Molly: Molly sits on the wall in the rose garden, facing out towards Lower Tawstock. Her muffled voice can be heard, changing in pitch every few sentances, there appears to be no other voice in the conversation. The words are indistinguishable from a distance. Morgan: *Morgan walks down from the forest with a sack thrown over one shoulder and his rifle on the other. Seeing Molly on the wall, he makes a beeline for her* Molly: *She has a small leatherbound book in her hand, and oblivious to him, keeps on reading, her voice higher and lower depending on the character.*    'My Lord, I can assure you I believe your intentions are far from honorable. You are a scoundrel and a rogue, and yet... I find myself unable to seperate my thoughts from you.'  She turned her beautiful face away from him, eyes darting to the other dancers. Her face is flushed when he takes her hand, ensuring she will look back at him. 'Lady Daventry, Du bist die schönste Frau in der Welt'     *Molly struggles, her pronouciation of the unfamiliar words is terrible, but she speaks them with a great deal of enthusiasm, her voice much lower than normal* Morgan: *Morgan walks quietly up to Molly, standing slightly out of arms reach before speaking, after looking around to ensure there is no-one to hear* Lady Daventry, you are the most beautful woman in the world. Molly: *Molly jumps about a foot in the air* Oh my goodness Morgan, are you of a want to scare the life from me?!   *She begins to laugh* Morgan: I think its force of habit from creeping around after rabbits all morning, to be frank. What are you reading? Molly: *She blushes* I'm so sorry, but I find it intensely amusing to play the parts, though it must look and sound attrocious. Very embarassing on my part. It is a very silly book, full of romance and such nonsense, but I find I get lost in the world of proper respectable nobles, their catty wives and their beautiful and witty mistresses... Morgan: *Morgan looks vaguely at the book* I see, or rather hear, that your reading has improved in leaps and bounds Molly: *She smiles, trying to swallow her shame at being caught* I have a love for it, possibly more so than anything else in my life. Horatio gave me something irreplacable the day he taught me to read my first page Morgan: *Morgan looks over the valley* I wonder what Mr Black would make of your wedding. Molly: *She sighs, closing the book and putting it beside her on the wall* I should imagine he'd think nothing of it, for I believe the affection was only on my part Morgan: I'm not entirely sure. But I believe his desire to find his daughter outweighs everything else in his life. Molly: Which is understandable, of course. However, I can not wait on a promise never made when I have a good man willing to take me on where no-one else would... *Her face is blank, as if her neutral expression has been practised* Morgan: Indeed. *Morgan turns and gazes up at the house* I'm nervous about Lady Torringtons reaction to my letter. Molly: *Molly doesn't reply for a few seconds* Then perhaps you are doing the wrong thing? Morgan: I dotn think so. Its not right to keep lying to her. Besides, I've a better chance of staying if she doesn't find out as a surprise from a guest Molly: Very true. I believe you will find her merciful. Morgan: I hope so, but only time will tell. *Morgan turns back to the valley* I wish I had more time for reading. It's one of my mothers favourite pastimes Molly: *She looks at him in profile* She must be a wonderful lady... Morgan: She certainly has her moments. *Morgan looks at the floor, head bowed by memory* Though I wonder if my absence and nothing but my brothers presence will have tainted her perception and memory of me Molly: Perhaps there is some way you might find chance to visit her? Morgan: No, if I go back I suspect there will be violence. I've no doubt you've noticed I have little regard for most people, whether they're here or not. I fear that the mere sight of my brother would force me into a rage Molly: Yes, that would be ill-advised then. I doubt your fears are justified though, for I think every mother must remember their child fondly whilst they are away. Morgan: Perhaps I'll find out one day. Molly: I am sure you will, I can not forsee you living out your days here, much as you might wish to. Morgan: *Morgan sighs* I wish it were my choice. But one way or another, it wont be. Molly: *She smiles* I'm not so sure. You might find yourself wishing to travel. It must be nice to have seen so many places, places I can only really dream of Morgan: *Morgan looks earnestly at Molly* I've travelled the world, Molly, and there's only one place I was truly happy. I'd have given every nation on the face of this planet just to be there Molly: *She looks away, tears in her eyes* I'm sorry, I always seem to say the wrong thing to you