The House of Secrets

by Denise Burdett

  “I’m going to find out what’s going on around here, Turbo,” she said as she pulled out her ear phones and slipped on her shoes. In a moment she was down the hall shutting the door behind her as she entered the garden sitting room. She called out to her mum who was still in the kitchen with Nan.

  “Mum, I’m going outside. Turbo’s loose in the hallway so be careful not to let him out.”

  “Okay, don’t go too far away,” her mother called back.

  Georgia went out into the garden and made her way to the front of the house stopping in front of her bedroom window. No one was there. She walked around the garden, past the old gazebo, and headed towards the old timber shed that adjoined the laneway. Georgia found no one. She was just about to give up when she heard something. She stopped and listened. It sounded like someone crying. It seemed to be coming from inside the shed. Georgia opened the door and peered inside the dark shed.

  “Hello. Is anyone here?” she asked. There was no answer, but she could still hear the crying. It must be coming from the laneway, she thought. Georgia walked over to the fence, bent down and stepped through where some palings were missing.

  Sitting a little way up the lane was a girl. Her arms hugged her knees close to her chest and her head was resting on them. She had long dark blonde hair, which covered her face. She was sobbing quietly yet loud enough that Georgia could hear her.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Georgia as she sat down beside the girl.

  “Nothing,” she answered, without lifting her head.

  “Then why are you crying?” The girl didn’t answer, but she had stopped crying. After a few minutes Georgia introduced herself.

  “My name is Georgia Briggs. My mum and I are staying here with my nan for a while. What’s your name? Do you live around here?”

  The girl raised her head; her eyes were red from crying. She managed a smile and wiped her tears on the back of her hand. “I’m Ellie. I live around here too,” she answered.

  Ellie was wearing brown and maroon paisley pattern slacks that flared at the bottom, a brown ribbed turtleneck jumper and brown suede lace up shoes. Georgia thought Ellie’s choice of clothing was a little weird but maybe that’s how people dressed here in the Dandenong’s. The girls chatted and before too long Georgia had found out that Ellie was her age.

  “Were you hanging around my nan’s house before?” she asked Ellie.

  “Yes, sorry. I didn’t mean to snoop. I saw you arrive yesterday and thought we might be able to be friends.”

  “Sure. Just knock on the door and ask for me,” said Georgia.

  “I’m no good at talking to grown-ups,” Ellie told her. “I’ll just wait until I see you in the garden or something.”

  Just then Georgia heard her mother calling out that her lunch was ready.

  “Better go. Why don’t you come with me and meet my mum? You’d like her.”

  “Not now. Let’s meet in your garden later,” suggested Ellie. Georgia agreed and made her way back to the gap in the fence. She turned to wave goodbye to her new friend but she was nowhere to be seen. Georgia shrugged her shoulders and went back through the fence.

  ELLIE’S PROBLEM

  Georgia told her mum and nan all about her new friend. Her nan said there were many new homes and families in the area. Ellie may live nearby, but Nan did not know her. After lunch Georgia went to check on Turbo. He was sitting on her bedroom floor staring at the cane chair again. Her room felt cold.

  “You are a weird cat,” she said as she picked him up for a cuddle. As she turned, Georgia caught sight of something in her mirror that made her gasp with fright. There standing behind her was Ellie.

  “How did you get in here?” she asked.

  “The door wasn’t locked and I saw you walk through the sitting room so I followed you. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  “It’s not nice to sneak up on people and besides, you should knock. You shouldn’t just walk into someone’s house without being asked.” Georgia’s voice was shaky. She was annoyed; she didn’t like being frightened. This house was spooky enough.

  “Please don’t be mad. You are the only friend I have. I promise I won’t do it again,” pleaded Ellie sounding sincere.

  “Okay,” said Georgia. She wanted to keep her new friendship too. She didn’t know anyone else here her age. “If you really want to be friends then tell me why you were crying before?”

