Passing as Elias - By Kate Bloomfield Page 0,36

me how queer I am.’ She laughed nervously, and began wiping the counters.

‘Why would he say that?’ Elizabeth frowned, looking up from her paperwork.

‘Oh,’ Merrill crinkled her nose, ‘Nothing to worry about, Sir.’

‘I hope your first week was all right, Merrill.’ Elizabeth said as she walked to the window and drew the curtains.

‘Oh, yes Sir.’ Merrill beamed, looking up.

‘I have your pay here for you.’ Elizabeth said, reaching into her pockets and handing over the coins.

‘Thank you, Sir.’ She looked at the amount of coin that Elizabeth had presented her, and she frowned.

‘What is wrong?’ Elizabeth asked.

‘Sir, I think you made a mistake. This is too much for one week.’

Elizabeth re-counted the coins, and shook her head, ‘No. That is right.’ She said handing it back to Merrill.

Merrill’s eyes widened, ‘But … This is … Thank you.’

Elizabeth smiled warmly, ‘Go home. I will finish cleaning up.’

Merrill bade farewell to Elizabeth and slipped out of the apothecary into the night. Elizabeth stared after her.

~

Once back at home, Elizabeth sat in front of the mirror and removed her wig. Her hair fell to her shoulders and sat lank. She rubbed off the facial hair that she had glued on, and began to undress. It was an immense relief to take off the bindings that strapped her chest flat. They left marks across her bosom because they were so tight, and made her breasts tender. She rubbed them, wincing as she did so. She hoped the binding of her breasts would not do any permanent damage.

Elizabeth took off her breeches, removed the socks she had packed into her underwear, and stood naked in her room. She stared at herself for a long while, turning this way and than as to observe herself. Finally, exhausted from a long days work, she collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep within minutes.

Elizabeth woke an hour later to someone banging on the front door. With a start, she sat up and stared around confusedly. The banging continued. Who could it be at this hour?

Elizabeth quickly put a robe over her naked body and raced down the flight of stairs.

Bang, bang, bang.

Elizabeth became wary. She inched towards the door and picked up an umbrella that leaned against the wall in case she needed to protect herself. She opened the door a fraction and peered out. She was shocked to see Merrill on her doorstep, and opened the door completely without thinking.

‘Uh … Hello Miss. Oh dear, I have not got the wrong house, have I? I was looking for Mister Searson? Are you his wife?’

Elizabeth blanched, ‘oh, no. I – I am Elizabeth, h-his sister. Half-sister.’

‘Oh yes, I see the resemblance.’ She said, looking around nervously, ‘Is Mister Searson home? I am sorry about calling so late, Miss, really. I just needed to speak to him, is all.’

‘He is not home. M-Merrill Freegard is it?’

‘Yes Miss.’ Merrill gave a small curtsey, ‘Do you know where I can find him?’

Elizabeth’s heart raced. Why on earth did Merrill want to see Elias in the middle of the night? Was something the matter? She could not reveal to Merrill that she was Elias for fear that Merrill might let slip the true nature of who was running the apothecary.

‘No … I … I think he had an appointment to keep in the town over. He shall not be back until Monday morning. He often leaves on the weekend.’ Elizabeth invented hurriedly.

‘Oh dear.’ Merrill wrung her hands together nervously.

‘Can I help you with anything?’ Elizabeth asked.

Merrill seemed distressed. She kept looking over her shoulder nervously, as though she expected someone to attack her at any moment.

‘May I come in Miss?’ She asked in a hurried whisper.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes upon Merrill’s face. She was frightened. It was not in Elizabeth’s nature to leave a young girl, terrified, standing on her doorstep.

‘Of course.’ Elizabeth decided, opening the door to its full extent and allowing Merrill past her.

Luckily for Elizabeth she had not left any of her disguise lying around the house. Merrill entered the sitting room and looked around nervously. She peeked out of the curtains and looked up and down the street.

‘Is something the matter?’ Elizabeth asked, following Merrill in.

‘It is nothing, really.’ Merrill said, her eyes as round as dinner plates.

‘You seem distressed.’ Elizabeth said with a frown. She indicated to Merrill that she should take a seat, which she did, but her posture was still straight-backed and alert as she perched herself upon the edge of the sofa.

Elizabeth tightened the