“Fine with me, but I suggest we do that together.”
“If you’re sure?”
“I am. Now back to the present problem. Let’s start over shall we? Can you remember going to the house?”
She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling while she thought. “I think so.”
“Do you want to talk it through? Lucy and Frederick have Alex at the motel so don’t worry about him for now. He’s fine.”
“I want to be with my son.” A sigh shuddered through her body. “But I have to sort this out before he comes back. I don’t want to go home as the crazy woman he’s had to contend with. I’m pretty sure my last episode would take it up to a whole new level. I don’t even understand it myself.”
The nurse popped her head through the door. “Everything okay in here?”
Hamish nodded. “Yes, thank you.” Her footsteps receded down the hallway as she went about her routine.
“Right. Let’s start at the beginning, then. You went to the house and I believe you saw Primrose and Mr. Wilkes.”
She pulled her hand out of his, her breath hitching in her throat, a strangled sob. “Primrose and Eric?” Her eyes blanked.
Hamish focused on the movement in her throat as she swallowed before he spoke again. “I’ve talked to them both. Lucy saw Primrose yesterday. There still seems to be some confusion around Wilhelmina’s death. Primrose has doubts about her going to Sydney. Seems she left her handbag behind at the house and she’d …”
“She didn’t leave the house.” Billie held a hand to her chest. “She was there all the time.”
Chapter 25
Singleton 1980
Later that day the family gathered in Billie’s room. Alex lay on the bed, his head on her lap as she stroked his hair.
“After I had a word with the police yesterday, they pulled the file for Wilhelmina’s supposed death.” Father paced the room, as he would have if he had the courtroom floor and Billie smiled, knowing it was where he seemed to be the most comfortable. “There was no record of her ever catching the train to Sydney according to those that were interviewed, no ticket master recalled seeing her nor did anyone at the house admit to dropping her off at the station.” He paused. “I have yet to check the records of the organization she worked with for the children, but I strongly suspect they didn’t see her either. I suspect Primrose was closer to the mark than we thought.”
“Why didn’t anyone say that to the police when Papa claimed the body, then?” Lucy reached for Father’s hand.
“I should think because of his standing in the community. And let’s face it, my dear, why would anyone think to question him when he was going through such a horrific time? There were a few perks of being rich and owning half the town, I’d suggest.”
“The rich have different rules to us, then, it’s not just a clichéd saying.” Billie gave him a half-smile. “It’s a strange feeling, talking about it. I don’t know if I’ve imagined it all or if it really happened. I thought I was losing my mind and I was too scared to say anything in case you all had me committed.”
Hamish smiled, a reassuring snicker came from Alex and Billie tried not to let herself get too carried away with what might have been.
“I don’t think we ever will be able to explain it, Billie. Some things you just can’t. I’m still waiting for you to tell me the finer details.” Her mother glanced at Hamish, a friendliness in her look that had been lacking where her daughter was concerned. “That’s when you’re up to it, of course.”
Billie picked up a strand of her son’s hair. “Are you sure you really want to know, Lucy?” She dropped the silky strand and locked glances with her mother. “It’s not exactly pleasant.”
“I know my father had issues, if that’s what you mean. I also know, not that I approved mind you, that my sister had a lover, possibly more than one if the truth be told.” She blushed and Father stopped at her chair, rested his hand on her back. She brushed him off. “It’s fine. I’m not that unwordly. She told me so. Poor Ernest must have been devastated. They were going to marry, only Papa kept trying to put her off, said he wasn’t good enough for Wilz.”
“He wasn’t her lover.”
Lucy sat up straight, her lips thinned. “But he was. She told me so. You must be confused, Billie. I’d seen them together.” She looked ready for an argument and Hamish shared a glance with Father. None of this passed Billie. She kept her gaze roaming the room, sensitive for any discord, knowing it would be on her shoulders but understanding it anyway.
“It was a ruse. One they laughed about quite frequently. Poor Ernest adored her, but not in the way everyone thought. You see, he was in love with someone else and they used each other for cover. Oh they might have had a casual fling when it suited them, but he wasn’t her one true love.”
“Who was he in love with then? Tell me that, Billie.” Lucy’s eyes blazed and Billie felt a small twinge of guilt at divulging Ernest’s secret.
“I can’t tell you. It was a secret. It would be betraying a confidence and I won’t do that. It’s not necessary and it won’t help Ernest either.”
Lucy opened her mouth, a small gasp coming from her lips. “Oh.”
“Yes, well, it seems that there were more secrets in that family than you knew, darling.” Father nodded his head in her direction. “What else did you want to share at this time, Billie? Do you know what happened to Wilz in
