The Duchess of Norfolk was a widely respected and envied woman. Once beautiful, her features had hardened and so had her heart in turn. Her husband, who had married her for her wealth and beauty, was now resentful of his spiteful wife.

The two of them however had a fiery, yet lovely daughter named Felicity. With her kindred spirit and lush brown locks all men flocked after her, much to her parents’ delight. What status they could achieve with the marriage of their fetching daughter!

Soon enough Felicity was promised to a man very close with the King. The young girl, who had been eagerly awaiting the identity of her husband-to-be, was distraught over the fact that the man was older than her father and greedy as well.

She spent many tearful days in the garden, surrounded by exotic flowers and sunlight, bemoaning her misfortune. One day two men were tending to the garden when she came out. Her eye was immediately drawn to the younger of the two, with the sunlight flattering his golden curls and almond eyes. When he looked up she smiled shyly and to her joy he produced a purple flower which he presented to her. Never was another flower as beautiful as that one.

Every afternoon after that she spent in the garden with him. In her eye, no other man could measure up to the one in front of her, much less her fiancé. In time, they ran away together and got married in a chapel far from home. Within several months she was pregnant and luckily her husband had finished building their home. The house itself was unstable and small, but she had never felt more at home.

One fateful afternoon however, Felicity’s parents arrived enraged. Forcefully they brought her home, and since her husband had been gone at the time, she had never gotten to say goodbye.

Three months pregnant, Felicity was locked in the manor, for of course no man would take her now. Miserably she dreaded the end of her pregnancy, for her parents would take away the baby and she would never see it again.

Months later, when she gave birth to twin boys, the wet nurse was so torn by the sight of the loving mother tearfully doting upon her babies for the last time that Felicity managed to persuade the lady to do her a favor. She was to bring the babies to her husband far away and implore him to come to his wife.

Reluctantly, the wet nurse agreed and within a month Felicity saw her love. One morning she had been looking out her window and onto the garden below when she saw her husband waving to her. Her heart leaped and she became hopeful once again. Though to no avail could her husband come to her, for they both tried many methods and all failed due to the Duchess’s determination. Despite the despair of the situation, Felicity’s husband visited her through the window every day, usually bringing the babies to present to her.

Years later however Felicity caught the plague. Then the Duchess didn’t even let the maid or doctor into her room for fear that it would spread. Felicity’s love had to watch as day by day she weakened and grew near death.

On the hour of her death, Felicity and her husband locked eyes through the window when she died.

Torn with grief Felicity’s husband wandered aimlessly around the garden when the Duchess stumbled upon him. She was perturbed to find him there, but beckoned him inside. She brought him to Felicity’s room, where her corpse still lay on the bed. The pair of them stood in the doorway, staring at the body of the young girl.

“Look closely,” the Duchess says, “for this is what your waiting has brought you in the end.”