Page 20 - Secret Garden

She was woken in the morning by scraping and banging. Martha the house-maid was cleaning the fire-gate.
“What’s that outside?” asked Mary, pointing out of the window. “It looks like sea.” “That there’s the moor,” said Martha. “Like it?”
“No. I hate it.”
“Just wait till spring when all’s in bloom an’ skylarks are singin’.” She had such a broad Yorkshire accent that Mary could barely understand her.
“Aren’t you going to dress me
and brush my hair?” she demanded.
Martha looked astonished. “Can tha’ not dress thyself?”
“My ayah always dressed me,” said Mary in her queenliest voice.
“Well, it’s time tha’ learned, lass!” Martha prattled on as she worked.
Shocking! Did she not realise that servants should keep quiet and just do as they are told? Why should Mary want to hear about the little cottage where Martha and her ‘eleven brothers and sisters’ lived, or that they got by on porridge and fresh air for want of money?