Picnic at Hanging Rock: Chapter 15 Summary & Analysis

On the morning of Sunday, March 22nd, the girls of Appleyard College are busy as they ready themselves to go to church in Woodend. As Minnie bustles about the house to get the girls ready, she runs into Mrs. Appleyard running downstairs carrying what looks like a small basket. Mrs. Appleyard tells Minnie that Mr. Cosgrove, Sara’s guardian, is expected to come fetch her sometime this morning. Mrs. Appleyard insists that she’ll be looking out for his arrival and will let him in herself. Minnie is hesitant, but Mrs. Appleyard bribes her by offering her a bonus on her wedding day. As Minnie recounts the story to Tom that night, she will note that Mrs. Appleyard looked exceptionally pale—but Tom, able to focus only on the money, will be delighted.

After church, Mademoiselle goes to Mrs. Appleyard’s study. She presents herself at the door and says she’d like a word with the headmistress about Sara—she watches an “evil wind” cross over the woman’s face at the very mention of the girl’s name. Mrs. Appleyard coolly says that Sara left school this morning in the care of her guardian, taking only a small basket with her from her room. Mademoiselle is shocked and says that the poor Sara was too sick to be fit for a journey. Mrs. Appleyard says that Sara seemed “well enough.”

Mrs. Appleyard coldly says that Sara will not be invited back for another term. Her guardian, she says, showed up and insisted on whisking her away then and there. Mademoiselle is shocked, noting that Mr. Cosgrove is usually kind and patient on his visits. Mademoiselle says she’s sad she didn’t get to help Sara pack her many things, but Mrs. Appleyard insists she helped Sara pack the essentials. She asks if Mademoiselle has anything else to say—Mademoiselle is silent. Mrs. Appleyard says she won’t be coming to lunch. After Mademoiselle leaves the room, the headmistress, trembling, opens the cupboard behind the desk hurriedly—a small basket falls to the floor.

Tuesday brings a calm, relaxed, excitable atmosphere to the school. The girls busy themselves composing a farewell telegram to Irma, who is due to sail for England. Mademoiselle and Minnie, preparing for their wedding days, compare notes on their dresses and jewelry, and Mademoiselle shows Minnie the emerald bracelet Irma gave her. Later in the day, one of the maids comes to Mademoiselle and tells her that she needs help clearing out Sara and Miranda’s old room. Mademoiselle follows her down the hall.

In the room, Mademoiselle finds things in “depressing disorder.” It seems as if Sara has left everything behind—indeed, even her suitcase is unpacked, a detail that Mademoiselle would find odd had Mrs. Appleyard not told her that Sara packed only the essentials in a small basket. Mademoiselle begins carefully putting Sara’s things in the wardrobe in hopeful anticipation of her return next term. Mademoiselle stops short when she notices a small portrait of Miranda on the mantelpiece.

That night, Mademoiselle is troubled and cannot sleep. She keeps picturing the miniature portrait of Miranda on the mantelpiece—it was Sara’s most treasured possession, and the girl even carried it in her pocket on school outings. Mademoiselle remembers spotting the bulge in Sara’s pocket one day and teasing her about it—Sara begged Mademoiselle to never let the other girls know she carried it with her. Mademoiselle wonders what possibly could have happened Sunday to make Sara leave the beloved portrait behind. She wonders if Sara was sicker than she seemed, and if she’s been hurried away to a hospital. Mademoiselle rises from bed, lights a candle, and writes a letter to Constable Bumpher.

On Wednesday, after all the girls have left for the holiday, Minnie goes up to Mrs. Appleyard’s study with the mail. The headmistress tells Minnie she’ll be dining downstairs this evening with the rest of the faculty and staff—privately thinking to herself that “no detail at this juncture [is] unimportant.” She must maintain a buoyant façade to keep the governesses still at school from getting suspicious.

Late that evening, Mrs. Appleyard sneaks out of her room at midnight dressed only in her nightgown—ordinarily, she never leaves her room without her corset on. She stands on the landing, listening to the ticking of a clock from downstairs. She creeps down the hall and peeks into Miranda and Sara’s old room, now empty. She recalls bending over Sara’s bed, listening to the girl cry out, begging not to be sent back to the orphanage. Mrs. Appleyard then heads back to bed, dreading another day of “enforced inaction.” 

Thursday is an unseasonably warm day. The gardener, Mr. Whitehead, decides to take advantage of the weather and do some yardwork, perhaps watering some hydrangeas at the back of the house and planting some new flowers. As Mademoiselle packs up her room, she feels “like a bird about to be set free.” She sings to herself, and her voice floats out of her open window down to the grounds, where Mrs. Appleyard and Mr. Whitehead are discussing what flowers to plant and where. Mrs. Appleyard is having trouble focusing on the conversation—especially when Mr. Whitehead mentions Sara’s love of pansies and suggests planting them to surprise her upon her return. 

Tom approaches with the mail bag and presents Mrs. Appleyard with a letter. She snatches it from him and heads inside. In her study, she reads the letter, which is dated two days ago. It is from Mr. Cosgrove, Sara’s guardian, and it explains his intent to come collect her from the college on Easter Saturday—several days from now. He encloses a check to cover Sara’s fees, and asks for Mrs. Appleyard to make a shopping list for Sara—as she’s nearly 14, he expects she’ll soon need new, more sophisticated clothes.