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 purfumed breath
	He spent his childhood hours

Then in his youth he took a wife
	Both beautiful 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 fell 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 dispair
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 everywhere
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 scense 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 could 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 dare
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 who 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 blossonms 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 Ladies heart and
	Filled her soul with fear

As she put out her hand to grasp
	The roses 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
	It's 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 it's flowers
	Not the spirit all unseen

The Lord he found her lying
	Cold and senseless there
'Neath the 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 ladies warning cry

And ever more in grief he walks
	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