The Bride In Black

Part 63

I followed Thomas as we headed out the workshop hand in hand, going along the little paths and tracks of the house out towards the woods and nearby to our little temporary cottage we headed beyond the tree line for a little while following a small wooden path laid long ago. Till it opened up to perhaps the most beautiful thing I had seen since I was here. It was a garden, small but sweet with custom bred roses I had never seen before, the same wooden path that we had been walking on, all of it clearly built years ago but built that it would last forever, the trees around it hid this place from the rest of the world, it had stone statues long worn by time, the sweet canopy of leaves protected it from the sky, bees and butterflies flourished and at the bottom a beautiful old sunhouse in a octagonal shape with the four walls facing the garden had these beautiful lead line glass patio doors it was clearly insulated without damp or dust within it, even beautiful red curtains in case you didn't want tos ee the garden and a sweet sofa and chairs within as well as an old black log burner with a chimney that popped out the top of the sunhouse. 

"What is this magical place?' I asked observing a beautiful idegio rose 

"The secret garden" he says "it was my grandmother's before she died." He explained unlocking and opening up the sunhouse

"Its beautiful, she must have been very clever"

"She was. I didn't know her for long. She was killed a few years after I was born. But the little time we had together was very special" he explained "she was a very smart lady for her time. Very beautiful. You remind me of her in some ways"

"I do?"

"Sometimes. I don't remember much about her. But this place was her pride and joy."

"Well it's been well kept" I said "your mother and the staff must take good care of it"

"My mother. Doesn't know this place exists"

"What?'

"Being married to a vampire. Can be challenging. I can't imagine what it must have been like back then for her. She was turned and married into the family like you will be. She found no matter how big the house was she always felt… trapped. Smothered by it all. I can't blame her. The house can smother you know and it was smaller, darker, colder then. So she made this place, her little secret garden somewhere to go to be alone for a while" he explained

"How did you find out about it?'

"Ons afternoon she said she was going for a walk. I wanted to go with her but she told me no and left. I snuck away from my mother and followed her and discovered this place. She found me of course and said I could come here too if I wanted so long as I kept it a secret. Our little secret. When she died… I couldn't let anyone else see it. I wanted to keep it just between us. Keep it out little secret forever" he explained "so I've took care of it ever since"

"How old were you when she died?"

"I was nine" 

"Then… why am I here?' 

"I… wanna give it to you"

"What?'

'i have my little places. My study. My barn. My workshop. All little places I can tinker and take care of things be alone from the rest of the family… you don't. You like my grandmother will be married into a family of vampires, I can imagine you'll feel a little smothered too without a place of your own. Somewhere privet and special. So… you can have here. As your little place. To be alone get some space from us all. It will be good for everyone, I'm sure my grandmother would have adored you, and I'm sure she won't mind me giving you her little secret garden to use as she did"

"You don't have to do that thomas-"

"Well I want to. I know you'll take good care of it"

"I will do my best. Thank you' I smiled hugging him close "even though it's my secret garden your welcome anytime you like Thomas"

"Thank you my darling" he Cooes giving me a kiss before we went and sat in the nice warm sunhouse watching the garden moving in the gentle breeze 

"Thomas?" I asked after a while

"Umm humm?" He asks clearly half asleep on the sofa with his arm around me 

"Did your father have a private place?'

"What?'

"Well your grandmother married into the family and she had here. Oliver married into the family and he has his greenhouse, I have here. Did your father have a place of his own?"

"No. Well sort of. He had an office. And that's it. He didn't go in his office much thought he found it dark and damp down there" 

"Where's his office?'

"It's the room next to the music room"

"Ohh I see why he felt a little… smothered'

"I can too. He was going to build himself a little… what did he call it? Like mini theater sort of thing?"

"Oohh"

"But he never got round to it. And then mum… well yeah"

"I see." I nodded "well thank you very much for my little secret garden"

"Your welcome. I trust you'll take good care of the place"

"I will do my best. What are all these roses anyway?'

"Her hobby. She loved breeding roses. You know really rare black roses?"

"Yes?"

"Thank my grandmother."

"She?"

"One of the first breeders in the world to get them to work."

"That's incredible"

"It wasn't her favorite thought"

"What was?"

"The blue" he says indicating to the still closed rose "blooms autumn to winter. With a sweet blue petals. Her juniper roses she called them"

"That's sweet. I can't wait for them to bloom"

"They should bloom. Right around our wedding"

"I hope so. Maybe I'll use them in my bouquet."

"Maybe?'

"You'll have to wait and see"

"Alright. You need to start working on your dress soon?"

"I have my ideas"

"I'm sure you do. Maybe next week we'll sit down in the cottage and get things ironed out"

"Agreed." I smiled giving him a kiss and nuzzling closer 

"I have work to do" he reminds but I simply held him tighter 

"Ummm being a pillow"

"Alright I'm your pillow, for as long as you want my love"