Archibald Craven, master of Misselthwaite Manor, taps his fingers on his desk while Mrs. Medlock reads out the household accounts. He is about to wave his approval of Medlock's numbers and dismiss her from his library, when she names a sum "...to measure Miss Mary for clothes, her old ones all being too small, sir ( Read more... )

The master of Misselthwaite Manor is sitting in his study, reviewing some matters of business.

Thanks to penknife for this survey.

( In which more is said about Archibald’s sexual morality than you probably wanted to know )

Proper aristocratic families, in proper manors, eat supper together in the Great Hall, although children not yet out of the schoolroom are not always welcome.  Lately, Archibald Craven is determined to do things properly.  He's called Mrs. Medlock to have the great hall opened, and informed Colin and Mary that he would like to see them there at six ( Read more... )

All the long railroad journey home from Italy, Archibald has been thinking about Mary and Colin. Months ago, he left Mary alone with a few servants and some books, and with permission to make a little garden somewhere. She was a small, sallow, delicate child, and surely she needed someone to watch over her. Fancy a child like that finding her ( Read more... )

When at last Archibald wakes up, the early sunlight stretches in golden beams across the Milliways grounds. He’s lying under an apple tree, in front of the greenhouse door. Archibald supposes he’s been sleeping there all night, but he’s in no pain, and his shoulders are only a bit stiff. He pushes himself up to a sitting position and stretches ( Read more... )

[After this]

Archibald Craven walks outside. In the cold, clear night, the gibbous moon's reflection shimmers on the lake, illuminating the grounds in silver and purple shadows.

(It's never too late.Archibald walks out, past the lake, past the greenhouse and the apple tree, into the darkness of the woods. He breathes slowly, deeply, letting the ( Read more... )