The secret garden

366 THE SECRET GARDENwas a soothing thing. Why did it seem to givehim a sense of home-coming which he had beensure he could never feel again that sense of thebeauty of land and sky and purple bloom of distanceand a warming of the heart at drawingnearer to the great old house which had held thoseof his blood for six hundred years? How he haddriven away from it the last time, shuddering tothink of itsclosed rooms and the boy lyingin thefour-posted bed with the brocaded hangings.Was itpossibk that perhaps he might find himchanged a little for the better and that he mightovercome his shrinking from him? How realthat dream had been how wonderful and clearthe voice which called back to him, " In the gardenIn the garden ! '" I will try to find the key," he said." I willtry to open the door. I must though I don'tknow why."When he arrived at the Manor the servants whoreceived him with the usual ceremony noticed thathe looked better and that he did not go to theremote rooms where he usually lived attended byPitcher. He went into the library and sent forMrs. Medlock. She came to him somewhat excitedand curious and flustered."How is Master Colin, Medlock?" he inquired.