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"Collin we are happy are we not?" Mary asks sitting on the edge of Collin's chair.

"Yes we are very happy together. I havent' been happier since the day we married." Collin said

 

"Nor have I been happier." Mary said, " I never thought I would find such happiness and neither did you."

 

"My life has not always been happy. If I had known where you were I would have came and took you away from that Academy that father placed you into." Collin said

 

"It wasn't as bad as you make it. It was terribly lonely for me as I didn't look like so many English beauties with blonde hair and blue eyes, and that peaches and cream complexion." Mary said.

 

"I am glad that you don't look like those other girls at the Academy." Collin said"This is why I fell in love you because you have a beauty all of your own."

 

"I am glad that my beauty finds favor in your eyes." Mary said.

 

"Ever since we were in ten years old, I have loved you and I never knew if I would have to compete with Dickon." Collin said.

 

"There was no comparison my dear Collin. I like and love Dickon as a dear friend, but I knew I could never marry him he is not from our social status." Mary said.

 

"I see Dickon from time to time with Will Weatherstaff tending the garden and I see tears form in his eyes. I feel for him Collin." Mary said.

 

"Yes poor chap I hope he finds someone he can  love as much as I love you." Collin said.

 

"I fear that will never happen Collin, I am the one woman Dickon will always love and  know he lost to another man." Mary said.

 

"My late mother had to wait to marry my late father because his father didn't think she was good enough to marry into the Craven family."  Collinsaid, "So when grandfather finally passed away is when Father asked mother to marry him." Collin said.

 

"My late father was a Colonel in the Army how could my Aunt Lily not be good enough for your father. She came from a good class family." Mary said.

 

"Grandfather was a pecuilar man." Collin said, " Iam glad he isnot around to see his grandson marry the daughter of his son's wife."

 

"Uncle Archie thought I was the perfect chose for a wife for you. He groomed me for my position in life." Mary said.

 

"This is all in the past my dearest. We don't have to worry about such things. We live in entirely different century and world than grandfather lived in." Collin said.

 

"Yes we do, I am not sure I like it all the way." Mary said, " I am just an old fashion Georgian young woman."

 

Collin smiles up at Mary and said, "It is one of the things I love ahout you the most. You are old fashion and not given into fashions of this century."

 

"I will never give into the fashions of this century. I am sure some good will come out of it but not a young woman's fashion sense." Mary says.

 

"Collin my dear I really need to go check on Lily." Mary says, "I vowed to take care of myself."

 

Mary gets up and excuses herself, walks out the study door, and up the stairs to Lily's nursery.