The House of Secrets

by Denise Burdett

  “I think he’s pleased I’m in on the plan too,” giggled Georgia.

  The two girls made their arrangements. At nine o’clock, Georgia would stuff her bed and sneak out through the laundry door. She would bring a torch with her. The girls would meet by the old rickety shed and take the ladder to the fence. Once there, Ellie and Turbo would go first. Georgia would follow but stay in the safety of the tree until Turbo did his bit.

  “I hope he does well,” said Georgia a little worried.

  “Oh, he will,” Ellie assured her. “He and I have had a good talk about it.”

  Georgia heard the front screen door bang and watched as two men wearing suits walked to the cars parked in the driveway. The accountant and solicitor were leaving. Just then Georgia’s mother, Beth appeared at the front door and waved. Georgia waved back.

  “I’d better go now, see you later,” said Georgia and headed for the front door.

  “I hope you haven’t been too bored today,” said Beth as Georgia climbed the front steps.

  “No, I’ve swept and spent time talking in the gazebo with my friend Ellie. That was her in gazebo with me when you called out,” she answered.

  “I didn’t see anyone except for you and Turbo in the gazebo. Are you sure you haven’t had a bit too much sun, dear?” said her mum.

  “But she was there Mum, she was,” said Georgia.

  “Okay if you say so, but I think you are a little old for imaginary friends,” added her mum. Georgia was annoyed; she didn’t like being treated like a small child.

  “Come inside and clean up. We are having pizza and an early night. Nan and I are both exhausted,” said Beth.

  “Did you fix Nan’s problems?” asked Georgia.

  “We’ll talk in your room,” answered Beth putting her index finger to her lips. She obviously didn’t want Nan to overhear what they were saying. They made their way to Georgia’s room. Turbo followed closely behind. As they entered the room Turbo jumped up onto the cane chair. Georgia and her mum sat on her bed.

  “It looks as if Nan will eventually have to sell this house. It’s estimated worth is just under two million dollars. Your nan will be a very wealthy, but sad lady.” Her mum continued. “This house was built by Nan’s father, and she has many wonderful but also some sad times here.

  Nan and I thought about turning it into a bed and breakfast; but that would take some considerable investment in renovations and refurbishment. It would be some time before we would recover the costs with the takings. The solicitor is approaching council to set up a system where I can start to pay off Nan’s rates and land taxes in instalments. I will have to get a job and hopefully that will buy us a little more time. I don’t know how long we will be able to hang onto it but we’ll give it a go, and pray for a miracle. I think selling this house would break your nan’s heart but I think we might have to.”

  Georgia hugged her mum. “I hope something good happens so that Nan will be able to keep her house.”

  “I hope so too Georgia,” said her mum hugging her back. “Now have a shower and slip into your pyjamas. We’ll be eating pizza in front of the telly, then it’s off to bed early for everyone.”

  Georgia showered and changed as her mum had asked. In the bottom of her wardrobe she placed her tracksuit, shoes and a torch that she had found in the laundry.

  She heard the doorbell ring sounding the arrival of the pizza, so joined her mum and nan for dinner. They had just finished their meal when the phone rang. Beth answered it.

  “It’s for you Georgia. It’s dad again.”

  “Tell him I’m busy, I can’t talk,”

  “Georgia,” said her mum with her hand now over the mouthpiece, “he’ll hear you: He’s missing you and wants to come up on the weekend.”

  Georgia got off the couch and started to walk towards her mother, who was holding the phone out for her to take. But Georgia stopped just short of the phone and in a loud voice so her dad would hear she said: “It’s too bad, I don’t want to talk.” Georgia started to walk off. “Let’s see how he likes it when I’m busy,” she muttered as she left the room, leaving her mother to apologise for her rudeness.

  Georgia cleaned her teeth then hopped into bed. She looked at her diary but decided to hold off writing in it till after tonight’s activities.

  “That was very rude Georgia,” said her mum when she came in to kiss her goodnight. “You owe your father an apology. Just because we can’t live together is no excuse for you to treat him badly. He’s not such a bad dad, you know.”

