The Death of Yorik Mortwell (14 page)

“Yes,” said Susan.

“And of course I could never replace your real father, I’m sure,” continued Lord Ravenby anxiously.

“Yes,” said Susan, smiling and turning. “I will be your daughter. Oh! Look!” She pointed to a dandelion growing from a crack in the stone balustrade. A startled-looking butterfly was flapping nearby. “How odd,” she said. “I didn’t notice this before. Who would think a dandelion could grow in such a place?”

“Quite extraordinary,” replied Lord Ravenby, wiping at a tear in his eye.

“Yorik told me a story about dandelions,” Susan said. “He said that the seeds of a dandelion will deliver your dreams to your loved one.”

And she reached out and plucked the dandelion,
and blew. And the seeds spread on the wind. They floated down to the water garden, and onto the Tropical Tell, and throughout the aviary glade, and settled even beneath the topiaries. And some of them landed in the little creek, where they drifted on the waters, along the smiling face of Erde.

F
or all their efforts with this book, my deepest gratitude goes to Miriam Angress, J. J. Johnson, Jennifer Harrod, John Claude Bemis, Jim Thomas, Chelsea Eberly, Jason Gots, Alison Kolani, Jessica Shoffel, Ellice Lee, and Josh and Tracey Adams of Adams Literary. Also to Gris Grimly, for his inspired illustrations; Edward Gorey, whose art was a constant inspiration; and Robert Herrick, for his poem “The Night-piece, To Julia.”

Late at night, through a hidden window, the ghost of
S
TEPHEN
M
ESSER
can be seen typing away in his study, high up in the haunted manor he shares with his wife in Durham, North Carolina. In a past life, Stephen was the author of
Windblowne
. Visit Stephen online at
stephenmesser.com
.

G
RIS
G
RIMLY
can best be described as a storyteller. Through his distinctive style and wide selection of media as an author, illustrator, fine artist, sculptor, and filmmaker, he has captivated a variety of loyal collectors. Primarily known for his dark yet humorous children’s books, Gris continues to haunt the imaginations of both young and old. Visit him online at
madcreator.com
.