Mary Lennox never wanted to go to finishing school. She never wanted to leave her garden, Dickon, Colin, Martha, and everyone else she had met at Misselthwaite Manor. She loved the magical place that turned her from a sour, unpleasant brat into a cheerful and healthy girl. However she reluctantly agreed to go. Her uncle had told her that it was necessary for her to go and learn more while she had the time and not to worry because the moor would still be here when she got back. So Mary agreed.

Although saying goodbye was not an easy task. She had cried so many times with each person she bid farewell to but it was not until she said goodbye to her garden and Dickon that she almost couldn't bear to leave.

Dickon had hidden himself in the garden, not wanting to say goodbye to her but Mary knew better and knew he would be there the day she was leaving. Dickon had promised he would take care of the garden for her and Mary promised she would come and visit as often as she could. She hugged her dear friend who was then 15 and she held onto to him crying into his shirt.

"I don't want to leave." She cried.

"It's alrigh' Miss Mary, Dunna worry tha head too much. I'll be here when tha' gets back." He patted her on the head although Dickon couldn't help but want to kiss the girl.

"Promise?" She looked up to his beautiful sky-like eyes. He smiled down at her.

"Aye, I promise." He said and Mary hugged him again before leaving.

Dickon watched her leave. It felt as though a hole had been formed in his heart and the further she got away the bigger the hole became. The only comfort he had was in making sure the garden would be perfect for her when she got back.

Colin went to school as well. He was excited to learn new things and found his passion in the sciences. At school, Colin would often visit Mary to tell him about some new theory or discovery he had learned about that day while all Mary could tell him was that she learned how to hold her teacup.

Mary did not enjoy much of school but sometimes she liked it and made a couple friends. Though they were not her kindred spirits she longed to be with. When Colin visited it was always good fun but she missed Dickon. She missed him telling her about the moor and the animals. She missed him laughing with her. She missed his smile and his scent. He always smelled delicious grass and the fresh summer approaching. She loved Dickon, ever so much. She remembered how hard it was to say goodbye to him and she had been pained that she was never able to go back to Misselthwaite in the five years she had been at school. She thought she would be able to come home for the holidays but her school was strict and Mary was behind so they put extra pressure on her during these times. Sometimes her friends would invite them to their houses and she would agree as was encouraged by both Uncle Archie and Colin.

Mary would write letters to Martha though and she would also leave a note for Dickon as well in them. Martha would tell her about the manor, the garden, and Dickon. However, one day Martha stopped writing about Dickon and she couldn't figure out why. She would constantly ask but all Martha would ever say was that he had been out there doing his job. But that was the end of it. Mary had been so confused. Did Dickon hate her now because she never visited? Or was it something else?

Those were the main questions on her mind when she and Colin were to finally return to the Manor. Colin had been reluctant to leave his studies and new friends. Colin had become quite popular at school and with the ladies. He had grown, as such boys do, into a man. He was ever so tall and no longer look sickly and fragile. Mary sometimes laughed when she thought of their meetings when he couldn't walk and as she listened to other girls flirt with him who knew nothing of the man that stood in front of them. Many of those women became jealous of Colin's affection for Mary, even though she knew they were the affections of her cousin and nothing more.

"Mary! Look! We're here!" Colin cried out as he pulled the curtain back from the window revealing the peaceful moor.

Mary's heart pounded wildly as she looked out the carriage window. She was back and she couldn't have been more happy.

The Manor looked as it ever did except her opinion of it had changed since she first laid eyes on it. When she first came to Misselthwaite she thought it looked terribly dreary and lifeless. Now as the sun shown down over it it was filled with life and happiness. Something Mary couldn't wait to feel again after the boring life of the finishing school. Mary searched the rest of the moor though, hoping to find her favorite person galloping across it on Jump or perhaps walking with Soot as he performed an errand for Mrs. Medlock but to no avail did she find him.

When they arrived at the Manor, Uncle Archie was waiting for them outside with much of the staff.

"Welcome home!" He said happily and hugged his son and niece tightly before sitting in his wheelchair. Old age had caught up to the man and his back ached ever so much when he stood for too long. "You must be exhausted, come in." He gestured for them to go inside. Mary looked around but still there was no Dickon. Perhaps he was in town. Perhaps.

Uncle Archie had prepared a small snack for them in the parlor as he wanted to discuss their time away with them. Colin spoke animatedly about his studies and his father listened intently although he couldn't help but notice Mary's worried glances.

"Mary, I thought we might hold a party for your return, you and Colin's that is. What do you say to that?"

"I think that would be splendid, Uncle." Mary said and smiled. It would be more splendid if Dickon was here she thought.

"That's a wonderful idea, father! May I invite some of my friends?" Colin asked.

"Of course! We'll talk about it later though. Mary seems to be tired, why don't we let her get some rest." This turned Colin's eyes right to Mary who was staring out the window still searching for her best friend.

"Mary? Are you alright?" Colin asked.

"I'm fine, it's just" she looked at her only relatives worry on their faces. "I'm glad to be back but where is Dickon? Wouldn't he have met us?" She looked to her cousin whose smile now faded as he turned to his father who didn't know what to say. "What's wrong? Where is he?"

"Mary, don't get too upset when we tell you this."

"What? Does he not wish to see us? Is he angry with me?"

"No, no of course not, child." Uncle Archie tried to calm her. "You see, it's the war. He went to war."

"What?" Mary choked on her words. "When?"

"Last year."

"But why did no one tell me this?" She stood up in anger. "Is he alright? Does anyone know how is he?"

"Calm down, the last message we received he was fine but he didn't want us to tell you. He thought he would be back before you came home."

"Why?"

"Because he didn't want you to worry about him." Colin said.

"When was the last time you heard from him?" Mary sat back down trying to hold back her tears at the thought of her sweet, magical woodland creature fighting in a war.

"Three months ago." Her uncle said ashamedly. "We have not heard since."

Mary was silent.