Chapter One: The Reunion of Lord Collin and Lady Mary.
It had been thirteen years since the last time Lord Collin and Lady Mary had last seen each other. Shortly
before World War I Mary's uncle and guardian, Lord Archibald Craven, had sent Lady Mary away from the winds of World War I
to a girl's boarding school in Switzerland the only country in Europe that didn't get involved with the war.
Lord Archibald had sent Lord Collin away first to Elton and then to Oxford University, however, Lord Collin
didn't seem overly interested in studying at either Elton or Oxford. He found both institutions to be rather boring and he
found most of the other students to be stuffy and very upper class not that he wasn't but he considered being upper-class
rather boring and uninteresting.
So right after World War I began he enlisted in King George the V military and was sent to France to help
liberate it under German rule, and when the war was over in 1918 he decided to try Oxford University once again and seemed
to do a lot better at his studies the second time around.
He had managed to study and graduated with a degree in Political Science and Government. He hoped to be
given a seat in the House of Lords representing The District of Yorkshire.
It was right after he graduated that he received a urgent telegraph to go immediately to Geneva, Switzerland
into escort Lady Mary Lennox, his cousin back to Misselthwaite Manor.
Collin smiled as he had not seen Mary ever since Lord Craven separated them shortly after the summer of
1910.
He remembered the promise he made to Mary in their Secret Garden, " I will marry I never want us to be apart."
Mary said to him, "We are together." and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Collin had every intention of making good his promise as he never stopped loving Mary. He missed her company
very much.
So on an warm spring day, James, Lord Collin's chauffeur helped Lord Collin pack up his belongs from his
college dorm and they headed out of Oxford University and headed for Switzerland.
It was a good three day drive to Switzerland so when James drove into Geneva, Switzerland James asked,"
Lord Collin, we have arrived in Switzerland where we do go from here?"
"I have an address here we are to go 121 La Francois Blvd to La Francois Academy for Young Women." Collin
said.
James started up the car, and finally they stopped to get directions and one of the town people said, "
La Francois is two blocks away Sir."
"Thank you very much." Lord Collin said and James started to drive down the street and they finally came
to a large manor surrounded by a high fence and at the gate there was an intercom system to call into the Academy.
Lord Collin got out and walked over to the intercom and buzzed it, a woman's voice answered and said, "
Oui peut-pouvoir je assister vous?"
"Pardon faire vous parler English." Collin asked
"Yes I do speak and understand English." The woman answered back.
"Thank God I am here to pick up my cousin, Lady Mary Lennox." Lord Collin said.
"Come in Lord Craven." The woman's voice said over the intercom and the gate opened so James could
drive up to the front door of the academy which was a fine white marble building.
James got out of the driver's side, and went around to open the door for Lord Collin, and Lord Collin got
out of the limousine and walked up the stairs to the front door of the Academy where a middle age French woman opened the
door and said, "Welcome Lord Craven, do please come in and wait in the visitors parlor I will call Lady Mary down for you."
"Thank you Ma'am." Lord Collin replied.
Madame Dubois walks out of the parlor and calls up for the staircase "Mademoiselle Mary there is a visitor
down in the visitor's parlor to see you."
"Who is it Madame Dubois?" Mary asked for the stair case.
"Madmoiselle Mary come down and see for yourself. It is bad manners to keep your guest waiting." Madame
Dubois replied
Lady Mary started to walk down the stairs and she did slowly and with grace and she finally reached the
foyer and walked into the visitor's room and there standing in the visitor's room was a tall, handsome, young gentleman.
Mary asks the gentleman, "You wanted to see me Monsieur?"
The tall, good looking young gentleman turns around and says, " Cousin Mary, it is I your cousin, Collin.
I have come to escort you back home to Misselthwaite Manor."
Lady Mary looks at Collin and says, "Is it really you dear Collin after all these years?"
"Yes my dear Mary it is I, Collin." Collin said
Mary looks at Collin. She foregoes all the etiquette she had learned at the Academy and runs into his arms
and says, " I thought I would never see you again."
"I thought the same except Medlock sent me a urgent telegram saying to come to pick you up and escort you
back to England and Misselthwaite Manor." Collin said.
Lord Collin and Lady Mary looked at each other in the visitor's parlor at La Francois and Collin said,"You
have grown into some a beautiful young woman."
"You have grown into the most handsome young gentleman in the world." Mary says.
"Mary are you packed up. If you are I will send James to get your luggage so he can put it in the luggage
department in back of the limousine. We can be on our way." Collin said.
"Yes I am ready I am packed. I didn't have much to pack up." Lady Mary said.
"James go upstairs and bring down and take Lady Mary's luggage in place it in back where the luggage goes."
Collin says
"Yes Lord Collin." James said and starts to climb the stairs to Lady Mary's compartment.
Lord Collin and Lady Mary wait until James gets things settle in the back of the car and says, "We are ready
Lord Collin."
"Very good James." Collin says helping Mary to put on her fur trimmed coat, hat, and muffs.
Madame Dubois walks them out and says." Have a safe trip back to England Lady Mary."
