The Secret Garden: Chapter 14 Summary & Analysis

It's still raining in the morning, so Mary stays inside. Martha comes to sit with her in the afternoon and notices immediately that there's something bothering Mary. Mary admits outright that she found Colin. At this, Martha looks terrified and says that she'll lose her job, but Mary assures her that Colin was happy to see her. Martha is convinced that Mrs. Medlock will be upset at the very least, but Mary firmly says that Colin wants to keep it a secret just between them for a while and reminds Martha that she and Mrs. Medlock are to do what Colin says. She also mentions that Colin seems to like her.

Martha insists that Mary bewitched Colin, and Mary asks if Martha is talking about Magic. She then asks what's wrong with Colin. Martha explains that Mr. Craven was so upset after Mrs. Craven died, he wouldn't see baby Colin and insisted that the weak baby would certainly die or be a hunchback. She says that Colin isn't a hunchback yet, but they're afraid his back is weak. Martha mentions the London doctor, who insisted that Colin was fine but spoiled. Mary agrees with this assessment, and Martha talks about how nasty he can be and how ill he's been. She says that Mother believes a child kept indoors like Colin can't possibly live.

Mary muses that it might do Colin good to get outside to see things growing, but Martha says that they took him outside once to see roses and it was a disaster: he yelled at a gardener and cried himself sick. Mary remarks that if Colin gets angry with her, she won't go see him again, but Martha says that Colin always gets his way. Martha runs off when she hears a bell but returns a few minutes later to take Mary to Colin.

Colin is settled among cushions when Mary arrives. Mary mentions Martha's fear of being dismissed, so Colin summons Martha. He curtly reminds Martha that she must do what he says, and he promises to send Mrs. Medlock away if she gets upset with Martha. Martha curtsies and leaves, and Colin notices Mary looking at him in awe. She tells him that she once saw a young Rajah in India who spoke to people like Colin just spoke to Martha, and then she says that Colin is very different from Dickon. Mary tells Colin about Dickon's way with animals and how he loves the moor. Colin thinks that the moor is dreary and Mary says that she used to think so too, but hearing Dickon and Martha talk about it made her like it.

Colin laments that he never sees anything because he's sick, and Mary points out that he never leaves the room. They discuss him going outside, but Colin insists that he can't because he's going to die. Mary is unsympathetic and says that she doesn't want Colin to die. Colin insists that everyone, especially Dr. Craven and the servants, want him to die. Mary asks what the London doctor said. Colin says that the doctor insisted that if Colin wanted to live, he would. Mary suggests that meeting Dickon, who speaks only about living things, might put Colin in the mood to live. She encourages Colin to speak only about living things.

Mary and Colin spend hours talking about Dickon, the moor, and Mrs. Sowerby's twelve children. They giggle like normal children, and after a while, Colin notes that they're cousins. This makes them laugh even more and as they do, Dr. Craven and Mrs. Medlock walk in. The adults look shocked, but Colin calmly introduces Mary to them and says that he likes talking to her. Dr. Craven checks Colin's pulse and declares him too excited, and Colin threatens to get even more excited if they send Mary away. He asks that Mary have tea with him, which makes the adults exchange a worried look. Mrs. Medlock offers that Colin does look better than he did earlier.

After the adults confer in the hallway, Dr. Craven reminds Colin to not forget that he's ill and easily tired. Colin tells him that he wants to forget those things, and Mary helps him do so. Dr. Craven sighs as he leaves, though he admits to himself that Colin looks brighter.