Disclaimer: Every character essentially belongs to Frances Hodgson Burnett and any spin-off or movie that has arisen from this novel. This is based primarily on the 1993 movie version.
His Painted Sketch
1. While she sleeps he tucks in a wisp of bluebell in the curve of her delicate ear, feigning utter ignorance once she awakens.
2. Once while gathering weeds he first notices the tiny silver scar above her arrow-curved lips, and whenever it catches the sun in a glinting flash he is struck speechless.
3. On her twelfth birthday, he comes to her with a tiny bundle of fur cradled in the palm of his hand, a kitten mothered by a mousing cat that he had spent hours tracking down the day before.
4. He slips an arm around her shoulders while attempting to comfort an ego-injured Mary, ignoring the slight tremble in his hand.
5. Whenever her fingernails becomes stained and chipped with dirt, he wonders that perhaps there is a chance for the princess to fall for the pauper.
6. Mary never knew his black eye was due to his perpetual infinite gaze, and the jealous cousin who finally noticed.
7. She never cared much for posies, but since the day he caught her sleeping in a thatch of them with a stem plucked between her fingers, he has since tucked one into his belt each morn'.
8. It was during a spring shower that he had noticed the same indescribable look in her eyes that he recognized in his own.
9. The one and only thing he had ever stolen was a photograph taken many years before, shot by an envious cousin who never realized its innocent beauty.
10. She always assumed that he had wanted to be a shepherd boy of the moors his entire life, but there had always been a wisp of desire in him to become an explorer and travel the world- a dream quenched by his hunger for Mary's nearness.
11. He regrets the day he laughed and teased at her the time she sung "Oh My Darling Clementine", for she never dared opened her mouth to sing again.
12. He once grabbed her hand in the quick desperation to show her the birthing of a foal in the barn, and while they laughed with delight at the creature's attempt at walking, he couldn't help but notice she didn't once let go.
13. He dreams of taking her back to India, showering her with gifts that only the wealthy could offer.
14. Lace from her muslin dress tore between the sharp ends of snagging branches, which he keeps and everyday toys with the fragile fabric between his coarse fingers.
15. Spring was never a constant in Yorkshire, but every winter he looks forward to catching a glimpse of her darling red nose, ears and cheeks.
16. He loves to see his own breath couple with Mary's during the cold and bitter season.
17. He used to practice to speak like a proper English gentleman, but at the sight of her disappointed frown he gladly stopped.
18. The first time he caught her staring at him was quite possibly the greatest day of his fifteenth year.
19. There was no one who couldn't help but notice that while Mary grew more talkative, he became ever more silent for the sole purpose of hearing her more clearly.
20. During a sudden bout of falling snow he offered his jacket to the girl, and when she returned it he prayed that he would never outgrow it in hopes he could wear it forever.
21. He gently touches a finger to her wrist bone while she sleeps beneath an oak tree, fascinated by the sharp curves.
22. He cannot stop growing taller, and when he reaches 6'4 he is unaware of Mary's secret delight.
23. Even at their age he cannot help but wonder if she is truly a child of the wee folk, ready to disappear at any time.
24. He strokes the tiny ivory elephant she had carried with her from India, and momentarily ponders what it would be like to be a rajah.
25. He is thankful Colin's interests now lie elsewhere, and can watch her from afar without the annoyance of a black eye.
26. While teaching her how to ride a mare, he catches her in a flurry of petticoats as she stumbles off the saddle into his arms, and contemplates kissing her on the moor.
27. His siblings seem to get younger and more numerous with time, and he realizes he needs to escape.
28. The first time he felt the dread he had been on the moors, and not even the infinite fields could comfort his trepidation.
29. He dreams of a cottage of ivy and weaving, trailing vines after overhearing Mary mention something of the sort.
30. Cold fear strikes his heart as the young girl rushes past him in a fit of tears into Martha's waiting embrace.
31. The same day she leaves Misselthwaite Manor to attend boarding school, he enlists in the army.
32. The first time he killed a man all he could think of was how he had now lost both Mary and the garden.
33. The stench of death consumes his senses, and with a hard heart he shuts off the innocence of his childhood magic.
34. The mud of the trenches slide into his boots, and as the rain pelts him unforgivably and men collapse ahead of him, he thinks of a young girl whom he used to push on a garden swing.
35. Dragging his comrade through the barren field, he wonders if he will ever be whole again.
36. His family is there to greet him on his arrival, all struck at the coldness of his eyes and the weariness of his gait.
37. The moor no longer holds him in comfort, instead reminding him of the decrepit landscape he was imprisoned in during battle.
38. She left as a child and returned as an educated beautiful woman, knowledgeable of an icing-coated world he had been deprived of.
39. He knows she considers him to be a stoic statue of a man, but the magic of his youth has fled him indefinitely.
40. She tries to teach him how to waltz; amazed at his coarse calloused hand en-coupled with her silken one, and through their laughter he feels a spark of life glint.
41. He aids the newly-born lamb from the clutches of the struggling ewe, gasping as the new life filled his soul and reawakened the ancient knowledge of his childhood.
42. Amused at her uncontrollable vexation over Colin, he whispers in her ear "Mary, Mary, quite contrary", and knows he cannot ignore the intake of breath or her subtle shudder.
43. She leads him to their Princess of India lily, and watches incredulously as she plucks it from its roots and tucks it in his breast pocket.
44. It seems proper that their first kiss is witnessed by the garden; otherwise he would never have believed it himself.
45. He makes love to her that first moonless night under the canopy of the black leaves and boughs of their secret garden, stripping away the layers to reveal the wick.
46. Mrs. Sowerby smiles knowingly upon her son's entrance; her sense of smell keen on the sensuous perfume wafting from his rumpled clothes
47. Colin insists that he take photographs of the two of them on the infamous swing; seated just how his parents were so long ago.
48. His fear during the war is meaningless to what he feels upon each deathly scream, eternally grateful for the company of Colin and Lord Craven.
49. A harvest moon rises in unison to the cries of a newborn babe; a child seemingly born of wick and a bit of earth.
50. He gazes tenderly as his young wife eagerly holds out her arms to their young daughter, a bonny child with eyes as blue as her father's, currently wobbling uncertainly under the canopy of swaying leaves.
Authors Kind-of-Lame Note to Other Secret Garden Readers
So basically, I just decided to throw this in whilst wrapping up and editing chapter 8 of "A Cage for an Ivory Elephant". And truth be told- it was actually fun to do, and I totally recommend and encourage that anyone who enjoyed this try one out for themselves. Just one sentence maybe about 50 times. (Although some of my sentences are questionable). It doesn't take spectacular writing skills, as it is just a sentence each, and I apologise for those who were expecting something a bit more 'long'. And yea, I kind of figured some ppl might find it a bit creepy over Mrs. Sowerby's reaction to Dickon doing the deed, however with as many children as she has I doubt she views it negatively, lol. And I just thought I might incorporate a scene from the movie (the nightmare Mary has she is a toddler and walking towards her mothers waiting arms, and cries when her mother runs from her) just because I thought it was an interesting moment.
It was so weird, I just did a few sentences, and I couldn't get them out of my head. I'd be at work or on the bus and I kept thinking of more things to add to this. It's really just a fun way to simplify all the scenarios we've all had with Dickon and Mary without having to write it down as a novel-length. Every thought I've had with D & M was hard to incorporate into my other story, so I just decided to follow the example of Starrika (& her live journal) and just write all my ideas down before I lose them forever.This 1- sentence thing was a cool way for me to get my thoughts out there and share it with other fans, without having to exercise any particular writing skills.
Anyway, as always, reviews are more then appreciated:)