Mary's parents have died, and she is sent to live in her uncle's big old house in yorkshire. there is nothing to do all day , and no one to talk to except Ben weathersstaff, the gardener. Mary is bored and lonely. but then Mary learns about the secret garden. no one has been inside it for ten years-except the robin, who flies over the wall. Marry watches the robin, and wonders where the key is......
and then there is that strange crying in the night, somewhere in the house. it sounds like a child crying....