“Billie.”
“What on earth do you mean?” Confusion marred the youthful skin, a frown creasing the perfectly formed face.
“My name is Billie.” She propped up on her elbows and glanced around. She was on grass, but she couldn’t see Hamish, Alex or anyone else for that matter. The crowds had vanished and in place of the tents, an expanse of tranquil water with birds gliding leaving trails behind them. Reflections of trees rippled over the calm surface. “Where am I?”
“By the lake, darling sister.” She held out her hand. “Here, let me help you up.”
Billie reached out and gripped the girl’s hand, a twinge of familiarity hung about her for all of a second or two before that disappeared. Her head swam as she reached sitting position and she blinked to clear her vision. A group of fluffy black swans floated across the water, disturbing the reflection of a large stately home, but her mind was anything but calm and tranquil. A strangled gasp slid between her lips.
“Wilz, whatever is going on? You’re scaring me to death behaving like this.”
This cannot be! It’s all getting far too much. She held her hands over her face and tried to hold back the tears but failed miserably. Sobs ripped up her throat and she wanted to scream out in despair. How on earth would she be able to explain this one away? When she woke up, would Alex be there for her like he always was or had she gone too far this time? The mind was a complex thing and she feared it was only a matter of time before the imaginary world she inhabited became her only escape and she stayed unable to face the real world.
“Here let me get you upstairs. You need to lay down and I’ll call the doctor for you.” She slipped her arm around Billie’s shoulders and helped her to her feet. Together they stumbled around to the front of the great house and up the stairs and into the vast landing.
“Where are we?” She lifted her chin and a wave of dizziness washed over her as she stared up into the cavernous ceiling.
“Let me get you upstairs.” The girl gripped her hand, the other arm around her waist and guided her to the wide staircase, coaxing her up each step with words of encouragement. At the top, she paused at a recess in the wall and pulled a long decorative cord. “Primrose will come and help you undress, get you into bed. Then I can call the doctor for you, Wilz. You’ve been overdoing it again. Papa needs a good talking to for letting you take on so much.”
“Papa?” Billie frowned, not understanding where this was going.
“I swear. Since Mama died he’s been locking himself away far too much. I understand that you enjoy running the estate, and going to all those meetings in Sydney but you have very little time for and it’s taking its toll on you.”
“Sydney?” They paused at a door and the girl opened it. The bedroom beyond was sumptuous and warm, the fire crackling in the grate.
She urged her inside and closed the door behind them. “Here you are. Let’s get you settled and you can rest for a bit. Primrose will be here soon to help you.”
Billie moved further into the room and studied her surroundings. She couldn’t understand what was happening let alone where she was. Nothing seemed familiar but it was. The girl put her hand on her back and pushed her gently toward the bed. Billie sidestepped the four poster, drawn to the fireplace, desperately needing the warmth to heat her cold body. She held her trembling hands out.
A knock on the door startled her as she stood in front of the flickering fireplace trying to make sense of the moment.
“Come in, Primrose.” The door opened and a slight Aboriginal girl bobbed a curtsey as she shut the door. “Wilz has had another one of her episodes. Can you please help her into bed and get cook to heat up some broth for her? Poor thing is starting to shiver. Goodness knows how long she was lying out there on her own. It’s not exactly warm that side of that side of the house under the trees.”
“Yes, Miss Gertrude.” She stepped forward and paused in front of Billie. Primrose glanced at her with wary eyes and Billie felt a momentary pang of fear. “Sit down, Miss Wilhelmina and I’ll take off your shoes first.”
She let herself be tended to and dressed in a long warm nightgown. Primrose took off her necklace, placing it on the small table beside the bed and reached for her watch. She whipped her hand back, holding it protectively against her chest.
Gertrude glanced over. “Oh, Wilz darling, do behave. You never wear your watch to bed. It scratches your skin when you roll over on it and catches on your nightgown. You’ve said so yourself many a time.”
She thought to argue for a moment and then held out her arm to the maid. A sense of loss hit her as it was added to the table, the tiny sparkles catching the light from the fireplace. Primrose popped her hands under the heavy quilt and tucked it under her chin. “There now, Miss. You close your eyes and I’ll be right back with a cup of broth for you. Have you back to normal in no time.”
She let her head sink into the feather pillow and closed her eyes as exhaustion overtook her.
* * *
“Want me to call an ambulance, mate? Reckon she was really out of it there for a bit.”
“Not yet, thank you.” Arms encircled her and held her to a broad chest. Billie tried to focus on the patch of suede on the pocket of Hamish’s jacket in an attempt to stop the trembling running through her body, but something pulled at her still. She was drowning in her own emotions with no possible way to
