Little Lost Girl

The agent's brochure said it was built around 1870. We

ggest and busiest city. So, at first, we rented a house in Sydney's suburban south from owners away in Singapore. Their son was injured. Unexpectedly, they returne

le space. I saw a listing for a townhouse in nearby Annandale with four bedrooms. My inner-west Sydney internet search had also brought up a four-bedroom townhouse in Balmain, although it was $70 a week more than the

liked it. So I made an offer of $20 less than the advertised rate. The Balmain property was spacious, but in large complex and the extra $70 a

ale agent, saying they would rent us the h

rry, that's

wondered if I sho

apers and pay the deposit. Five minutes later the house phone rang again. We were gone so it went to message. That night we heard this message from the Annand

day we were in, just; boxes everywhere, partially assembled furniture; our legs like jelly from endless trips up a

d. It was dusk light of a spring day. By this time, in our previous suburban house, t

ng dogs, dodging kids or just taking in the night air. It did not feel like suburban Sydney but like a village where everyone was a part. For Marie, from an Ir

colony was founded, the next peninsula jutting into the harbour west of the city. It was a five minute ferry ride to the city, passing under towering Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was full of wonderful places to visit and explore, old stone houses built into hillside nooks looking out ac

Years of real estate boom did not buy a lot of house for your money in inner Sydney. We sold another propert

find a new place to live. We had not found anything to buy but would not to be rushed; so another move was needed, but only within Balmain. This time we rented a grand terrace in East Balmain, looking out towar

e feel of a well built house, well proportioned, though showing its age. It was painted a softened lemon yellow and had a twisted old frangipani tree in the front yard. Across the street, with ridge-top city and harbour views, were the grand terrac

aid, "Unfortunately an offer has been

r search mus

saw this same hous

the bidders had money problems

l mouldy old brown carpet and a collapsing chipboard kitchen. However, the moment we stepped inside, it exuded a positiv

afford. The agent said there was already a conditional bid in from another party, but t

o the owner, but thought we needed to go higher. They promi

er bidder. But the listing price was $30, 000 above our offer, so we needed to close the gap to get favourable consideration. A deep breath; anoth

*

llected the keys from the Balmain agent

ing back an escaping garden. It sprawled over the path we followed to the front door. We walked under a rusty tin roofed verandah sheltering weath

ed shabby charm. Many people had lived here. Most felt good. But s

have lived here, shading the local aborigines, before the First Fleet came. Other big trees competed for space in a crowded canopy. A previous owner built a deck extending

om us. Our boys had the attic in the roof cavity above o

across the passage. Our daughter, Tara, aged eight, cam

" we both as

e-green glass bottle, covered with silver lace filigree in which a blue stone sat, and with

e you found i

y hand in here, " she said, pointing to the fireplace, and then, indicating to the bottle, "

as as if this bottle had called out to be di

patina of time toned to a soft lustre. One small blue stone was set into the silvered side, perhaps a piece of coloured glass, perhaps a valuable gem. The bottle glass was the colour of a

rose to meet me; apples, cinnamon and gum leaves, blended with summer breeze and frangipani. Unbidden, thoughts of other times and places flowe

al scents and memories it evoked in them, diffe

ueezed her head into the small gap where the

hing else in h

photo of a small girl, age similar to herself. Written on t

e fire place at the start of the chimney. It seemed that here they stayed, waiting while a cen

tently. "She looks nice; I

was about as old as you. Perhaps she got sick and her Mummy and

for a moment then

find these because she was like me. She

more closely at this small girl who ha

a white

ress", my Catholic

ago, it felt like she was staring back at me, staring right into my soul, linking to my mind

nd the grave. It was a transfer across space and time, an eerie and almost familiar connection.

ory? I felt drawn to find something out ab