She ignored him. She had helped him into a warm dressing gown, wrapped a scarf around his neck, and put a hat on his head and a blanket over his legs. She didn’t believe the outside would kill him, but she didn’t want him catching a chill.

As they hurried into the safety of the trees and Mary stopped to catch her breath, Colin started to cough and clutch his chest. “It’s the pollen! I told you. It will kill me!” he gasped.

“Colin!” Mary faced him sternly. “Take a breath.”

Colin did as she said.

“Still alive?” questioned Mary.

He gave a tiny nod.

“Pollen won’t kill you,” she told him firmly. “You may have hay fever and that might make you want to sneeze or feel a bit breathless, but that’s all. When we’re in a safer place, we’ll work out what hurts and what doesn’t, but for now you have to try, just as I do, not to fuss. Does that sound fair?”

He looked at her mutinously but nodded again.

“Good. Then let’s carry on. We can go more slowly now we’re out of sight of the house.”

They continued on toward the garden. As they drew near, Mary handed Dickon the key. He went on ahead of her to open the gate.

Reaching the wall with its covering of ivy, Mary paused and said to Colin, “I need you to hold tight now.”

“Why?” Colin said suspiciously.

In reply, Mary started to push the chair as hard and fast as she could, aiming straight for the curtain of ivy, building up speed to get over the bracken.

“Mary!” Colin shouted in alarm. “Stop! The wall! The wall!” He screamed and covered his head with his arms, bracing himself for a crash, but suddenly the gate opened. They burst through the ivy curtain, past Dickon, and into the garden.

Mary grinned and slowed down. Over their heads there was a broad canopy of bright yellow laburnum flowers forming a long tunnel that seemed to stretch on and on. The light reflected off the flowers, casting a golden glow on their faces. Colin looked around in wonder as Mary wheeled him through the laburnum tunnel and into the garden. It spread out in front of them, a wonderful secret kingdom.

“See,” she said happily to him as he gazed in amazement. “Magic is on our side.”

The robin circled around Colin’s head, singing joyfully.

“Well?” Mary said.

“It . . . it’s . . .” Colin stared around, lost for words.

Mary felt a rush of happiness at the incredulity on her cousin’s face. “I know,” she said, not needing him to say any more. “Come and see. There’s so much to show you!”