The Secret Garden Chapter 11: The ghost is revealed by D.L. Copyright  © 2011 D.L. All Rights Reserved. Inspired by the classic children’s tale by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

The young girl crept out from behind the curtain, carrying the chamber pot. She had dirty-blonde hair and was clothed in a white cotton dress that had seen better days. The child looked unwashed, and the clothes were torn and marked from constant wear. The dress came down to just below the girl’s knees. Beneath the dress, her legs were bare and shoeless.

Slowly and carefully, the smaller child carried the vessel into the bathroom and emptied it. Returning to the doorway, she came to a halt and nervously stood looking at the apparent boy sitting on the settee in front of her.

The larger child beckoned to the smaller girl and patted the seat, indicating that she should come and sit beside her. Cautiously, the lass came across the room and sat down.

“Thank you, I have needed to go since before breakfast. I was waiting for you to leave, but you didn’t. I guess you knew I was there the whole time,” the girl said, to which the other nodded.

“Please don’t tell anybody that I’m here. If I’m found, I will be locked up and sent away. I don’t think I would survive the workhouse,” the younger girl sobbed. Putting her arm round the girl, the larger child comforted her companion, kissing her lightly on the forehead. The smaller child felt extremely thin and frail to the former boy.

The elder girl picked up her sketchpad and pencil, showing the visitor the picture of her feet under the curtain, and then wrote a message beneath the drawing.

“Sorry, I can’t read,” stated the stranger, “You can’t speak, can you? I overheard some of the staff talking about you.”

The child hesitated, unsure how to answer. The guest continued, “My name is Hattie. My brother used to be a butler here, but he was caught stealing and sent away, deported, leaving me behind. He was hiding me here in the attics and bringing me provisions. Our parents are dead. Since he’s gone, I have been all alone, sneaking about and stealing supplies where I can. Martha leaves food lying about every now and then. She has seen me, but she was only semi-conscious at the time, so I don’t know if she remembers who I am. I’m scared she might turn me in.”

The sound of approaching footsteps distracted the two children. Hattie quickly dashed behind the curtain again, while the other child went to the door, opening it. Martha was coming along the hall with Richard’s lunch. The child deliberately stood in her doorway, blocking the path of the servant.

“Richard, I’ve brought you some lunch, soup and rolls. I will come back with some treacle tart later,” Martha stated, “well, don’t just stand there in the way.”

Standing back from the door, she let the servant bring the tray into the room and set it down on the table. Not wanting the woman to hang around the child stood and held the door open for her, beckoning her to leave. Seeing that the apparent boy was not going to sit down until she left, Martha curtseyed and departed.

After Martha had gone, and was heard to descend the stairs, the child sighed and pulled the curtain open to reveal the scared girl.

“Thank you for not revealing me to Martha. You could have gotten rid of me. Thank you,” Hattie said. “Please, I will do anything you want. Will you keep me secret?”

“Yes, if you will keep the fact I can speak secret,” the reply came in a soft, barely audible voice.

“You can talk!” Hattie whispered back, surprised.

Nodding, the larger child replied, “Yes, but I choose not to. I assume I can trust you not to reveal that to anybody.”

“I promise, your secret is safe with me,” Hattie confirmed. “But why have you remained silent?”

“You look starving, you can have my soup while I explain,” the other child stated, picking up and eating a slice of bread.

The young girl didn’t need any further encouragement, sat down at the table, and started to eat the broth.

“Richard, the person I used to be, died two years ago when the carriage he was in overturned. I was badly injured, so much so that I will never be able to become a father. What is more, I am never going to become a man, not properly,” the child explained. “When I learned of my injuries I had a long discussion with my mother. Most of my male parts were so badly damaged that they had to be removed, leaving me disfigured. My mother found an Indian surgeon, who was able to tidy up the appearance and turn me into a close approximation of a girl. I can never have children, and have to have certain herbs in order to mature, but I can live a fuller life that way than being stuck as a boy who can never grow up.”

Taking and eating the other slice of bread, she continued to say, “My mother was training me to be a lady. The plan was to disappear and reappear as her niece, but we all got sick and she died. Changing one’s sex simply isn’t done. Many people consider it a sin and if they were to find out, then I could be in serious danger, so it has to remain secret. When I am older, I plan to disappear and reappear as a young lady. I don’t talk, as I don’t exist. Richard is a façade I put up to hide the real me. My name is Rosie.”

Finishing the soup, Hattie turned and looked closely at the person in front of her, “You sound like a girl. Your hair is slightly short, but I think in the right clothes you wouldn’t be mistaken for a boy. I don’t care what you are as long as you’ll be my friend, Rosie.”

Hattie went back into hiding while Martha brought dessert. Once the servant had gone, Rosie split the treacle tart into two portions, giving two thirds to the starving girl.

“We have both been living alone for too long and need companionship,” Rosie declared. “Would you like to live here with me? We would have to be careful, but the staff leave me alone most of the time. I have my own private garden that we can use during the day where we can talk quietly without fear of being overheard.”

“Yes, I would love too,” Hattie replied, “but I would have to be careful not to get caught. If they find me they will send me to the workhouse.”

“Rubbish, why would they do that?” Rosie asked. “You are my guest.”

“I’m penniless and have to steal to survive. I will be lucky not to be arrested,” Hattie answered.

“Not anymore, I can employ you as my personal assistant. I can pay you half of my weekly allowance,” Rosie stated.

The young girl seemed to be saddened by this, “If you are my employer, then we can’t truly be friends. It is not proper to form relationships with your servants.”

“How about we say that you are in the employment of Richard, but you live and become friends with Rosie?” the larger child reasoned.

“Thank you, that sounds brilliant”, the younger child said as she wrapped her new friend in a hug.

“No offence, but you need a bath,” Rosie stated. “Also, those rags can go in the bin. We will find you something better to wear. I only have a few dresses and not much opportunity to clean them. How do you feel about wearing trousers?”

“I’ve never worn trousers before but I’m willing to wear anything. It’s better than running round naked. I did that for a while last summer when it was hot, but found it weird.”

“Do I take it you’re not bashful? Would you be willing to join me in the bath this evening before bed?” Rosie asked.

The other girl thought about it before agreeing to do so. Hattie was shy about stripping in front of the other person, but was curious as to find out how much of a girl or boy her friend really was. Rosie had told her that she was a boy, but had been changed into a girl, and Hattie wondered what that actually meant.

The two girls spent the afternoon exploring the roof space of the building. Hattie showed Rosie all the places she hid and lived in the months since coming to the manor.