Lord Archibald Craven's hand cradled the back of his Lady Lilias's head as he tenderly and lovingly lay her back upon the sheets of the grand bed in her ethereal quarters at Misselthwaite. He could not have been gentler or sweeter to her as he moved his body over her and began to kiss her-gracefully and kindly. His kisses seemed to form a map upon her face and then her body- a path of kisses upon her. Lilias's eyes lit up with the beauty of a constant and true reciprocation of glorious love for him. So joyous were she and Archie in the movements of their bodies as they made love! Their bodies seemed to gently dance as one, as they were truly connected in every sense-body and soul. As their bodies were joined, they glanced into each other's eyes with glittering happiness reaching the depths of each other's soul. They could not help but smile at each other with each gentle thrust. They moved so rhythmically in unison together. Sweet smiles never left their faces. They rejoiced in the warmth of true intimacy.

As the night passed, neither husband nor wife had any desire to stop holding each other. They rested in each other's arms.

Lord Archibald Craven and Lady Lilias Craven were married for more than a year now. Their true and pure, beautiful love was a mystery to all who heard of Misselthwaite. Lord Archibald Craven was a hunchback who lived hidden away from the world at his estate for most of his life before a chance meeting with his Lady love would change his life forever. She gave him hope and life he'd never known. She seemed to bathe him with a love so ethereal and divine, it cleansed him of all misery and pain. It redeemed him. Not many believed she could love him as she did, but she did so with all of her being-body, heart, and soul. She never wanted to be parted from him.

"Archie?"

Lilias had his attention.

She began to stroke his face.

"You're... beautiful." She whispered.

He chuckled as if to mock her statement.

"You needn't say such a thing, my angel. Do not feel you have to compliment me, my love. It is only you who are deserving of such praise."

Archie as could be comprehended, was self-deprecating.

But, Lord Archibald Craven did have strikingly handsome features-the deepest and most soulful eyes dark as night, dark hair, pale skin, a tall and quite thin and slender form...but-his back was crooked and his shoulders misshapen due to a severe deformity of the spine. This deformity in turn affected his legs and hips and garnered cruel attention, looks, and glares whilst in public. Though he was a young man in his early 30's, he required a cane to keep his balance walking. In the days of his past, he lived in severe pain. Lilias's love seemed to quell all pain. Lord Archibald Craven's brother Dr. Neville Craven also lived at Misselthwaite-his and Archie's ancestral family estate. Often, he treated Archie as some medical experiment. He knew his brother was eager to find a remedy for his condition and would not hesitate to aquiesce to every trial medication or treatment. Lilias did not like that. She feared complications and often chided and admonished Neville for treating her husband like some animal or pitiful creature.

Neville Craven worshipped his brother's wife; lusted after her, but kept his feelings hidden from both Archie and Lilias. Little did his brother Archie know that he was scheming to find a way to inherit he estate. Perhaps, he could deem Archie unfit in health to be heir/Lord of it.

Lilias replied to Archie, "I see you, and... you're beautiful." Her hand came to rest upon his chest as she looked into his eyes."

They kissed so tenderly and romantically.

...

Since Lilias became Archie's bride, Misselthwaite seemed to come alive with enchantment.

Archie gave his lovely wife a secret, walled garden as a wedding present. They built it up together and did the planting together to transform it into a very grand, secret kingdom of a place. The couple would lock themselves in like two lovebirds for hours and hours. Sometimes, the servants wondered where they'd gone to for so long and started looking for them.

Early one morning, Archie complained of pain in his chest and experienced shortness of breath. Lilias advised him to rest and stay in bed, but he brushed her concern off with a gentle kiss assuring her there was nothing serious to worry about as pain was commonly associated with his back condition. He wanted to venture out into the garden with her.

Lilias was promenading her garden with Archie at first so at peace in their earthly elysium, when unimaginable tragedy struck.

Archie began to suddenly gasp and sharply moan in pain, become short of breath, and begin to cough. He coughed up blood and collapsed as if in slow motion to the ground. Lilias felt as if she were frozen in shock. Her senses were gone. In such a sudden rush of frightful worry, she lost control of her auditory faculties. Her fear temporarily deafened her. She heard nothing-silence until she tried her best to speak to him.

"Archie? Archie, my love? Archie." She placed a hand over his chest as he lay on the ground.

She didn't want to leave him, but she needed to run to get help. However, just as she attempted, she noticed the head gardener-Ben Weatherstaff-approached. Thank goodness they left the garden's door unlocked that day.

"Ben! Run to the house! Fetch Dr. Craven! Tell him Archie's collapsed...a medical emergency! Immediately, please!"

Archie could only whisper but longed to speak to his wife.

"Lily, my angel, I love you so. Could you ever know how you have redeemed me? You are so precious to me. So very dear. Could you ever know...how much...I love you."

With that he lost consciousness, and his heart beat for the last time. It was a strikingly sudden and tragic happening.

."Nooo! No. Archie, no. My love? You cannot leave me." She spoke tearfully in shock.

"Archie!" She cried loudly. "Archie," She whimpered softly.

"Noo," She sobbed into his chest.

When Dr. Craven and Ben returned, they saw Lilias just lying over Lord Archibald Craven's lifeless body.

Ben choked up. Neville stared at the ground. He was gone.