Audrey lowered her cowl and turned to her father, eyes large and sparkling. “Father, can we go see the elephant? I have always wanted to see one!” She wasn’t sure how the elephant had been acquired, but she knew it was to be taken for a walk under Blackfriar’s Bridge, and desperately wanted to see it.
Her father smiled sadly and stroked his daughter’s hair. “I’m sorry, darling, but I have to work today – Redfern called in ill. You’ll have to tell me all about it at home tonight.” He kissed her head, seemingly ignorant of the disappointment in her eyes, before wrapping his scarf around his neck and hurrying over to the medical tent.
Annoyed and alone – her mother had chosen to forego the celebrations and stay at home where she was warm and away from her daughter –, Audrey took to the ice, surveying the stalls. She paused at a stall selling hot gin – not because she particularly wanted any, but because the boy running it was curled up in the corner, passed out.
“Boy!” She called. He didn’t seem to hear her. Huffing in irritation (standing still made her cold and now she definitely wanted a hot drink), Audrey pulled off one of her gloves and with a well-aimed throw, hit the boy’s face with it. He awoke at once, startlingly blue eyes bleary.
“Hm?” He responded, groggy.
“Are you drunk?” She demanded. He looked no older than twelve – not the age for drinking.
The boy seemed to take an affront to the question. “No, Miss. I have the unfortunate problem of falling asleep at times, despite my best efforts to stay awake.”
Audrey paused. The boy certainly didn’t seem drunk, and she couldn’t smell anything on his breath – though the gin around him was rather overpowering. “It’s Miss Valentine, thank you very much, and I see. Are you narcoleptic?” Honestly, she’d prefer the title of ‘Lady’, but unfortunately Audrey would only inherit the title when her mother died. She had heard her father’s associates mention narcolepsy on a few occasions, and knew it had something to do with sleep.
The boy blinked, uncomprehending. “I beg your parden, Miss Valentine,” he amended, “and I am not sure. I was unaware there was even a name for it.”
“Yes, well, there’s a name for everything these days,” Audrey said airily, trying to sound a lot more medically versed than she really was. “I would like a glass of the gin and a gingerbread man, please.”
The boy nodded, and Audrey handed him the money. She turned to go, items in hand and gin already warming her with one sip, when she pause. “Say, boy,” she said. “Do you want to come see the elephant with me?” His stall seemed rather void of customers, and perhaps it would stop him from falling asleep again.
“My name is Henry, and I would gladly accompany you. I have never seen an elephant before.” He quickly closed the stall down before grabbing his own gingerbread and a glass of warm winter ale – gin wasn’t a friend of his.
“Mhm,” Audrey replied, uncaring. She was already several feet ahead, gliding with ease on her skates. “Well, that makes two of us then, doesn’t it?”