  Georgia didn’t answer; they would just argue and both end up upset. Beth said her good night and then headed for her room. Georgia listened to the sounds of her mum getting ready for bed. Finally the light glow from under her door went out. She would have to wait for a little while to make sure her mum was sound asleep. Georgia must have dozed for the next minute she woke to find Ellie standing by her bed.

  “Come on sleepy head,” she whispered. “It’s time to go to work.”

  “Sorry,” said Georgia “must have dozed off.”

  “When you weren’t at the shed I thought I’d better come and get you,” added Ellie.

  Georgia got dressed and stuffed her bed, while Ellie sat in the cane chair with Turbo at her feet.

  When Georgia was satisfied with her efforts the two girls tiptoed down the hall, past her mum’s room and out through the laundry as planned. Turbo followed. Georgia turned her torch on and went inside the shed. She came out carrying a small trowel. She slipped it into her pocket and pulled the zip most of the way up. The trowel’s handle prevented the zip from closing completely. Georgia picked up one end of the ladder that she had left by the shed the previous day.

  She pushed it part way through the gap in the fence, and then squeezed past it into the laneway. Once in the laneway she pulled the remainder of the ladder until it was clear of the fence. Ellie joined her with Turbo following faithfully. Georgia couldn’t help wonder if Turbo understood all that was going on. Picking up the end of the ladder, she turned to ask Ellie for help but hesitated. She remembered how Ellie wasn’t much help carrying the ladder before, and how she had been left to carry it on her own when Bratten had discovered her.

  “Come on, let’s get going,” she said to Ellie who was whispering words of encouragement to Turbo. Georgia dragged the ladder to Bratten’s fence.

  With the ladder in place they climbed the fence and the tree as they had planned. Turbo acted as if he was one of the team and knew what he was there to do. From the tree they could see Bratten inside watching telly. Ellie nodded to Georgia then she slipped down the tree and into the garden. Turbo immediately followed her. The sensor lights picked up the movement and came on.

  Ellie and Turbo both hid in the shadows behind the fountain. Bratten seeing the lights flick on, got out of his chair and opened the door. Stepping outside he had a quick look around. Shrugging his shoulders he went back inside and resumed watching the TV.

  After a few minutes the lights went out. Georgia saw Turbo quickly run part way across the garden and then back to the fountain beside Ellie. Again the sensor lights came on. Again Bratten came to the door, opened it and stepped outside.

  “What the blazes is going on?” he said to himself.

  He walked around the table setting and stopped at the fountain. Georgia held her breath, hoping they’d not been caught again. Georgia couldn’t believe Turbo’s behaviour. He stayed still and silent even though he must have been able to hear and see Bratten. Bratten returned to his house and again resumed watching TV.

  The sensor lights were still on and Georgia could see Ellie talking to Turbo as if giving him instructions. Turbo looked as if he was listening intently. The lights went out. They were only out for a few minutes when Turbo ran and stood under the table. The lights came on because of his movement and Bratten came out.

  “Who’s out here?” he demanded. There was silence.

  “Come on, who is playing silly games with me?” he was sta
rting to sound angry.

  Just then Turbo came from under the table, meowed and rubbed himself against Bratten’s legs.

  “Oh, so it’s you who’s come for a visit,” he said lifting Turbo up into his arms.“Come inside and watch some telly with me. I’ll just flick these silly lights off so they won’t annoy us.”

  He went over and flicked a switch on the wall. All the lights went out. The girls both watched from their safe positions as Bratten gave Turbo something to eat. The two of them then settled down on the couch. Turbo played the devoted pet.

  Georgia slipped down the tree. She put her hand over the end of the torch to diffuse the light before turning it on. She found the V mark on the tree and got the trowel out of her pocket. Ellie had joined her so Georgia handed her the torch, but it slipped through her fingers and dropped to the ground. The torch landed in a small mound of dirt. The girls looked around to the house. Bratten and Turbo were oblivious to what the girls were doing.

  “Leave it there. The dirt is covering half the light, but it’s enough for me to see. You go back to the fountain and keep guard,” Georgia instructed her. Ellie nodded and quickly went back and squatted behind the fountain.

