The Scent of Roses in the Air
There was a young lord of this shire
With position, wealth and land
Whose home it was a great old house
With rooms so fine and grand
This house it stood in grounds all filled
With roses large and fair
The sound of fountains and the scent
Of roses in the air
And there from birth this Lord he played
In gardens bright with flowers
Amidst the roses perfumed breath
He spent his childhood hours
Then in his youth he took a wife
Both beatiful and gay
Who brought great joy into the house
And brightened every day
Together they would walk the grounds
This Lord and Lady fair
Amongst the blossoms and the scent
Of roses in the air
They lived in peace and harmony
And they believed their love
Was made to last forever by
The Lord in Heav'n above
But all too soon this maid feel sick
'Spite all the doctors tried
She faded quickly and in only
A few days she died
Distraught he walked the garden
In tears and great despair
Consoled by flowers and the scent
Of roses in the air
But then fate smiled on him once more
And eased his grief and pain
And he began to face the world,
To smile and laugh again
For some years on he met a maid
Who healed his broken heart
And together they resolved to make
Themselves a brand new start
Once more the whole house it was filled
With flowers everwhere
And there was colour and the scent
Of roses in the air
So for some time they lived in bliss
And treasured each new day
Until the time that duty called
The young Lord far away
This parting made them weep and
It grieved their hearts full sore
For he must sail across the sea
For full six months or more
So this Lady vowed to keep the house
And grounds in good repair
Cheered by the flowers and the scent
Of roses in the air
But then one day walking alone
She felt a sudden chill
And the sense that something close at hand
Might wish to do her ill
She felt as though she were observed
Though no one could she see
That hidden eyes were watching her
From every bush and tree
And as she gathered blossoms
She felt a presence there
Amongst the flowers and the scent
Of roses in the air
Each day the feeling grew as she
Walked the garden round
And she began to jump and start
At each unusual sound
It seemed as though if she coudl but
Turn around quite fast
She'd catch a sight of someone there
Behind her on the path
Where she had loved the garden
She felt she should not dair
To enjoy the flowers and the scent
Of roses in the air
She was sure she could hear whispers
But could not tell where from
Nor what the voice was saying nor
To whom it did belong
Footfall close behind her
Hot breath upon her cheek
And yet no sign of man nor beast
It made the Lady weep
To raise her spirits she went forth
To gather blossoms rare
To fill the great house with the scent
Of roses in the air
But as she knelt to pluck the bloom
A cry it sounded clear
And it froze the Lady's heart and
Filled her soul with fear
As she put out her hand to grasp
The rose's thorny stem
A warning cry from nowhere
It rent the air again
A woman's voice cried out
As if in pain "Forbear!"
As her hand closed on the rose
Its scent heavy in the air
Her hand it closed upon the rose and
The thorn it cut her deep
And as she fell to earth she heard
The guardian spirit weep
And as she fell to earth she knew
That the evil force had been
The garden and its flowers
Not the spirit all unseen
The Lord he found her lying
Cold and senseless there
'Neatht he blossoms with the scent
Of roses in the air
And she died as had his first wife
And no one could say why
For none but she had heard
The lady's warning cry
And ever more in grief he walked
Each pathway and each track
Through the garden that he loves and
Roses that love him back
And ever more he lives alone
Surrounded everywhere
By jealous flowers and the scent
Of roses in the air