Chapter seven

After the children’s lessons the next day, Mrs Grose asked me, ‘Have you written the letter?’

‘Yes, I’ve written it.’ I did not tell her that it was still in my pocket. I had to send it, I knew that now. Later, I put it on the table by the front door. ‘One of the servants will find it, and take it to town,’ I thought.

In the afternoon, Miles came to me. ‘Shall I play some music for you?’ he asked. He knew that he was winning, and that he was free now. He did not need to fight me, he could be friendly. The music was strange and beautiful. I was almost asleep. When it finished, I jumped up.

‘Where’s Flora?’ I asked.

‘How do I know?’ Miles replied. He laughed, and started to play again.

I looked in my room, but Flora was not there. I went to Mrs Grose. Mrs Grose did not know where she was.

‘Perhaps she’s in one of the empty rooms,’ she said. ‘I thought that she was with you.’

Usually, I stayed with Flora all the time. ‘No, she’s outside, somewhere quite far away,’ I answered. Mrs Grose looked surprised.

‘Without a hat?’ she asked.

‘That woman that doesn’t wear a hat!’ I said. ‘She’s with her! We must find them!’

Mrs Grose did not move. ‘And where is Miles?’

‘Oh, he’s with Quint in the schoolroom! He stayed with me so that Flora could get away! He’s free now, he can do what he likes.’

We stood by the front door. The afternoon was grey, and the grass was wet.

‘You aren’t wearing your outdoor clothes!’ Mrs Grose said.

‘It doesn’t matter! Flora hasn’t got outdoor clothes on either,’ I replied. ‘I can’t wait to dress! If you want to dress you must stay behind! Look for Flora upstairs!’

‘And see him?’ was her frightened reply. She came outside with me at once.

We walked quickly to the lake. I was sure that Flora was there.

‘She wanted to go back there alone,’ I explained to Mrs Grose. ‘She and Miles planned this. And I’m sure that Miss Jessel is by the lake now.’

We arrived at the lake, but we could not see Flora.

‘She’s taken the boat,’ I said, ‘and hidden it on the other side. We must walk round and find her!’

‘How could she do all that? She’s only a little girl!’

‘No, sometimes she’s an old, old woman,’ I said. ‘And there’s someone with her. You’ll see.’

Ten minutes later, we arrived at the other side of the lake, and found the boat there. But where was Flora? We went on, into the next field.

‘There she is!’ we both said at the same time.

Flora stood on the grass and smiled. She did not move or speak. She smiled and smiled, in a dreadful, silent way. Mrs Grose threw her arms round the child.

Flora stared in surprise at my head, without its hat, and said, ‘Where are your outdoor things?’

‘Where are yours?’ I asked her.

‘And where’s Miles?’ she asked.

‘If you’ll tell me, I’ll tell you-‘ There must be no secrets now.

‘Tell you what?’

‘Tell me, my dear – Where’s Miss Jessel?’

Mrs Grose gave a small scream. In the same second, I screamed too – I shook Mrs Grose’s arm and said, ‘She’s there, she’s there!’

Miss Jessel stood on the other side of the lake. In a way, I was glad. ‘It’s all true, then,’ I thought. ‘Mrs Grose will be able to see everything, too.’

I pointed across the lake. Mrs Grose looked, but Flora did not. She watched my face calmly and seriously.

‘She’s there, you poor unhappy child! You can see her very well!’

But Mrs Grose was angry, ‘What terrible things you say! Where can you see someone? There’s nobody there!’

She could not see anything! And now I was losing everything! That wicked governess was winning!

‘She’s not there,’ Mrs Grose continued, talking to Flora now. ‘You can’t see anyone! That poor lady – poor Miss Jessel’s dead – we know that, don’t we? It’s all a mistake, and we’re going home now, quickly.’

Flora was holding on to Mrs Grose’s dress. Her face was suddenly ugly. ‘I can’t see anybody! I never see anything! I don’t like you.’ She turned towards Mrs Grose. ‘Take me away from her!’

‘From me?’ I asked.

‘From you – from you!’

I stared at the ghost, which was still there. Then I shook my head and said sadly to Flora, ‘I’ve lost you. I’m sorry. She’s won. I tried to help you. Goodbye.’ And to Mrs Grose I said, ‘Go! Go at once!’

I don’t remember anything after that. I was on the ground, crying, for a very long time. It was nearly evening when I got up. I went back to the house and up to my room. Flora’s things weren’t there now. Later, Miles came and sat silently with me. He was not unfriendly. I was very cold, but felt warm when he was there.