  Georgia dug as quickly as she could. She wanted to get out of that yard as fast as possible.

  The topsoil was soft and easy. But the deeper she went the harder it became to dig.

  Georgia was glad she had the trowel. Although it was only shifting small amounts of dirt, it was sharp enough to cut through the hard soil with a little effort.

  Finally she heard the noise she was hoping for. Metal on metal – she had found the box! She managed to scrap back the dirt and find the edges. Putting her trowel down, she felt for a handle with her fingers. Finding it Georgia pulled and pulled. Picking up the trowel she dug a little more around the edges of the box. With both hands she again pulled on the handle. It moved! In a few minutes the small metal box was sitting on the ground beside the newly dug hole.

  She looked over to Ellie who had been watching and gave her the thumbs up sign. Georgia quickly filled in the hole and tried to make the garden bed look as it did before she had began digging; she put her trowel and torch back into her pockets. She tucked her tracksuit top into her pants, dusted off the box and slipped it down the front of her top. Georgia then proceeded to climb back into the tree.

  Once she was in the tree she called out softly to Ellie to join her. They were both safely in the tree and about to climb down into the laneway when they heard Bratten at his door.

  “Okay, okay, stop scratching you can go out if you like.” And with that he let Turbo out of the house. Turbo ran a few metres then stopped and turned looking at Bratten as if to say goodbye. Bratten must have thought so too.

  “Good bye puss. Come again. You’re welcome anytime,” he said.

  Turbo then ran across the yard to the side fence, jumped onto a garden bench and with one big leap he was up and over the fence. Bratten went inside closing the door behind him. Seeing him settle on his couch, Georgia and Ellie made their way down the ladder and into the laneway.

  Georgia dragged the ladder into her nan’s yard and propped it up against the shed. She put the trowel back where it belonged, and then with the aid of the torch, the two girls ran to the gazebo to check out their treasure.

  A FAMILY HISTORY LESSON

  They sat themselves down on the old wooden floor. A moment later Turbo joined them.

  “Good work, Turbo. You’re such a clever cat,” said Georgia as she hugged and kissed him.

  “Just like a real pro,” added Ellie.

  “Let’s see what’s inside,” suggested Georgia as she pulled the box from her top and placed it on the floor.

  “Before we look, I want to tell you the full story of the box, why I needed it, and some secrets your nan and this house have kept,” said Ellie seriously. Georgia nodded. “I don’t want you to say anything until I have completely finished and you know the full story. Agree? Ellie asked.

  “Agree,” said Georgia.

  Ellie pointed to a newspaper cutting further along the seat. It was wedged between the seat slats preventing it from blowing away.

  “Better read that first,” she said “seeing you’ve read almost everything else.”

  “How do you know?” asked Georgia.

  Ellie put her index finger to her lips.

  “Shh! You promised.”

  The cutting was the one Georgia had seen earlier that day; the one that had blown under the cabinet. She remembered the headline. Georgia was about to ask how she got this, but seeing Ellie raise her fingers to her lips again she kept quiet and started to read.

  LOCAL MOTHER MOURNS DAUGHTER’S DEATH

  Community prays for her husband’s safe return

  Tragedy has struck a local family at the worst possible time. Twelve-year-old Eloise Jane Simons died on Saturday after being thrown from her horse at pony club.

  The horse took fright rearing and throwing its young rider, when a car backfired. Despite all attempts to revive her, Eloise was pronounced dead on arrival at the local Truscott hospital.

  Eloise is the eldest daughter of Lieutenant Fred and Mrs Elizabeth Simons and the older sister of Beth who is almost three. This is a traumatic time for Mrs Elizabeth Simons as it has only been five days since her husband Lieutenant Fred Simons has been listed as missing in action.

  Rosary will be said for Eloise, 7pm tonight at St Patrick’s Church. Her funeral will take place on Friday. Please contact White Dove Funeral Home for details.

  Ellie spoke. She suddenly sounded very old and wise for her age.