  “I’ll tell you but you must promise not to tell anyone else, not even your mum or nan,” insisted Ellie. Georgia promised not to tell a soul.

  “My dad had to go away with his job, but before he did he buried a small metal box that had some valuable papers in it. He took me with him to bury it and made me promise not to tell my mum unless something should happen to him. Well, he didn’t come home and I think those papers would really help my mum. She’s been having a lot of problems lately. I’ve tried to get those papers back but I can’t by myself.”

  “Why don’t you just tell your mum and she can help you get them?” asked Georgia.

  “I can’t talk to my mum she won’t take any notice of me. I need to get someone like you to help me get them,” explained Ellie.

  “I’ll come with you; we’ll both tell her about your dad and the papers,” suggested Georgia.

  “It won’t work. She won’t listen. I’ve tried with other people, but just hearing my dad’s name makes her cry. She tells the person to get out of her house. I don’t want her to yell at you.” Ellie was sounding desperate. Georgia had other girlfriends who had trouble talking to their mums. Georgia found it easy to talk to her own mum. They might not always agree but she could tell her almost anything.

  “Okay then, what do you want to do?” asked Georgia.

  Ellie explained that the metal box of papers was buried under a tree. Her father had marked the tree at the base with a V to point to the spot. The tree was in a horse paddock that adjoined the laneway.

  “How big is this metal box?” Georgia asked.

  “About the size of the biscuit tins you can buy in supermarkets – you know, a little bit larger than a money box.” Ellie held out her hands indicating the size of the box.

  “That’s easy fixed,” said Georgia. “You can take me to the tree and we’ll dig up the box and you can give it to your mum.”

  “I wish it were that easy,” said Ellie. “You see the horse paddock used to belong to your nan, but she sold it, to Mr Bratten who has built a big house and landscaped the gardens. The tree is at the back of his property and adjoined the laneway. He put a three metre high fence around his property and the tree for privacy. Mr Bratten is known around here to be a mean and grumpy old man and an unscrupulous businessman.

  “He doesn’t like kids so he wouldn’t be keen to let two girls dig up his landscaped garden,” added Ellie.

  “How do you know he doesn’t like kids?” asked Georgia.

  Ellie told her that she had heard grownups talk about him, and how he had spent most of his childhood in an orphanage. Many of the kids there teased him because he was fat and shy. The cook at the orphanage was his only friend. She gave him a kitten as a birthday gift and would bring it to work with her each day. The cook adopted Bratten when she retired, and he and the cat lived with her until she died. Bratten has never forgiven the kids for being so cruel.

  “Well, what if we go and tell my mum? She would help you,” said Georgia.

  “No! You promised!” Ellie was becoming distressed.

  “Okay, okay, I promise I won’t say anything,” said Georgia reassuring her.

  “Where is this tree exactly?” she asked.

  “It’s in the yard right next door; the one with the big colourbond fence around it. If we climb up on your nan’s old shed we can see into the yard,” said Ellie.

  “Okay, we might think of an idea from up there,” said Georgia.

  Georgia and Ellie left the room leaving Turbo sleeping peacefully on Georgia’s bed. They walked out through the laundry door as the
y didn’t want Georgia’s mum or nan asking what they were up to. Inside the shed Georgia found an old wooden ladder.

  The girls, taking one end each, carried it outside, although Ellie’s end seemed to be dragging on the ground rather than being carried. They propped it up against the shed on the side that couldn’t be seen from the house.

  Once on top of the shed the girls lay on their stomachs so as not to be seen by anyone. Georgia didn’t think her mother would have approved of her climbing onto the roof of a rickety old shed. They crawled over to a position where they could see into the neighbour’s yard.

  Ellie explained that Mr Bratten lived by himself. His last cat died several months ago and he had been heard to say that he wasn’t quite ready for another cat. He had a housekeeper and a gardener who both came to the house a couple of days a week. He rarely had any visitors.

  “I think he must work from home because he is often at his desk or the computer in a room at the back. He almost never goes out. I’ve also seen one of those business delivery trucks drop off and pick up those satchels that contain files and documents.”

