smile as her mother, Mary, entered the sitting room.
‘Did I hear a mans voice outside?’ She enquired, walking over to the window and peering out onto the darkened street.
‘Yes,’ Elizabeth did not see the point in lying, ‘Captain Greenwood escorted me home.’
‘Did he now?’ her mother straightened up with a curious expression upon her face, ‘I did not know he was back in town.’
‘Yes, he said he came back only yesterday.’ Elizabeth explained, ‘He stopped by the apothecary this afternoon.’
Her mother nodded approvingly, ‘Do you think he shall call on you again?’
‘Mother.’ Elizabeth sighed exasperatedly, ‘Please.’
‘Really, Elizabeth.’ She huffed impatiently, ‘At this rate I shall never have grandchildren.’
Mary Searson was a middle-aged widow, and Elizabeth was her only child. They rented a small two-bedroom house on the outskirts of the town. The walls were often damp, and the floorboards creaked. They had once owned a nicer house, though they had lost possession of it when Elizabeth’s father had died four years previously, for a woman was not able to own land.
Elizabeth was in a rather bad mood by the time she had reached her own bedroom. She undressed slowly in front of the fireplace, and hung her garments over a chair. She washed the day’s work from her body at the basin with a damp cloth, and pulled on her nightdress. Brushing her tangled red locks in front of a cracked mirror, she sighed and wondered if Captain Greenwood would call on her again. He had seemed very interested during their talk while he escorted her home. Or perhaps he was just being polite. Never the less, Elizabeth had made her views on courtship quite clear. But, said a little voice in her ear, the Captain might be different. He spoke of equality, and the downfalls of marriage. Perhaps he would make a fine husband. He might allow her to work, and even keep her own wage. Elizabeth shook her head frantically. No, she thought, I am independent. I do not need a man.
Chapter Two
Unusual Absence
Elizabeth woke the next morning before the sun had risen above the hills. The sky outside was a deep ruby red, shot with gold. She could hear her mother snoring loudly in the room adjacent. Dressing silently, she then tiptoed downstairs into the kitchen. A hard loaf of bread sat upon the counter, though Elizabeth did not fancy a slice for her mother had never been an excellent baker. The pendulum clock upon the wall told Elizabeth that it was five o’clock in the morning. She was not unfamiliar with waking at so early, for she had been forced to do it for years while her father was alive. Together, her mother and Elizabeth would rise before she sun and prepare breakfast for her father. She would help with the washing, cooking, and cleaning. This, her mother insisted, was good practice for when she was a wife. Alas, Elizabeth’s father had passed away, and so had their daily routine. These days, Mary Searson did not wake until the sun was high in the sky, and Elizabeth had long left for work at the apothecary. Elizabeth’s income was absolutely essential to maintain the weekly rent. Her mother worked from home, knitting, sewing and mending for a small amount of money.
At half past seven Elizabeth left the house and began her walk to work. Today should be an easy day for it was Saturday, and therefore the shop closed at one o’clock. She was not a rush as it had been yesterday when she had failed to wake until ten minutes to eight o’clock. It was extremely out of character for her to be late. She arrived at the Apothecary with five minutes to spare, and felt quite pleased with herself to find that Professor de Bard was not waiting for her. She took out the key, and unlocked the door to the apothecary. Once inside she drew the curtains, lit the lamps, and checked the day’s orders. At two minutes to Eight o’clock she flipped the sign upon the door to ‘open’. She expected Professor de Bard to walk in at any second for he was always at work on time, however eight o’clock came and passed. Five past eight. Ten past eight. A quarter past eight.
Elizabeth did not fret too much for she knew the workings of the apothecary so well that she had no issue in running the shop alone. However she did worry about accumulating a backlog of orders. During the day the