saw her wet clothes and hair.

"I fell in the pond." She said still slightly forlorn at her misfortune.

"Is this my brother's?" She said holding up the jacket.

"Dickon was there, he kind of surprised me and that's when I feel in. He gave me his jacket. It was very thoughtful of him." Mary had walked to Martha and held the jacket in her arms. She could smell his sweet scent of the moor on it, she loved his scent. Mary blushed as she had been holding the jacket and sniffing it in front of Martha. She quickly put the jacket down. Martha was trying not to laugh as she watched her mistress blush.

"Does tha want me to return it to 'im?" Martha picked up the jacket again.

"No! I'll do it." Mary quickly grabbed the jacket again. "I-I mean, I should do it since he gave it to me."

"Miss Mary, tha'rt a fool when tha talks of Dickon." Martha smiled.

"Oh Martha." She hurried to her friend, she knew she could never keep anything from her. "Please don't say anything to anyone about it. I know that I shouldn't feel this way about him but I do and it won't stop."

"I wun tell a single soul but does Dickon know?"

"Of course not! Or at least, not that I know of. With the way I've been behaving around him I shouldn't be surprised if he does. I mean, I fell in a pond just at the sound of his voice."

"Aye but our Dickon can be quite an blockhead 'bout these things. " Martha thought. "Mayhaps tha should tell 'im."

"Oh I couldn't. I might die if he rejected me. Besides what would Uncle Archie say? What would Colin say? They've been trying to get me to marry a man of fortune and title."

"I thin' tha' whatever Miss Mary wan's from tha's Uncle, tha shall get."

"Do you really think so?" Mary looked up at her with hopefully eyes and Martha smiled and nodded. Mary threw her arms around her friend. "Thank you, Martha." She sounded happier than the day Martha gave her the skipping ropes.

"Now, let's get tha dry and ready." Martha tended to Mary's still soaking hair.

Colin walked out to the gardens in hopes of finding Dickon. He wanted to speak to him about Mary. It was becoming more and more clear to Colin about Mary's affections but he didn't want either of them to be hurt but what he knew was inevitable. Mary could not marry Dickon. He was their friend but he was still of lower status. The Duke had already expressed his interest in Mary and Colin knew what a man of his power and stature would do to get someone like Mary. Nothing would stop him.

He found Dickon still in the garden. He appeared to be in deep thought as pulled weeds from around the marigolds.

"Dickon." Colin called to him and Dickon jumped around to face his friend.

"Oh, 'ello Colin. Come to see tha garden?"

"Actually I came to see you." Colin walked over to his friend and started helping with the weeding.

"What's on tha's mind?" Dickon asked looked at the quizzical brow of his friend.

"You and Mary." Dickon looked confused. "I don't want to beat around the bush with you Dickon."

"Go on." Dickon said trying to hold his smile but he feared what Colin would tell him would be the worst.

"I've seen how you look at her and how she looks at you."

"'ow she looks at me?" Dickon was confused but suddenly hopeful.

"I know that if a promise has already been made I am in no position to break it, however, if no promise has been made then I need to warn you about the Duke."

"The Duke?"

"The Duke wants Mary and he is not a man that is likely to roll over and let you have her even if a promise has been made. I want to support you two but I cannot help but think of what that man will do for her. He's rich but that's not all he is. I've heard stories about him. He's vicious and he always gets what he wants. He was more of a Rajah than I was when I was a boy and he has not outgrown it like me. He's very powerful, Dickon. I don't want to see you or Mary hurt but if he does make up his mind to take Mary, he will take her from us." Dickon was deep in thought now at the warnings of his friends. "Dickon, has a promise been made? If there has I shall stand by you." Colin looked hopefully.

"No, Master Colin, I haven' said a word to Mary 'bout tha'." Dickon looked saddened and took off his hat.

"Are you going to?"

"I wan' to, but it's becomin' difficult." He rubbed his fingers on the fabric of his hat in nervousness.

"Well, I wanted to warn you. The Duke is coming here this afternoon for a luncheon. If you and Mary make a promise to each other before then, you will have my blessing. If not, you'll have more problems with it than you can imagine." Colin stood up. "I know what my father said to you about it. I support his decisions but I also support yours." Colin fixed his hat.

"Thank ye, Colin." Dickon stood up and shook his hand even though he was now more worried about his confession than anything. "Oh Colin," Colin turned to him. "Was Mary pretty angry 'bout the pond? I dinna mean to scare her." Colin smirked.

"I think she was more embarrassed than anything." Colin smirked and left the garden. Dickon followed. He had to tell her, he had to. He owed it to everyone now to tell her but when the two exited the garden and looked upon the manor they were both distraught by the grand carriage and the sight of the Duke exiting it.

"Wonderful, this is going to go splendid." Colin said sarcastically and put on his best smile to reach his early guest.

Author's Note: A lot of people like to make Colin a bad guy…but I just can't make him a true villain. Leave it to Buescher the Doucher to be an ass.