A satisfied look crossed Wilz’s face. “No he won’t. Not if I ask him nicely.” She bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes for a moment, then a soft smile curved her lips and she grinned at Gertie. “Leave it with me. I’ll work something out. We cannot let this opportunity slide, darling. You must let Ernest help you.”
“You always did have a way with him. You’re both so alike, I suppose. You enjoy the same things. Not like me. I’ve always been the odd one out.” Gertrude sighed, smoothed her hand over the bedspread. “Sometimes I feel as though I’m the ugly duckling. Just waiting for my time to glow.” She was already dreaming of the uniform and the work she would carry out once she’d been accepted into the Red Cross.
“Yes, well be that as it may. If I can convince him to sign you up, it’ll be no problem and the next time Papa does his rant and rave you can pack your bags and go. There’ll be nothing to stop you.”
The thought of escape being so close suddenly terrified Gertrude. “He’ll be furious.”
“No doubt, but if it’s what you truly want, don’t let him stop you. It’s not as though he can cut you off.” She paused and thought for a moment. “Well, technically he can, but you have your own money from Grandmamma, so it doesn’t matter.” Wilz looked at her hands, studied the bright scarlet nail polish that matched her lipstick.
“I suppose not.” Gertrude screwed up her face, the excitement overriding the terror tingling up her spine but only barely. “The day after tomorrow can’t come soon enough. My new life, new career, who’d of thought that quiet little me could do something away from the estate?”
Chapter 5
Sydney 1980
Billie hefted her messenger bag up over her shoulder as she strode the steps toward her street. It had been a long trek from the bus station with the cold wind whipping around her legs. Her first few days at her new job had been more than a little interesting once she’d settled down. She realised she had no choice but to suck it up and do what was asked of her. Now almost a week after starting, she was easing into the routine, finding her feet.
Certainly the job wasn’t anything like she’d expected, but after giving it considerable thought, she knew she didn’t have any other option. Besides, it would be disrespectful to walk out after Father had gone to all the trouble of finding her the job in the first place. She owed him respect if nothing else for his efforts.
The dull thump of a headache had settled behind her eyes, the aftermath of a day sitting in front of the microfiche reading old stories about the family from Singleton’s historic Foxborough Hall. Her feet ached and the thought of a gin and tonic, her new tipple since hitting Sydney, put a spring in her step. Billie breathed a sigh of relief as she turned the corner into her street, her steps lighter at the thought of seeing how Alex had fared at school today. She was grateful he had found his feet as quickly as he had. Normally such an easy going young man, even he had reservations about the new school whether he admitted to them or not. She could see it in his eyes that first morning, but Alex being Alex, he’d tried not to let his worries show and everything had worked out fine.
His fate, how he would fit into his new school, make new friends, had been a distraction in the beginning. When she wasn’t in the library reading over the last editorials regarding the worlds news, she’d worried as any mother would have done. Thank goodness he was the type of person to make friends easily. His laughter reached her ears and Billie smiled to herself. Always a good sign.
Hamish sat on the step in front of his house. She might have guessed. What was it about the professor that her son found so engaging? Could it be Hamish was close to Stephen’s age, that attracted him? Poor boy seemed starved for male company, but after his father’s death, he’d given no indication of being deprived. Quite the contrary, he insisted he was fine and happy with his mother for company outside of school. In the last months, he’d rarely gone on weekend jaunts with his friends preferring to stick by her side. Perhaps that had been a good thing considering how she’d gone to pieces. As the funeral approached, she’d been no better. Doped up on prescription drugs just to get through every single day, she remembered little or nothing of it.
She should have been supporting Alex, not the other way around. His voice rang out in the cool night air. She caught a few of the words and the quieter, more cultured tone of Hamish as he answered. “Ask your mother … if it’s okay with her … I’d love to … perhaps on the weekend.”
“Evening.” She stood at the bottom of the steps. Alex hurried down and wrapped her in a big warm hug while Hamish stood with his hands jammed in his pockets, a smile hovering over his lips. Grey eyes that were clear and piercing watched Alex tuck his arm in hers and encouraged her up the stairs toward the terrace house.
“Tell us what happened. Do you have your first big assignment yet? Your own office and snitches all lined up ready to break the law for you?”
Billie laughed and ruffled his hair, aware that Hamish was still watching her. Now a week after starting, she was easing into the routine, finding her feet. “I’ll have you know I never, ever broke the law in the pursuit of my career. But back to today, it’s getting better. I told you I have to prove myself all over again, and that’s fine. At least