  “Eloise and her dad were very close. She spent a lot of time with him, especially after your mum Beth was born. Beth was an unsettled baby who took a great deal of your nan’s time. At that time Fred was stationed at the local Dandenong Base. He was able to come home each evening and most weekends.”

  “Nan had another daughter? My mum had an older sister!” said Georgia interrupting. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Ellie wagged her finger at Georgia, and then moved two fingers across her mouth as if she were zipping it up.

  “Sorry, go on,” apologised Georgia, she wanted to hear everything. Ellie continued.

  “When Fred was posted to serve in Vietnam he placed some documents in a box, and took Eloise with him to a tree to bury it. He told her that inside the box was a surprise for her mum, but he wanted to wait for the right time to give it to her. He made her promise not to tell her mum Elizabeth, unless something happened to him in Vietnam.

  “When he was listed as missing in action, Eloise didn’t know what to do. She told the local priest that her father had told her a secret, and that she had promised not to tell anyone unless something happened to him. The priest advised her to keep the secret, as her father was only missing in action and could be hurt in a hospital somewhere. Eloise agreed, but five days later she was killed in the riding accident and took the secret to her grave.”

  Ellie stopped speaking and waited for Georgia to say something.

  “I didn’t know I had an aunt. Now I know why Nan hates horses. She wouldn’t let my mum have anything to do with them,” said Georgia: “But why the secrets? There are no photos of Eloise; and Nan never talks about her. I’ve never even heard Mum mention her.”

  “Your nan always blamed herself for Eloise’s death. Eloise didn’t want to go to pony club that day. Her father was missing in action and she wanted to stay home in case any news came through of his whereabouts. She was missing him desperately. Your nan thought it was best if they kept their normal routine, so she insisted on Eloise attending pony club. When she heard of Eloise’s accident she became hysterical and had to be sedated,” explained Ellie.

  “How do you know so much?” Asked Georgia; but before Ellie could answer Georgia continued.

  “If the box belonged to Fred then it’s rightfully my nan’s and not your mum’s as you have kept saying. I have helped you all along to get this and it is not reall
y your property!”

  Ellie laughed.

  “Oh, do I have to spell it out to you?” she asked. Seeing the blank look on Georgia’s face she realised she would.

  “My mum is your nan – I am Eloise.”

  “But Eloise is dead! You’re …!” Georgia stopped. It was all becoming clear to her now. Ellie’s feet didn’t make a sound when she was walking; how she disappeared so quickly, even her mum had not seen her. She always had the same clothes on and couldn’t even carry the ladder.

  It was as though Ellie knew what she was thinking.

  “Turbo can see me all the time. Cats are magical creatures. Didn’t you know that? You can only see me when I want you too.”

  “Do you sit in the cane chair?” asked Georgia. Ellie nodded yes.

  “And that was you when the air went cold?” Ellie nodded again.

  “I was with you when Mr Bratten was yelling, and I was with you in the storeroom. Turbo was my assistant; I couldn’t have done it without him. He knocked over the boxes with my jewellery and the cuttings because I asked him to. I blew the cutting under the cabinet because it was too soon for you to see it then. You only saw what I wanted you to see and when I wanted you to see it,” said Ellie.

  “You’ve been dead for years. Why now? Why didn’t you recover the box sooner?” asked Georgia.

  “I told you I tried to communicate with my mum, your nan, for years but I couldn’t get through to her. In all fairness she can’t hear me but I wish she could.

  She had closed her heart to me because of the sadness, just as she has tried to close her heart to you. I had to wait for the right person to help me – I had to wait for you. We share a special bond, Georgia. Your nan who was my mum, is our connection, and your heart is open to experiences. You hold the key to many questions.”

  “The initials; EJS?” Georgia asked. The words had no sooner left her mouth than they both answered the question in unison.

  “Eloise Jane Simons.”

  “I introduced myself to you as Ellie because I didn’t want to alarm my mum, your nan. If you had a new friend called Eloise she would think it was all the old ghost stories coming back again,” added Ellie. “Sorry I had to trick you, but I thought you might even work it out for yourself.”