The Other Bill Shakespeare

12. Beatrix Peacock - By the pool, Christmas Eve, 1968.

Elizabeth bit her lip. "Have I said something I oughtn't?" she asked.

"Frequently!" I replied. I couldn't help myself.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I hadn't realised it was a secret." Elizabeth pouted and batted her eyelashes.

If she was trying to look innocent, it wasn't working, at least, not on me. I've never wanted to slap a child in my life, but this brat was really pushing my buttons? "Who told you that, and what makes you think you're right?" I asked her.

"Oh, I'm right." Elizabeth smirked and rudely pointed at Odette. "She told me so herself."

"What? I did no such thing!" Odette cried. "How dare you tell such lies?"

"Oh, it's no lie," Elizabeth persisted. "You were talking so loudly, that you may as well have told me personally."

"You...you were eavesdropping!" Odette was scandalised.

"Elizabeth, is that true?" Phyllis asked.

"I wouldn't call it eavesdropping, Mummy, not when she was practically yelling about how her own mother has threatened to disown her for taking a Piedmont in."

Odette was dumstruck.

Madeline looked stricken. "If you'll all excuse me. I think I need to lie down." She stood up gingerly.

Much to my surprise, Edith put an arm around her. "I'll help you to your room, Maddie," she said. "Good  evening Mr Sturrock, Mrs Sturrock."

Elizabeth practically wailed. "But... Didi!"

Edith left with Madeline, without saying goodnight to either Elizabeth or Jason. 

Phyllis had the good grace to look embarrassed, but seemed unable or unwilling to deal with her daughter's rudeness. "Well...good night."

"Well, see you at the New Years Eve party then," Lindsay said.

"We'll see, Lindsay," Stirling replied curtly.

Senator Sturrock couldn't take a hint. "Come now Stirling, New Years Eve on the harbour, with a boatload of potential investors. Your partners have accepted our invitation. You don't want to miss out, Mate!"

"We'll see," Stirling repeated, as he ushered the Sturrocks out the door."

The moment they were gone, Odette crumbled. "What have I done? Oh, Stirling, what have I done?" She sobbed.

Stirling took her in his arms. "Hush, Love. It'll be all right."

"Madeline must hate me now. May God forgive me. What have I done? This is punishment, that's what it is. This is my punishment because I didn't believe India. I didn't realise the truth until after she was gone."

"M-mum what d-d-do you mean?" Simon looked on in alarm.

I don't blame him. I've never seen Odette cry like that, either. I pulled him into a hug, and tried to reassure him. "Don't worry, Simon, even grown ups need a good cry sometimes. Your mother will be perfectly fine.

"Won't you, Bottom? Hmm? Come on now, Darling, this isn't your fault. You weren't to know that that snake was listening to your private conversation."

Stirling sighed. "Odette, I think perhaps...it's time."

"I... I can't." Odette continued to sob.

"Yes you can, Darling!" I replied. "Odette, you're one of the strongest women I know. You can do this. You must do this. It's been eating away at you for months. Stirling is right. You need to tell Madeline the truth about what happened between the Higgenbothams and her parents, not just for her sake, but for your own."

Author's Notes:

Wow, poor Odette! It sounds as if this feud has really hurt her heart. I can't help but feel sorry for her. 😔💝 I didn't like her much when we first met her, but as Simon has mentioned, she presents as cold and aloof when she's upset or nervous, so I'm beginning to think, that perhaps it's just a mask. 🤔 She's kind of growing on me. 😏🤷‍♀️ What are your thoughts about her?

The legal drinking age in Australia at this time was 21. It was not lowered to 18 until December 1974.