The Secret Garden Chapter 16: Duelling by D.L. Copyright  © 2011 D.L. All Rights Reserved. Inspired by the classic children’s tale by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

The ear-piercing shriek startled the three Headley family members. Rosie, Albert and Lord Samuel dashed out of the dining room into the hall at the foot of the main staircase, to see what had caused the commotion. Several staff members had also emerged to investigate the noise, including Mrs Medlock, Parker and Gwen.

Screaming drew everyone’s attention to the top of the stairs. The squealing came from Hattie, who was being dragged along the upstairs landing by her hair. The girl was wrapped in a towel, and was dripping wet. Her face and arms were bruised and she was being manhandled along by Horatio.

“Guess what I found sneaking about upstairs,” Horatio called out. “It appears the Punjab has a secret concubine. I bet he’s been hiding the whore in his room the whole time.”

“Unhand her, this instant!” The yell from an unfamiliar feminine-sounding voice caused everyone to look round, “If you hurt Hattie, I swear to god I will kill you!”

“So the mute can talk,” Horatio stated in response to Rosie’s shout, “Yet another lie from the wog. It may be part Headley, but you just can’t trust foreigners, especially Punjabis.”

Horatio then shoved Hattie towards the stairs, letting go of her hair. Losing her balance and toppling forwards, she fell and started to roll down the flight of steps, losing her towel in the process. Grabbing a baluster at the side of the staircase, Hattie was able to arrest her descent a third of the way down, before sustaining serious injury.

Rosie and Gwen dashed up the stairs. Seeing that Hattie was at least conscious and stationary, Rosie threw her jacket over the naked girl and continued up to the landing where Horatio had grabbed a sword from a suit of armour stood on the balcony. Rosie came to a halt in front of the elder boy, a foot away from the outstretched point of the weapon.

“Come any closer and I cut you to pieces,” Horatio threatened. “Who is she, and what is she doing here?”

“Her name is Hattie Jenkins. She is my friend and personal attendant,” Rosie replied loudly and confidently.

“Jenkins? Any relation to our thieving butler? Here to finish what he started?” Horatio shouted.

“Hattie’s his sister, who was kept hidden in the attics. Abandoned to fend for herself she has been hiding ever since. I found her and invited her to be my companion. I haven’t had any nightmares since sharing my bed. I don’t like sleeping alone,” Rosie confessed.

“Hiding and stealing food no doubt,” Horatio responded, swinging the sword towards Rosie, causing her to jump backwards along the balcony to avoid contact with the blade, “Harbouring a known criminal, not exactly honest behaviour.”

“Horatio, put the sword down. This is my house and I will decide who is welcome here,” Lord Headley bellowed from his position on the stairs, standing over where a sobbing Hattie was being comforted by Gwen.

Seeing Horatio momentarily divert his eyes in the direction of his father, Rosie took advantage of the distraction to disarm her opponent. Spinning and kicking the sword out of the way, Rosie spun round behind her opponent and landed a fist into Horatio’s kidneys, causing him to stagger to the side. Now in pain, but not completely disabled, Horatio swung the sword back at Rosie. The girl threw herself on the floor to avoid being hit by the sharp heavy blade, the weapon skimming over her body by only an inch.

Rosie had landed on her back in a controlled fashion, to avoid injury, and her legs where now either side of the young man’s ankles. In a swift scissor movement, she brought her feet together, kicking the legs out from under her adversary, causing him to stumble and fall face-first onto the floor.

Before Horatio or Rosie could get up, Albert jumped on top of his brother, pinning his elder sibling down. He was joined a second later by his father, who deliberately stood on the hand holding the sword, crushing the fingers under his shoe.

“Mrs Medlock, take the girl to my study and tend to her injuries. Albert, Parker, help me get my stupid offspring to his room,” Lord Headley instructed.

The Lord and the butler took one wrist each and lifted the injured youth off the ground, but not to his feet. By lifting and twisting Horatio’s arms, the adolescent was left dangling, his shoulders being carried at waist height. He tried to gain purchase with his feet to stand, but the elder men deliberately started dragging him along in a most uncomfortable position. Albert led the way, opening the doors towards the young man’s quarters.

Seeing that Lord Headley had his son firmly under control with the assistance of the two men, Rosie descended the stairs to where Hattie was now sitting up, wrapped in the jacket and partially covered by the towel, which had been picked up and wrapped round her.

“Sit still,” Rosie told Hattie, “I want to make sure nothing is broken before you try to get up.” Feeling the girl all over to check for injuries, she found none. “Go to the study as his lordship instructed, I will go to our room and fetch you something to wear and my massage lotions. I can help relieve some of the pain.”

Kissing the girl on the forehead, Rosie stood and dashed towards their apartment. She first retrieved her scented oils from the shelf on which she had placed them. Part of Rosie’s martial arts training included the use of massage as a healing technique. Next, she picked up a dressing gown for Hattie to wrap round herself. Finally, she took a blanket and the pillows from the bed.

The concerned child then went back downstairs to the study, where Hattie was now sitting wrapped in the towel. Throwing the pillows in a line on the floor, she instructed Hattie to lie face down. Carefully positioning the blanket to cover her lower half, but leaving her shoulders and back bare, Rosie began to rub oil into Hattie’s skin and massage her muscles.

Gwen stayed in the room, having been told by Mrs Medlock to keep an eye on things. A few minutes later, Mrs Medlock returned. Seeing the girl laying on the floor being massaged, the woman momentarily stepped out of the room before returning once more.

“I have asked his lordship to wait outside, I am not sure of the appropriateness of so much of your flesh being on show,” the housekeeper stated.

“This is his study. I thank you for preserving my modesty, but I don’t mind him being here as long as Richard can continue with his work,” Hattie replied.

The housekeeper nodded and left the room, taking Gwen with her.