Disclaimer: Still don't own these characters.
A/N: My fingers won't stop writing…I just keep writing and writing…I hope you're all enjoying it.
Mary sat in her room, now fully dried but clutching to Dickon's jacket. She had been pondering what to do about the situation. Martha's words had given her hope. She wanted ever so much to run to Dickon and confess everything to him but she felt something holding her back. Propriety? Was that the evil monster riding on her shoulders? The words of her teachers and acquaintances in high society echoed in the back of her mind every time she thought of Dickon. Sometimes when Mary dreamed of Dickon, which was often, those people would hold her by the arms and restrain her from going to Dickon who couldn't hear her screams as he tended, locked away in the garden from her. Occasionally in this dream though was an angel. The angel looked of her Aunt Lilias. She would beckon Mary forwarded and help to pull her away from those restraining her. Aunt Lilias would open the door to the garden for her and Dickon was waiting, smiling, for her. Aunt Lilias would coax her feet forward to reach out to the garden but Mary would always wake up before she reached it.
Mary snapped herself out of her daydream as there was a knock on the door. She quickly hid Dickon's jacket under her pillow.
"Miss Mary?" Mrs. Medlock's voice came. "Ah, you are in here. The Duke Buescher and his company are here, are you presentable for him?"
Drat. The Duke Bother was here again. Mary thought to herself. She glanced at her pillow that concealed her treasured article before getting up and following Mrs. Medlock to the parlor. Mary dreaded every step she took as she knew from the feeling in the pit of her stomach that nothing good could come from a visit from the Duke.
The Duke greeted her with a wide grin and he jumped from his seat. Colin had been entertaining him and the two other members of the party.
"Miss Mary! What a pleasure it is to see you again." He rushed to her and kissed her hand. Mary felt she would need a great bath afterwards. "Allow me to introduce to you my mother, Mrs. Buescher and my younger sister, Anne Buescher. The two women who seemed tall and proud stood to curtsy. Mary returned the polite gesture before being led to a seat by the Duke.
"I've been anxious to meet you, Miss Mary." Anne said animatedly as she turned to her. "My brother speaks of your beauty and I must say that he never tells lies." She smiled at her. Anne was a pretty girl with luscious auburn locks framing her face.
"I am happy to hear that I have been complimented in such a way." Mary smiled politely. This was boring. Very boring. Anne chattered away about this and that, about fashions and beaus and occasionally her mother would pipe in a word or two about that, much to Mary's dismay.
"Yes, fine girls such as yourselves ought to be going to as many parties and assemblies as possible so that you may secure yourself a proper man." She would say. "I have heard Miss Mary that your main hobbies include gardening with servants." Mary looked to Colin for an escape but he was just as baffled to answer as she was.
"Indeed I enjoy gardening but I do not garden with servants, I garden with my friends." Mary defended.
"A young lady who is friends with servants is not something to be proud of miss."
"I disagree, madam."
"Well I think it's fascinating that she should spend her time with the help. It probably does some good to them. They learn to care for their masters. You never hear of reports out here of servants poisoning their masters." The Duke butted in. Mary rolled her eyes.
"We do feel we should be kind to all people and creatures in life." Lord Craven said and looked to Mary who gave him a small smile.
"Well, it is fine weather, Miss Mary. Would you care to go for a stroll with me? I'd like to see these gardens you love so dearly." The Duke stood up and offered her his arm. She looked to her cousin and uncle who both nodded encouragingly for her to take it. Reluctantly she did and they found themselves outside walking amongst Misselthwaite's many other gardens.
"It is quite beautiful out here on this moor." The Duke said.
"Yes, it is. I do love it here." Mary took in the fresh air and the sight of the moor.
"I find myself loving it more and more here. Even though I have not yet spent much time here, I hope that in the future I can spend a lot of time."
"Time on the moor does everyone good. It makes people happier and healthier, I think." She smiled up at him and smiled down. Mary quickly looked away, angry that she let him sweet talk her by using the moor against her.
"I believe you're right about that. My mother, even though she appears to be a little harsh is a very fine woman who loves the outdoors."
"I find that hard to believe."
"It's true. At our own estate we have topiaries and gardens far more grand than here, no offense. We have a great orchard as well. There are statues galore about the grounds, I think you'd like it very much."
"I suppose I should if I saw it." Now change the subject. She thought to herself. "Do you often go riding, Duke?"
"Of course, I love riding."
"We have some very fine horses here if you should like to see them."
"I should indeed." He beamed down at her and escorted her to the stables. The stables were located just beside the gardens and Mary had thought herself a plan to get rid of the bothersome duke.
"Right through here are the horses." They entered the calm stables and the horses seem to stare at them as they entered. Mary immediately began searching for with her eyes for what she would need to be rid of him when she spotted it.
"This is Colin's horse, Avery." She walked over to a beautiful palomino and slid her hand to grab the one thing that would help her. "And over there is my horse, her name is Ivy." The Duke looked towards her hours and Mary immediately showed Avery the small spider in her hand that made the horse kick and scream in fear of it. Avery hated spiders. Avery kicked at the gates and Mary quickly pretended to be frightened and dash out. She couldn't help but laugh at Duke as she heard his calls for her not to be afraid but she ran as fast as she could into the gardens.
It was not long before she knocked herself into her favorite person in the world. They went tumbling down and Dickon found himself on top of Mary in a very inappropriate tangle of each other's limbs.
"Miss Mary! What are tha doing?" Mary quickly silenced him with a finger to his lips as they heard the Duke searching for her. When she was convinced he was gone she removed her finger and tried to remove the blush on her face.
Dickon was flushed and could barely breathe from the close proximity to the girl of his dreams. He shook all the impure thoughts from his head and stood up. He offered Mary his hands to help pull her up.
"I'm so sorry, Dickon. Are you alright?" She said as she gazed into his eyes.
"Aye, I'm aligh', are tha?"
"Yes," She smiled but then her smile faded. "No. No I'm not alright, Dickon."
"Wha's the matter?" He looked down at her in genuine concern. Mary couldn't decide if she could tell him yet. Everyone was restraining her in her mind again and she held herself back from him but then the sweet song of her aunt came into her mind and guided her out of the hands. She could even feel her aunt push her closer to Dickon and he too moved closer to her. "Mary?" He said in almost a daze.
"Dickon." She stared up at him and he slowly began to descend upon her. Mary didn't move, she didn't want to move as she closed her eyes.
"Dickon! Where are tha, boy?" Dickon heard Cook calling to him. "I need my carrots!" She shouted. The two broke apart quickly. Mary looked down and saw the pile of carrots Dickon had been carrying before she crashed in to him.
"Oh, let me help you." Mary immediately began gathering the carrots.
"No, Miss Mary. Dunna worry tha 'ead abou' it. Tis not tha's job to do." Dickon quickly gathered the carrots before Mary could take any of them. Dickon immediately began to walk away.
"Dickon!" Mary called to him in desperation. Dickon stopped and turned. "Will you be in the garden later?" Dickon smiled.
"If tha wishes it." He tipped his hat to her and went on his way. Mary beamed with happiness. She had given herself some time to prepare herself but she knew she couldn't hide her feelings any longer. She felt as though she was taking Aunt Lilias' hand and letting her lead her in the right direction. It was the right direction, wasn't it? It had to be. Nothing wrong could make her feel so happy just thinking of the notion of the idea. And with a new spring in her step and blush on her cheek she hurried back to the manor.
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