Pollyanna stood in the middle of a bridge, looking down into the goldfish-pond beneath. She was dressed in a deep-blue, long-sleeved knee-length satin dress, with several layers of tulle underneath and lace on the collar and wrists; a white ribbon was tied in her shoulder-length dark-brown hair, forming a bow behind her head and a much longer, much wider white ribbon was wound several times tightly around her waist, and tied together behind her back in a huge bow-tie. Her legs were covered in white over the knee cotton stockings, and she wore black leather ankle-boots.
She supported her elbows on the rail, and held her chin in her hands, as she longingly watched the other kids, mostly dressed in swim-trunks and bathing-suits, some with tank-tops, others without, all of them bare-foot, run around playing in the grass, or taking a swim in a nearby pool.
She heard someone come onto the bridge and stand beside her.
“You long to be one of them kids, eh? Just for an hour, or maybe even only fifteen minutes,” Harry said, with a deep voice. He was a giant of a man in his late fifties, gardener, and her closest confidante, whom she trusted completely.
“Yes,” she sighed deeply, “yes I do, but I know Mrs. Hodgkin never would allow it.”
Harry grunted and she could hear him turn around to face her.
“Who said anything about asking her for permission?” He winked at her, suddenly having a prankish look in his eyes. “You come down to my cabin tonight miss, and I can guarantee you’ll be having as much fun as them kids, if not more.”
Mrs. Hodgkin, who had been hired to look after the young girl as her parents were on a long trip abroad, looked at the watch on the mantle and said; “It’s late, dear; off to bed, you have a busy day ahead of you.”
“Yes, Mrs. Hodgkin!” Pollyanna politely answered, but in reality she was close to tears as she knew Mrs. Hodgkin’s idea of ‘being busy’ was spending the day reading boring books or playing pointless card-games, and the night doing needle-work, with only oil-lamps to light up the room! They of course had electricity, but as soon as they were alone, Mrs. Hodgkin had turned the master-switch off saying she believed electric light was bad for her eyes.
Pollyanna lay fully clothed in her bed waiting to hear Mrs. Hodgkin go to bed. Then she waited a bit longer, just to be sure, and sneaked out of the house. She ran down to Harrys’ cabin and knocked on the door.
“I thought she’d never go to bed,” she gasped when it opened, “but here I am; finally!”
“I can see that, miss!” Harry grunted.
He showed her inside, with a wave of his giant hand. Hanging from the back of a chair in the small living-room/kitchen were some bundles of rope, and on the table were bandanas and handkerchiefs. When she asked him what the rope was used for, he told her it was used to tie things together.
“I’ll show you, miss,” he said. “Hold out your hands and put the palms together.”
She did as he told her and he took a piece of rope, and wound it loosely around her wrists.
“How’s that, miss?” he asked.
She looked at her hands and thought for a moment.
“It feels kind of nice actually,” she replied. “Can you do it again, but firmer this time?”
“Sure can, miss. You just tell me if it gets uncomfortable.” He took off the rope and wound it around her wrists again, tighter this time.
“That’s more like it! Mmm, I really like it! Now, could you tie them together behind my back?”
“I sure can!” Harry was secretly delighted the poor young girl had found something that could make her miserable life in the house more bearable.
They experimented for quite a while with different ties, some Pollyanna thought were nice, others not so much, before she asked:
“Could you put one of those handkerchiefs in my mouth? I’ve seen it done on TV, and I’ve been dying to try! It looks uncomfortable, but you make such funny noises with one stuffed in your mouth.”
He did as she asked, then said: “A bandana is used to be extra sure it stays in, and is not accidentally pushed out.” He took one from the table, and wound it around her head, knotting it off behind it.
He checked she could breathe all right; then asked:
“Would you like me to tie your hands behind your back again?”
She looked at him, wide-eyed. What was he up to, really? She decided he was what he appeared to be; a harmless gardener helping her have a good time; which she undoubtedly had!
Now, he said: “Tell you what, miss; if you sit down in that chair over there I could tie your knees and feet together, and a blindfold over your eyes and you can pretend you’re kidnapped. “
Hesitantly, she nodded, and let him tie her up and put a bandana over her eyes.
To her horror, she suddenly heard the door open and Mrs. Hodgkin’s voice saying:
“So; there you are Pollyanna. I’ve been looking all over for you! I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your touch, Harry. Could you please carry her up to the house and put her on her bed? I will talk to her in the morning. Oh, and don’t forget to bring some extra rope.”
Harry carried her up to the house, and put her on her bed, as he was told to. She expected him to take the ropes binding her off, which he did; but then he tied her hands in front of her and made her lift them over her head, before tying them to the bars in the head-board. He stretched her legs out, took her boots off, and tied her ankles together and to the bars at the foot-end. Before he left, he took the gag out. “It’s much too dangerous to have something loose in your mouth, while you sleep.” he explained.
She tried to move around, but found that she couldn’t.
She could hear him chuckle: “I’ve done a proper job this time, miss. You’re not likely to get out of that bed until Mrs. Hodgkin comes and sets you free in the morning. If she sets you free, that is! And don’t worry; I’ll explain everything to her.” She could hear him stomp out of the room and close the door.