  “You seem to know an awful lot about him,” said Georgia.

  “Well if you had been watching him for as long as I have, you’d know lots too.”

  The girls stopped talking and watched the house. It was a cement rendered home, green in colour, with a flat roof. Large wooden framed glass doors opened out onto a paved area. The pergola, which extended over this paved area, was covered in a vine on which leaves had just started to bud. An outdoor table setting was situated on a paved area under the pergola. A fountain sat at the edge of this area, with lawn spreading back to a tree and the fence. Georgia noticed that there were numerous lights in the manicured garden. The tree was a large golden ash tree with a freshly dug garden underneath it.

  “Is that the tree?” asked Georgia.

  Ellie nodded yes. Just then the sound of coughing drew their attention back to the house. A solid balding man was standing in the opening of the large glass doors.

  “I’ve seen him before,” said Georgia. “He was at my nan’s yesterday. He wants to buy her house but Nan doesn’t want to sell it.”

  “I’ve seen him go in and out of your nan’s a few times,” said Ellie

  The girls stopped chatting and continued to watch Mr Bratten. He came in and out from the room to the garden a couple of times. First he brought out a magazine, then a mug and a plate with a sandwich on it. The pergola interrupted the view only slightly and both girls were able to watch Bratten go about his business.

  The room, which opened up onto the paved area, appeared to be a sitting room. Georgia could see a couch and the corner of a coffee table. Ellie explained that the kitchen was also at that end of the house. She pointed to a large window to the left of the doors. Georgia could see a desk and computer.

  “That’s where he works,” said Ellie. Georgia looked over the yard. The fences had a capped top but no railings at all, so climbing over would be difficult. Georgia studied the tree. A large branch hung over the fence into the laneway.

  “We could take Nan’s ladder and put it up against the fence in the laneway,” suggested Georgia. “If we can balance on top of the fence I bet we can grab onto that branch and pull ourselves up into the tree. We can then climb down on the other side and into Bratten’s yard.”

  The girls watched for a little longer.

  “I’ve seen enough,” said Georgia. “Let’s go.” They made their way down off the roof and through Nan’s overgrown garden to the old gazebo. Here they could see if anyone was coming, so they could talk quite safely without being heard.

  “The box is buried down about that deep,” said Ellie, indicating about forty centimetres with her hands. “So we might need a spade or something. Mr Bratten often has a sleep late in the afternoon. I’ve seen him lying on the couch in that sitting room asleep – snoring his head off. He doesn’t sleep for long, but while he’s asleep we could climb over the fence and check the yard out. If we don’t have time to get the box this time, maybe we could go back later.”

  “Good idea,” said Georgia checking her watch. It was two o’clock. They decided they would get back onto the shed roof at three o’clock and see if Mr Bratten was taking his afternoon nap. Ellie and Georgia filled in the hour talking. Georgia told her all about her parents separating and how she didn’t really want to come and live in the Dandenong’s. They talked about the school that Georgia would be going to.

  “Do you go to that school?” Georgia asked Ellie, but before she answered Ellie pointed to Georgia’s watch.

  “Look at the time, it’s three-thirty. Better get back up onto the shed roof and see what Mr Bratten is up to,” said Ellie. The girls hurried to the old shed and got into position on the roof to spy on the neighbour.

  Georgia noticed a shovel was propped up against the fence on the far side, halfway between the fountain and the tree. She pointed it out to Ellie.

  “That might come in handy,” she said.

  “Look he’s already lying down,” said Ellie. Georgia looked toward the house. Bratten was lying on the couch. She looked at her watch.

  “It’s three- forty. I think we’d better do it now. ”

  The girls got down off the roof. Georgia lowered the ladder and dragged it over to the gap in the fence. She climbed through the fence first then grabbing hold of the ladder pulled it through the gap. Ellie followed.

  “Carry the other end for me,” she instructed Ellie.