nowadays Morgan: Its a knack I have to be able to turn any conversation sour. Molly: It is hardly anything for you to take blame for, if I had more of a mind full of sense, rather than whether or not the characters in these books might lay together or be killed by a rival, I might have a little more tact. Morgan: Dont give it another thought blossom. I long ago stopped expecting people to be cautious with their speech. It is not something that upsets me particularly anymore. Molly: *She smiles softly, grateful for his forgiveness8 They never do, you know... Morgan: why should they? Everyone has their own lives to lead and perhaps some day I'll come to the point where mine can continue Molly: *She looks suprised* Oh, no... I was talking about... nevermind. Yes, I'm sure one day you'll find a way forward, however that might come about Morgan: they never do what? Molly: *She looks highly embarassed* They never lay together, in the books I mean. Well, they do, but they dont tell you anything about it, just that they go in to a chamber and shut the door, and then it moves on to the next morning... 8She laughs, realising how silly she sounds* Morgan: *Realisation suddenly dawns on Morgan* Ah, well... ummm. I think thats literary discretion, though I hear rumour there are books in vodacce that contain the missing pages, so to speak Molly: *Her eyes go wide* Really?! Though I suppose by the time I am in a position to step foot in Vodacce, I shall be married and not have need of a written education. *Her voice is quiet, very solemn* Morgan: *Morgans shoulders start to shake as he tries to stifle a laugh* I rather suspect that you and Lord Jaeger may be in the same situation Molly: Then we shall be of no use to the other! *She laughs*  Interesting though, far fetched as these books are, not even they contain a story where a housekeeper, no matter how witty or beautiful actaully MARRIES the lord... She might get as far as being his mistress, but never his wife. They never seem unhappy though. Morgan: I'm hardly an authority on the subject, but I understand its relatively common for a lord to have a mistress as well as a wife Molly: *Her eyes glaze over, as if he mind is far away* Yes, in the books they always do, and it is the mistress he loves, never the wife... Morgan: Its not always like that, if even the majority. I never had a mistress, nor my father. Molly: *She looks at him, realising he thinks she is worried jaeger will take a mistress* I have been a good daughter, and a good housekeeper, and will endeavour to take my next duty and make it a job well done... Ife he chooses to take  mistress, I shall not speak out on the matter, for it would be beyond the scope of my job. Morgan: A matter of opinion, I think. You realise I could've taken Eiblinn as a mistress? Only by being transparent about my identity, of course, but the possibility remains Molly: *She looks at him, her voice slow and measured, quiter than normal* before I knew everything, I believed you would. She certainly seemed to have your affections, albeit briefly Morgan: She wanted more than I could give. Truth be told, I made a mistake with her Molly: *She looks out over the village* She should have seen where the lines were drawn as soon as she knew everything... I think you made a mistake in her, for although a smart girl, she is not mature enough to have a well developed intuition and empathy Morgan: unlike others in the house? Molly: *She looks puzzled* There are a few ladies I could imagine who would be wiser, yes Morgan: *Morgan nods* uh huh. Still, there are no longer those options. Molly: Sometimes I think you overestimate my intelligence, for you are so cryptic that you out strip even me. Morgan: A result of my upbringing I fear. Molly: That you overestimate women, or that you are cryptic? Morgan: that I'm cryptic Molly: *She sighs* I understand Morgan: Politics, I think, are the training ground for the terminally obtuse Molly: I'm inclined to agree. Did Eiblinn intend for you to reveal yourself in order to take her as your companion then? Morgan: I've a suspicion that she wished me to reveal myself in order to be my bride Molly: *Molly's hand inadvertantly goes to her mouth* Oh, my... Morgan: I fear she never understood me in the slightest Molly: I think you must have hit the nail on the head there. I wonder though, was Jaeger's intense and persistant wooing of me part of her mind's reasoning for how a common girl could marry a man of such standing? Morgan: possibly. I hadn't given that much thought. Though I had realised that your betrothing did spark off her sudden intense interest in it Molly: *She sighs heavily* Such a pity. You could have certainly found the affection you sought had she been more careful of her heart and intentions. *She laughs softly* I guess its something that can not be learnt nor taught.