@robbiemyboi
Walking along the grounds with her employer’s daughter, Daphne Nash and her young, gleefully snuffling dog, Hermes, Elizabeth hummed softly under her breath while balancing a basket of goods over her arm.
Daphne glanced up at her with a bright grin. “I do hope you’ll at least let us pamper you today.”
Elizabeth shrugged, re-adjusting her basket. “I have just returned from the market, Daph. Lydia is in need of extra hands today, seeing how two of the kitchen maids are sick, so-”
“Oh, please, Lizzie? You only turn twenty once!”
“You only turn all ages once, as far as I am aware.” Finally wearing down, she shrugged again and smiled. “I know Mama and Grandma Agnes wish to have dinner. Perhaps you could join us?”
Daphne beamed, fondly leaning into her arm. “Oh, yes, I would adore that! I’ll get Lydia to make you some meat pies, and then we can-”
“No, no, that won’t be necessary.”
“But Lizzie!”
“I prefer simplicity,” she said. “Besides, my family is not one for opulence, so the gesture might embarrass them.”
Shame-faced, Daphne nodded. “Yes, of course, you’re right…please forgive my faux pas. I suppose I am still in the bride-to-be mindset, seeing how my every waking moment is spent preparing for the festivities in October.” With a warm, shy little smile, she squealed before spinning about in a delighted circle. “Oh, can you believe it? I am finally going to be a wife…a mother!”
Elizabeth glanced her way. “Have you wanted children long?”
“Oh, yes! Albert and I are proper, mind you – we haven’t had any unchaperoned visits – yet I so look forward to the day when I can finally lay eyes upon my future children.”
“It is said to be the happiest day of a woman’s life,” Elizabeth agreed.
Catching her tone, Daphne arched a finely shaped brow. “You do not believe it?”
“Not entirely, no. Children are fussy and demanding, and require quite a bit of attention.”
Daphne scoffed. “Attention I am all too happy to give! Oh, Lizzie, how can you not melt at the sight of chubby, rosy little cheeks?” As if envisioning a child of this very appearance, she stopped to coo and stroke Hermes’ face, who was all too happy to lick her open palms.
Elizabeth moved to reply, but that was when she heard a rustling in the neighboring woods. All at once, she stopped and moved protectively in front of Daphne, seeing how she could see a shape with her gift -- the figure of a man.
“What is it?” Daphne asked, catching the rigidness of her friend’s posture. “Lizzie, what’s wrong?”
“Someone else is here...” As if awaiting his cue, a man came staggering out from between the trees, a bright bloom of red smeared across his clothes. Elizabeth heard Daphne cry out in alarm, but Elizabeth was already heading toward the man, dropping her basket of goods to the ground. “Are you looking for Dr. Desmond Nash?” she called over to him. Surely that was why he was there...
