Once upon a time, Colin used to be jealous of what Mary and Dickon had--Mary had the strength of foal (trembling at first, then racing in no time) and Dickon had all the magic in the world tucked into the corner of his smile. When they gazed at each other, he had felt locked out of their own little world.

And yet, as Dickon hands her another flower and Mary weaves it into a circlet, Colin sits up straight as they crown him and knows the door to their world was like the gate to the garden--open and waiting for him to come in.