Picnic at Hanging Rock

Mike returns to Lake View from Melbourne in search of a missing letter. He is happy to be reunited with Albert, who picks him up from the train station at Macedon. The next day, he talks to the Cutlers; they ask him about Irma and are surprised by his indifferent response—they had hoped that a romance was developing between the two young people.

Mike eats with Albert in the stable the next night. They talk about nightmares—Mike is still haunted by Hanging Rock. Albert dreamed of his younger sister, whom he hasn’t seen since his youth. Mike explains that he is traveling to Queensland and suggests that Albert accompany him. Albert is tempted but is also grateful for his current position with the Fitzhuberts, which he would have to leave in order to accompany Mike.

The next morning, Albert takes Mike to the station. On the way, Albert asks Mike to read a letter aloud to him; his reading isn’t strong. Mike feels intrusive but does as his friend asks. The letter is from Irma Leopold’s father, thanking Albert for saving his daughter. He includes a check for 1,000 pounds. Albert is amazed. On the way home from the train station, Albert bumps into Tom. Tom asks Albert whether he knows of a position going anywhere (Tom and Minnie are leaving their respective roles at the college when they marry), and Albert tells him that he might. He gets home and pens a letter of thanks to Mr. Leopold, a letter of resignation to Colonel Fitzhubert, and a letter to Mike saying that he will accompany him to Queensland after all.

Minnie runs into Mrs. Appleyard on the stairs, and notices that the headmistress looks breathless and pale and is carrying a small basket. Mrs. Appleyard tells Minnie that Mr. Cosgrave, Sara’s guardian, is expected, but that she will answer the door herself and that Minnie should go and rest.

Mademoiselle de Poitiers, worried about Sara, talks to Mrs. Appleyard about her concerns, but Mrs. Appleyard tells her that Mr. Cosgrave, Sara’s guardian, arrived that morning and has already taken her away.

The next morning, Tom tells Mrs. Appleyard about the Lumleys’ deaths.

Mrs. Appleyard gets up in the night to search Miranda and Sara’s room for any clues on Sara’s whereabouts, but finds nothing of note.

The next day, Alice and Mademoiselle de Poitiers pack up Sara’s possessions, and Mrs. Appleyard tells them that they are sending them after her. Mademoiselle de Poitiers reflects that the framed photo of Miranda, which Sara took with her everywhere, is still on the mantle in the bedroom. She feels a growing unease and cannot sleep that night, thinking of how lonely and unhappy Sara has been of late.

Mrs. Appleyard speaks to Mr. Whitehead about what should be planted by the drive and about raising the Union Jack flag for the Lord Mayor’s visit to Macedon.

Tom brings Mrs. Appleyard a letter, which she reads in her study. It is from Sara’s guardian, Mr. Cosgrove, apologizing for the lateness of her fees and saying that he will pick her up on Saturday. A check is enclosed.

Constable Bumpher receives a letter from Mademoiselle de Poitiers; she is concerned that Sara has mysteriously disappeared despite Mrs. Appleyard’s assurances that she was taken by her guardian. Bumpher goes home to see if his wife has heard any village gossip about Mrs. Appleyard. Mrs. Bumpher tells him that the woman drinks a lot and has a bad temper.

Mr. Whitehead smells something rotting and sees a damaged area of foliage near the base of the college tower. He finds the body of Sara Waybourne among the hydrangea bushes. Mr. Whitehead vomits. He drinks a small glass of whisky and then goes to tell Mrs. Appleyard of his grisly discovery.

In a police statement to Constable Bumpher, Mr. Whitehead explains that he went into Mrs. Appleyard’s study and told her that he’d found Sara’s body. She let out a small scream and then instructed him to drive her into town, which he did. He assumed that she was going to the police station and she told him that she would be driven home by Mr. Hussey when she was finished.

In a police statement to Constable Bumpher, Mr. Hussey explains that he was still in the office of his stables when Mrs. Appleyard arrived and said that she wanted to be driven to a friend’s house on Hanging Rock Road. Mr. Hussey notes that she seemed upset. She shook her fist at Hanging Rock when it came into view. He took her to a stretch of road where she asked him to stop. She got out.

A shepherd and his wife testify in court that they saw a woman in a long coat walking toward the Hanging Rock picnic grounds. The police report continues that Mrs. Appleyard walked up the Hanging Rock and threw herself off a high precipice. Her head was impaled on a jutting crag.

An extract from a 1913 article in a Melbourne newspaper discusses the mystery of Hanging Rock, which was never solved; Irma never recovered her memory of the events, nor did Edith, who had recently died at the time of writing. The college burned down the summer after the Hanging Rock disappearances. Mike Fitzhubert remained in North Queensland. A piece of frilled calico discovered in 1903 was thought to have belonged to Miss McCraw.