[00:00.46] Chapter 9.
[00:02.01] The newborn lamb.
[00:06.90] The next morning, Mary told Dickon all about Colin's tantrum.
[00:11.71] Poor lad, Dickon said with more sympathy than Mary had shown, stuck indoors all day.
[00:17.24] Dickon looked thoughtful.
[00:18.92] You know, if he can't see nature, maybe we should take nature to him.
[00:25.88] Mary looked up.
[00:27.18] What do you mean?
[00:30.64] I've got a newborn lamb at home.
[00:33.74] I found her next to her dead ma on the moor last night.
[00:38.32] Maybe Master Colin would like to have a hold and feed her.
[00:43.83] There's nowt nicer than feeding a lamb.
[00:47.93] Mary thought it was a fine idea.
[00:50.77] Tomorrow, let's do it tomorrow, she cried.
[00:58.73] So the next day, Dickon visited Colin in his bedroom.
[01:03.86] I brought this for you, he said, setting the lamb in Colin's arms.
[01:09.94] You can feed her if you want.
[01:12.93] May I? Colin said in awe.
[01:17.98] The feel of the warm, soft, newborn lamb through his nightgown filled him with tenderness.
[01:26.22] The poor thing shivered with nerves, just like he did sometimes.
[01:34.89] As Mary watched Colin feeding the lamb, Dickon looked round the room.
[01:40.18] What's that? he asked, pointing to a wheelchair in the corner.
[01:47.16] Colin glanced across.
[01:49.12] Oh, that's for me, if I ever want to go out of bed.
[01:54.27] I can't walk, you see.
[01:56.87] My legs are too weak, but I never use it.
[02:00.69] I hate going out.
[02:04.40] Wouldn't you like to come out with us, me and Mary, and see the garden? Dickon asked.
[02:12.76] I I would, Colin agreed, but he's worried people will stare at him, Mary said.
[02:23.81] Well, what if we fix it so there's nobody to stare, Dickon asked.
[02:32.69] So that's what they did.
[02:35.91] Colin made Mrs. Medlock send for the head gardener, Mr. Roach.
[02:42.49] A puzzled Mr. Roach waited for his orders.
[02:47.94] At 2:00 this afternoon, I shall be going out in my chair, Colin began.
[02:55.59] Mrs. Medlock gasped, but Master Colin.
[03:01.30] Colin ignored her.
[03:03.80] And if the fresh air agrees with me, I'll be doing the same every day.
[03:11.66] Yes, sir, Mr. Roach mumbled.
[03:15.54] So, it is your job to make sure no one sees me.
[03:20.83] I want no gardeners on the lawns or anywhere near the walled gardens.
[03:26.95] Yes, sir.
[03:28.57] 2:00, sir.
[03:30.52] No one around.
[03:33.55] Good.
[03:35.23] Off you go.
[03:40.13] Roach left, but Mrs. Medlock began to panic.
[03:44.70] But Master Colin, what if you catch a chill?
[03:48.70] Stop fussing, Medlock.
[03:51.62] But Colin glared at her.
[03:56.40] Yes, Master Colin, Mrs. Medlock side.
[04:01.73] She left with a shake of her head.
[04:05.03] Whatever was the world coming to?
[04:12.79] Colin never forgot that day.
[04:17.23] How Dickon pushed him in his wheelchair along the grounds towards the secret garden.
[04:25.99] How the smell of fresh air and the feel of the gentle spring breeze on his face wasn't scary at all.
[04:33.53] It was wonderful.
[04:36.59] The way his heart beat fast when Mary showed him the very spot where the Robin had shown her the key.
[04:45.47] The cascading Ivy hiding the entrance.
[04:49.83] And when he had leaned forward in his chair to push open the door leading inside the secret garden, oh, oh.
[05:00.53] Inside was just as Mary had described.
[05:06.01] Better.
[05:07.89] Better than any fairy tale.
[05:12.53] Take me over there.
[05:16.70] Now, over there, he ordered in delight, as Dickon wielded him up to every corner, every nook and cranny of the garden.
[05:29.53] After a while, when he had seen almost everything, they drew the chair under a plum tree while they got some more work done.
[05:39.89] The plum tree was about to burst with white blossom, and it formed a canopy under which Colin sat in wonder.
[05:49.59] Everything is beautiful, he said, then stopped.
[05:55.84] That's strange.
[05:58.91] What is? Mary asked, glancing up from her digging.
[06:05.15] Colin pointed, that tree there, it's not got one leaf on it.
[06:13.08] Everything else has got at least a bit of greenery, but that, that's quite dead.
[06:21.15] I wonder why.
[06:25.61] A silence fell across the garden then.
[06:29.90] Mary and Dickon knew why.
[06:33.92] It had been the tree with the swing, and that swing had broken with Colin's mother on it.
[06:44.23] How about some music? Dickon asked.
[06:48.37] He pulled his pipe from his pocket and began to play.
[06:53.62] Soft, ready sounds floated across the garden.
[06:59.79] Colin smiled.
[07:02.36] How perfect.
[07:05.75] How perfect everything was.
[07:09.93] It's magical in here, he said several times.
[07:15.80] It's magical.