  Ellie nodded. Once again, Georgia felt as though she was carrying the full weight of the ladder. When she looked around Ellie had placed her end on the ground.

  “Sorry just needed to rest for a minute,” she said rubbing her hands against her clothing. They continued to carry the ladder stopping at the fence directly below the branch they wanted to climb on. Georgia stood the ladder up against the fence and climbed up. She grabbed hold of the branch and swung one leg over it; with a quick heave she was sitting securely in the tree.

  She gestured with her hand for Ellie to join her, she then moved quickly into the centre of the large tree. A few moments later Ellie had joined her. Although the leaves were only beginning to appear on the branches it was still difficult to get a clear view into the house.

  “I can walk very lightly without making a sound,” said Ellie. “So I’ll get close to the house and watch out for Mr Bratten. I’ll whistle if you need to hide quickly. If he starts to wake, I’ll come back and we’ll both get back into the tree. I don’t think he will see us up here.”

  Georgia nodded. Ellie climbed down the tree and ran over to the fountain without making a sound just as she had said. She crouched down peeping over the edge of the fountain, so she could keep an eye on the sleeping Mr Bratten. She turned and gave Georgia the thumbs up sign.

  Georgia climbed down and searched the base of the tree for the V mark. She couldn’t find it anywhere. Georgia stood up and was about to signal Ellie for help when she noticed a mark on the tree above her head. It was a very definite V.

  ‘Something strange here,’ she thought. ‘Either this tree has grown rapidly, or Ellie’s father has been gone longer than I think.’

  She took one step back, knelt down and started to dig with her hands. The soil was quite soft. The garden bed that surrounded the tree looked as though the soil had been recently turned over ready for planting.

  “Hope the gardener hasn’t found the box already,” Georgia whispered to herself. As she dug deeper the soil became harder. Georgia knew she was going to need the shovel. Crouching down she made her way over to the shovel. Her hand reached out to grab it when she suddenly heard Ellie whistle. Georgia turned around. She could see right into the house.

  Mr Bratten was already sitting up and scratching his head. Georgia could see nowhere to hide so ran back over to the tree. She pulled herself up onto the first limb. Just as she started to climb into the safety of the tree she heard his voice.

  “What do you think you’
re doing? How dare you come onto my property!”

  Georgia kept making her way across the tree. Within seconds Mr Bratten was underneath the tree looking up at her.

  “Well, what do you have to say for yourself young lady?” he demanded, his voice angry and loud. He looked like he was going to explode. His face and ears, in fact his whole head was red. Georgia heard herself say the first thing that popped into her head.

  “I’m very sorry; I was looking for my cat. We’ve just moved in with my nan and my cat’s a little confused.” She looked over to the fountain, but Ellie was nowhere to be seen.

  She must have hidden quickly while Mr Bratten’s attention was on Georgia. Mr Bratten continued yelling, so Georgia thought it better to get out of there as quickly as possible. Apologising as she went, she climbed down onto the fence, down the ladder, and into the laneway.

  Georgia grabbed the ladder and dragged it back to her nan’s. She did it just as easily on her own as she did when Ellie was helping.

  She pushed the ladder through the gap in the fence and dragged it to the shed. Georgia left it up against the shed wall and ran as fast as she could into the house through the laundry door. She ran into her room and flopped on her bed. Her heart was beating fast.

  What a nasty old man, she thought. Georgia, still hot from her sudden escape didn’t notice the coldness of her room nor her warm breath in the cold air. Turbo, her ever-faithful cat, was sitting on the floor looking up at the cane chair again. Georgia got off the bed and picked him up cuddling him close to her chest.

  “Sorry Turbo, I had to use you for an excuse. I hope it worked.” Turbo purred, closed his eyes and rubbed the top of his head against Georgia’s chin. Suddenly the cat stopped and looked towards the window.

  “What is it?” she asked. No sooner had the words left her mouth, than out of the window she noticed Mr Bratten marching up the driveway towards Nan’s front door.