"Thank Madame Dubois for everything." Mary says
"You are most welcome and give my regards to Lord Craven." Madame Dubois says.
"We shall." Lady Mary says and Lord Collin helps her to get in the limousine and settled in and then he
climbs in himself and says, " Home James to Misselthwaite Manor."
James turns on the ignition, and starts to drive down the drive way and out of the gate of La Francois and
onto the main highway.
Lady Mary sits by the window looking out of it as James drives out of the city limits and onto the highway
that takes them back to England.
Lord Collin sits near Mary and says, " Mary I have missed you."
"I have missed you my dear Collin." Mary says
"I have never stopped loving you and do you remember the promise I made to you in the garden when we were
children." Collin asks
"Yes I remember it very well." Mary says
"I said back then I would marry you so we would always be together and I tend to make good with my promise."
Collin says.
Mary looks at Collin and Collin takes her by the left hand and says, " Mary will you do me the honor of
becoming my wife and Grand Mistress of Misselthwaite Manor when the times comes."
Mary looks at him, smiles and said, "Nothing would make me happier than to become your wife."
"Yes, Oh Yes I will marry you Collin." Mary said.
Collin takes out a little velvet box and opens it and says, " This engagement ring once belonged to my late
mother and your late Aunt Lily, I know she would want you to have it."
Collin slips the diamond engagment ring on Mary's finger and says, "You have made me the happiest man in
the world."
"I am glad I have made you happy and I pray I continue to make you happy." Mary says.
"You make me happy by just being with you. We will never be separated again." Collin said.
"I received a letter from Mrs. Medlock she told me you had joined His Majesty's military and you had
been sent to France to help liberate it from the Germans. It was very brave but very foolish." Mary said.
"I tried to go to Oxford but I could not keep my mind on my studies. When I could keep my mind on my studies
is when I decided to join His Majesty's Military. I learned a lot about discipline and it paid rather well. When I was discharged
I was a Sergeant Major second class." Collin said.
"I returned to Oxford and I graduated in 1921 with a double degree in Political Science and Government."
Collin said, "You my dear Mary, what about you.?"
"Oh gracious La Francois was nothing like Oxford. It was very strict and the girls were not allowed out
unless we were a group of six and we had a chaperon with us. " Mary said, " I found comfort in the libary, music room, and
the garden that is in the back of La Francois."
"We were taught the basics, English, Arithmetic, Science, Social Science, and Arts and Humanities including
the Social Graces." Mary said, "We were awarded an diploma for completion of our courses when I was 17 years old."
"I am sure father was pleased with you." Collin said
"I don't know Collin, Uncle Archie never came to visit me once he placed me in La Francois. Every month
his barrister would send Madame a check for the tution, board, and extras that I might need."
Mary replied, "Did he ever come to see you?"
"No he didn't come to my graduation." Collin said, "I sensed I was a disappointment to him."
"You are not a disappointment dear Collin." Mary said, "You will never be a disappointment to me."
"Dear Mary you make me so happy when I hear you talk and when I by your side." Collin said.
" I will always be by your side." Mary said, "Never again shall we be parted you and I."
James continued to drive Lord Collin and Lady Mary to England, into Yorkshire where Misselthwaite Manor
stood high on the Moorish hillside.
The trip from Switzerland to England was a good three days journey and finally James pulled up to the drive
way that stopped right front of the main door at Misselthwaite Manor.
James stopped the limousine and walked around to open the limousine door for Lord Collin, who got out of
the car first, so he could help Lady Mary to get out of the car, by giving her his a hand and she stepped out of the limousine
and smiled and said," Oh Collin it is good to be home."
"Yes it my dear Mary." Collin said offering his arm to take and like the well manner young woman she was
she accepted it.
Lord Collin and Lady Mary climbed the steps to the front door and it opened up and Mrs. Medlock greeted
them, " Welcome Home Lord Collin and Lady Mary."
"Thank you Mrs. Medlock it is good to be home." Collin said.
Mrs. Medlock looks at Lady Mary as the last time she saw her she was just ten years old.
"Lady Mary you have certainly turned out to be a charming beautiful young woman." Mrs. Medlock said.
"Thank you Mrs. Medlock how nice of you to say so." Mary said as she still held Collin's arm.
"Why were Lady Mary and I sent for Mrs. Medlock?"
Lord Collin asked.
"Lord Collin and Lady Mary, Dr. Craven is upstairs he is the one who asked me to send for you both." Mrs.
Medlock said.
"He is waiting for you both in the upstairs corridor near Lord Craven's bedroom." Mrs. Medlock said.
"Thank you Mrs. Medlock, we will go at once to see what Dr. Craven has to say." Collin said.
"Come Mary let us go upstairs to father's bedroom." Collin says, and Mary and he walk up the stairs together
and are greeted by Dr. Craven.
"Lord Collin and Lady Mary how nice to see you both again." Dr. Craven said.
"It is nice to see you Dr. Craven." Collin replies
"I have sent for you both because Lord Craven is on his death bed. He has had a series of strokes and
although he recovered partly from most of them this one is the most severe." Dr. Craven said.
