Return to the Garden

The Secret Garden

Return to the Garden

I heard a knock at my door. Who on earth would be calling at this hour? I thought. I looked at the clock. 3 o’clock a.m. Groaning, I raised myself from the comfortable armchair and went to open the door. My 17-year-old self wasn’t built to function this early in the morning.

The knock came again, more persistent this time.

“I’m a-comin’!” I shouted, unsure whether the person outside could hear him, but deciding that they probably could. I dragged my clothes on, and opened the door.

Outside stood a 14-year-old girl. Shivering from the cold and wet through from the rain, yet her face looked vaguely familiar…

“Mary?” I gasped.

“Dickon?” she whispered. Her eyes lit up and she reached and hugged me. Although she was wet through, I let her. After 30 seconds or so, she spoke.

“My, you’ve grown, Dickon!” she exclaimed, looking up at me. I smiled shyly at her, barely daring to believe it was really her, she was really there.

“Not jus’ me, Mary. Tha’ve done a fair bi’ o’ growin’ too!” She grinned at me.

“I’m 14 now, can you believe it?” No, I couldn’t. The past two years I had waited patiently for her to come home, and now she had! They had passed in a daze, me always expecting Mary to walk around the corner. She never did.

“Mary, tha’ do know the the house is empty? They’ve gone to t’ France for a month.” Inside I was singing. If she stayed, it would be me and her, alone for however long she was staying!

Suddenly I realized that we were standing outside, and that we were both dripping wet.

“Ah’m sorry, Mary. Come in!” She smiled and stepped in.

I led her to the sitting room where I lit a lamp and started the fire going.

“Will you be goin’ back, then?” Suddenly the realization hit me. She would probably go back to London since Colin and Master Craven are away, and then I wouldn’t see her for a very long time.

“Of course not, Dickon!” She said surprised. “Unless you want me to go…” She said softly.

“Mary, tha’ knows ah’d never want tha’ t’ leave.” I said honestly.

“But, then, where shall I stay?” She said hopelessly.

“Stay here!”I said excitedly. She looked at me doubtf. “I. “I have a spare bedroom!”

“Okay, then,” she said, smiling again at me. She turned, then, and gazed at the flickering fire. I finally had the chance to study her. Besides growing up, she had developed a figure in the two years she had been away. Her hair had gone from mousy to pure, golden blonde.

“Mary, when i’ clears up, we’ll go and see th’ garden!” I said.

Mary smiled again, excitedly this time. “Colin and I were talking before I left,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be fun to have a secret chalet inside the secret garden?”

“Oh, yes!” I cried. “We could start tomorro’!”

“Yes!” Said Mary. ‘She looks beautiful when she smiles,’ I thought, but quickly brushed it away. Mary was a friend. Nothing more.

* * * * *

“It’s done!” she cried.

I smiled and stepped back, admiring our handiwork. The chalet was tucked away right at the back of the garden, in a little glen. We’d pained it brown, so that no one would see it. We decided not to tell Colin. It would be our secret.

“Let’s go inside,” she whispered. Somehow, it seemed to be a whispering matter.

The curtains were blue and they were drawn back, so you could see into the garden- but shut them again if anyone came. The bed they had built was solid oak with yellow bedspreads and pillows, courtesy of Martha. There were a few of Mary’s favourite books on the table, and the little lamp had a blue cover on it.

Mary stood there, gazing around. And then her gaze locked on me. She looked so innocent standing there that I couldn’t help myself. I leaned towards her and kissed her square on the mouth. She squeaked with surprise and I pulled back, going red with embarrassment.

“Ah’m sorry, M-“ She pressed a finger softly to my lips, then pulled it away and replaced it with her lips. The moment our lips touched I forgot everything for a minute, forgot where we were, forgot that I was a servant and she was a lady and stood there, lost in her kiss…