Free The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Page A

hope I'll stay with people who'll let me do what I want.'
    At first she was taken to an English family who had known her parents. She hated their untidy house and noisy children, and preferred playing by herself in the garden. One day she was playing her favorite game, pretending to make a garden, when one of the children, Basil, offered to help.
    'Go away!' cried Mary. 'I don't want your help!'
    For a moment Basil looked angry, and then he began to laugh. He danced round and round Mary, and sang a funny little song about Miss Mary and her stupid flowers. This made Mary very cross indeed. No one had ever laughed at her so unkindly.
    'You're going home soon,' said Basil. 'And we're all very pleased you're leaving!'
    'I'm pleased too,' replied Mary. 'But where's home?'
    'You're stupid if you don't know that!' laughed Basil. 'England, of course! You're going to live with your uncle, Mr Archibald Craven.'
    'I've never heard of him,' said Mary coldly.
    'But I know about him because I heard Father and Mother talking,' said Basil. 'He lives in a big lonely old house, and has no friends, because he's so bad-tempered. He's got a crooked back, and he's horrid!'
    'I don't believe you!' cried Mary. But the next day Basil's parents explained that she was going to live with her uncle in Yorkshire, in the north of England. Mary looked bored and cross and said nothing.
    After the long sea journey, she was met in London by Mr Craven's housekeeper, Mrs Medlock. Together they travelled north by train. Mrs Medlock was a large woman, with a very red face and bright black eyes. Mary did not like her, but that was not surprising, because she did not usually like people. Mrs Medlock did not like Mary either.
    'What a disagreeable child!' thought the housekeeper. 'But perhaps I should talk to her.'
    'I can tell you a bit about your uncle if you like' she said aloud. 'He lives in a big old house, a long way from anywhere. There are nearly a hundred rooms, but most of them are shut and locked. There's a big park round the house, and all kinds of gardens. Well, what do you think of that?'
    'Nothing,' replied Mary. 'It doesn't matter to me.'
    Mrs Medlock laughed. 'You're a hard little girl! Well, if you don't care, Mr Craven doesn't either. He never spends time on anyone. He's got a crooked back, you see, and although he's always been rich, he was never really happy until he married.'
    'Married?' repeated Mary in surprise.
    'Yes, he married a sweet, pretty girl, and he loved her deeply. So when she died-'
    'Oh! Did she die?' asked Mary, interested.
    'Yes, she did. And now he doesn't care about anybody. If he's at home, he stays in his room and sees nobody. He won't want to see you, so you must stay out of his way and do what you're told.'
    Mary stared out of the train window at the grey sky and the rain. She was not looking forward to life at her uncle's house.
    The train journey lasted all day, and it was dark when they arrived at the station. Then there was a long drive to get to the house. It was a cold, windy night, and it was raining heavily. After a while Mary began to hear a strange, wild noise. She looked out of the window, but could see nothing except the darkness.
    'What's that noise?' she asked Mrs Medlock. 'It's - It's not the sea, is it?'
    'No, that's the moor. It's the sound the wind makes, blowing across the moor.'
    'What is a moor?'
    'It's just miles and miles of wild land, with no trees or houses. Your uncle's house is right on the edge of the moor.'
    Mary listened to the strange, frightening sound. 'I don't like it,' she thought. 'I don't like it.' She looked more disagreeable than ever.

 
    CHAPTER TWO
    Marry in Yorkshire
     
    They arrived at a very large old house. It looked dark and unfriendly from the outside. Inside, Mary looked around the big shadowy hall, and felt very small and lost. They went straight upstairs. Mary was shown to a room where there was a warm fire and food on the table.
    'This is your room,' said Mrs Medlock.