Disclaimer: "The Secret Garden" belongs to Frances Hodgson-Burnett and was published in 1910.
Vignette 2/4
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1913
Mary woke one day with a stomach ache and a wet nightdress. She immediately knew what had happened, of course; Mrs Sowerby had taken her apart from the others some six months ago, in the garden, to explain to her all about Very Important & Mystifying Womanly Preoccupations.
Holding the covers up and seeing the amount of blood incrusted in the bed linens, Mary felt rather glad she had listened to Mrs Sowerby, or she might have found herself imitating Colin when he still thought he was going to die.
That would have been mortifying.
Martha, who had been stoking the fire, simply smiled and went to fetch a water jug and some new linen. Mary cleaned herself, slipped on the Mysterious Undergarments Mrs Medlock had provided her with over a year ago, and forwent the usual glass of milk placed beside her breakfast plate. All things considered, she felt rather glad this day had finally come.
.
Sour Mistress Mary Quite Contrary, who had not made an appearance in well over two years, returned with a vengeance though when a governess arrived later in the week, clutching a heavy tome on etiquette to her bony chest. Perhaps, she thought, becoming a woman was not worth this trouble.