“No, she not tell me nothing like that. But then Miss Gertrude didn’t neither. She just disappeared into thin air too.”
Hamish sighed, frustration creeping up his throat. Perhaps he should start at the beginning and let her talk it out. She might give him a clue to Billie’s whereabouts without realising it. “Tell us more about what happened when Wilz was killed.”
“Mr. Ernest had taken Miss Gertrude to Sydney. Strange ’cause she never went without Miss Wilz, so something bad musta happened, I’m thinking.” She tilted her head as if she was remembering the day and Hamish let her ponder it a moment before he nudged her along. “Master told me to mind my own business when I asked after them girls, but I heard about it anyways. Can’t keep secrets in that house, no sir.”
“Did that seem strange to you?”
“Sure did. I recall they were arguing over the breakfast table. Didn’t know then what about, but that was how the master and Miss Wilz got along. She’d come up with an idea and he’d say no. She’d yell or laugh at him and do it anyways. Sometimes I think he enjoyed getting her mad. Anyways, before I knew it, Miss Gertrude was gone, just like that.” She snapped her fingers. We figured it out later they were fighting over Miss Gertrude going to join the Red Cross.”
“And she never came back?” Alex sat crossed-legged in front of Primrose, stroking Maggie’s ears, his face fixed on her face.
“No. Never saw hide nor hair of her again.” A wave of sadness washed over the wrinkled face. “Missed my girls, I did. Nothing was ever the same after they gone.”
“Okay, backtrack here a little.” Hamish wanted to get it straight before he moved onto the next thing. It may amount to nothing but if he could find a connection, anything that would give him a clue to her whereabouts, it would be worth listening. “Miss Gertrude left before breakfast with Ernest, and that was the last you saw of her?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And then what happened to Miss Wilz? When did she leave the house?”
Primrose shrugged her shoulders. “There was something strange about that. The master and her fight even more after Miss Gertrude gone. Things got real tense in the house but we tried to carry on the same.” She sighed, worried the fabric of her dress between fingers. “Was weeks later that we noticed Miss Wilhelmina gone. Master said she caught the train for Sydney, said she had business she’d put off long enough.” Primrose sniffed, looking put out. “Knew something was wrong because her handbag was in her room and nobody owned up to taking her to the station. The suitcase she took was in the cupboard too. Wasn’t right, it wasn’t.”
“Do you think she really went away?”
“Who knows? Master say she gone and we never see her again. Who we to stick our noses in their business?”
“Do you know who told him about the train crash? Did the police come to the house?” Hamish felt a shiver go up his spine.
“We just the servants. Nobody tells us nothing, gotta figure it out for ourselves” She sniffed. “Them girls gone and that’s final.” A tear traced a path down her lined cheek and Hamish reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. “Read in the papers that there were two bodies unclaimed in that crash. Seemed strange to me, real strange.”
“You’ve been a great help, Primrose.”
“I liked your Billie. Read some her magazine articles I did. Clever lady. Hope you find her. Be careful though. That house cursed, damned sure of it.”
“Can I walk you inside before we leave?” Hamish held out his hand to Primrose.
She shook her head. “Gonna stay out here with my memories a little bit.” She reached for Alex, rested her hand on his shoulder. “Hope’n you find your mama, young man. Let me know now, okay?”
“Of course I will. You can bet on that, Miss Primrose.” Alex stood up and leaned down to drop a kiss on her cheek, garnering a watery smile.
As they left her, Hamish and Alex discussed what little they’d really learned.
“That really didn’t help much, did it?” Alex hunched his shoulders in defeat.
“I don’t think so. Let’s head to the police station now and tomorrow we’ll go and see the gardener in case he can shed any light on the whole mess. Someone has to remember something that will help us.”
“Hamish?” Alex paused.
“Yes?”
“You know Gran didn’t want to tell anyone what she knew about the old house and Primrose said I look just like her Miss Gertrude?”
Hamish dug his hands in his pockets and stared at the boy, guessing what was coming next. “Continue.”
“And those photos in the summerhouse look just like me and Gran?”
“Yes.”
“I think Gran is Miss Gertrude.” A twinkle in his eye made Hamish smile.
“I actually had come to the same conclusion. It makes sense to me too. Her outburst when your mum said she wanted to come and investigate the estate, the lack of family history in their house. Have you ever noticed there are photos of Frederick as a child but nothing of your grans on display?”
Alex grinned. “No I didn’t. How clever you are, Hamish.”
He tilted his head and laughed. “I think we both get points for this discovery.” He asked directions to the police station from staff in the office and drove to Hunter Street.
“Looks quiet.” Alex stepped out of the car onto the gravel path. “Not even any cop cars here.”
“Might be someone inside. It’s possible.” Hamish slammed the car door and followed Alex up the path, stopping at the noticeboard attached to the front door.
“Damn it all.” Alex slammed his fist on the door, frustration seeping out of every pore. “This is stupid, an unmanned station.”
“Quite the norm for small towns in Australia. Only means that the police are out on other calls.” Hamish read the small print and nodded his head, opened a