"Father is dying due to a stroke?" Collin asks
"Yes Lord Collin, Lord Craven is near 70 and he isn't expected to live through out the night. He comes in
and out of commas and sometimes he knows you and sometimes he doesn't. The strokes have caused his memory to diminish over
time." Dr. Craven said.
"Dr. Craven will father know us if we go into see him?"Lord Collin asks
"He may or may not know either of you. I know you two will both want to spend a little time with him before
he passes away." Dr. Craven said, "I will leave you two to say your good-byes."
"Thank you Cousin, Lady Mary and I would like to spend some time with father even though he may not know
us." Collin said and once again he offered his arm to Mary, and Collin opened the door to his father's compartment that
was dark and dreary, he let Mary go in first and he followed her in and a voice called out, "Who is there?"
"Father it is Lady Mary and I, your son Collin." Collin said.
"Collin, Mary, come closer so I may see you." Lord Craven said.
Lord Collin holding Lady Mary's hand walks toward Lord Craven's bed and Lord Craven looks up and said, "son,
niece, you both look well."
"We are well father and you how are you?" Collin asked his father.
"Son I am soon going to go meet your mother." Lord Craven said, " I will soon be together with your dear
late mother, Lily. Don't cry for me son, niece, I have been happy for the last 13 years thanks to Mary. Now I am ready to
go to be with your late mother, my dearest Lily." Lord Craven said.
"Father we are tiring you out. We will take our leave of you and come back later." Collin says.
"Collin, if there isn't a next time I want you to remember I love you and Mary I want you to remember
the same I love you dear niece. One thing Collin my son, do me one thing before I leave this world, I want you to take Mary
as your wife."
Lord Craven said weakly.
"Rest easy father, I have already asked Lady Mary to be my wife and she has accepted my proposal." Collin
says.
"I can die in peace now. You will soon be Lord Craven of Misselthwaite Manor and Mary will soon be Grand
Mistress of Misselthwaite Manor." Lord Craven said, "Take care my son, and my dear Mary." Lord Craven said and he lies back
on his pillows.
"Good bye father." Collin says.
Good bye dear Uncle Archie." Mary replies and they both leave Lord Craven to rest.
Lord Collin and Lady Mary are met by Dr. Craven and he asks, " Did Lord Craven know you two?"
"Yes cousin he did know us. He is tired and he is weak." Collin said.
"Yes his health has rapidly been going down hill fast and there is nothing more I can do for him but to
keep him comfortable." Dr. Craven said.
"Dr. Craven, cousin, you have taken care of father for a long time. He is at peace now and he is eager to
join my late mother in the eternal paradise." Collin says.
"They will be together atlast like it was meant to be." Mary said, "I can picture them together forever
never to be parted again."
Collin smiles and said, "I knew there would come a time that father would pass away."
"Yes dear Collin, there is a time to be born and a time to die." Mary says.
Lord Collin and Lady Mary descend the staircase and go into the brightly lightened study where Mrs Medlock
set out some tea and scones for them on a table.
It wasn't soon after they entered the study that they heard some commotion upstairs and both came out of
the study to see what all the noise was about.
They look up and see Dr. Craven walking down the stairs and they remain still until Dr. Craven steps off
the last stair of the winding staircase.
"Lord Collin, Lady Mary, I have the sad news to share with you that Lord Archibald Craven just passed away.
He slipped into comma and never woke up from it."
Lord Collin and Lady Mary look at each other, Mary breaks down in tears and said, "Poor Uncle Archie, I
will miss him."
"My dear Mary father is now at peace." Collin said.
"Lord Collin by right of inheritance you are now the new Lord Craven of Misselthwaite Manor." Dr. Craven
tells Collin.
Lord Collin picks up the bell, Mrs. Medlock appears.
"Yes Lord Collin is there something I can do for you?" Mrs. Medlock asks
"Yes summon the entire household staff to the foyer I have some sad news to share with them." Lord Collin
says.
"Yes Lord Collin, I will go bring all the staff in front of the foyer." Mrs. Medlock.
One by One all the staff at Misselthwaite Manor appears in the foyer and Lord Collin with Lady Mary standing
by his side says, " I have the sad news to tell you my father, Lord Archibald Craven, has passed away this evening of May
15, 1923."
"Lady Mary and I are the new owners of Misselthwaite Manor. Lady Mary is the new Grand Mistress of Misselthwaite
Manor as I am the new Lord of Misselthwaite Manor. To disobey Lady Mary is to disobey me. If any of you disobey her
it will lead to your immediately dismissal. " Lord Collin said.
All the staff said " Yes Lord Collin."
"I have spoken you may all depart, but remember this is very important." Collin said with Mary by his side.
Dr. Craven said, "Lord Craven will be laid to rest in the Craven Mausoleum at St. Ann's Church next to his
late beloved wife, Lady Lily."
"His internment will be private for family members only." Dr. Craven said, "Any staff member that wishes
to pay their last respect may attend the funeral service to be held at St. Ann's in two days time."
All the staff immediately back to their posts and carried on their household tasks.
