Blossom Of Innocence

A Story by Kieron Shaw

1889, Elizabeth Mannford wants to escape the pressure of an arranged marrigae but with a deadly outcome that she will never forget...

Blossom of Innocence

1889 in the rich and vast countryside outside of London is the pressure that is family life, it’s beginning to take its toll on the young and sweet Elizabeth Mannford, the pressure off of her mother and father to marry the young handsome soldier Ryan Hairinghas been building up, building like rage, like a dark evil spirit that will ascend upon all life and devour, it is not until she decides that enough is enough and takes off on a cold winters night, she leaves a written message that she has had enough and tells howshe is leavingin her carriage,through this desperate act she finds the true meaning of the word darkness and despair. After a terrible accident along a dark road that leaves the driver dead, the horses running for their lives and Elizabeth bloody and dirty, she is alone and scared in an eerie woods and no one around to help, she begins to make her way through the mist and cold, dirty and tired she comes across a town called Hailswitch Hill. A dark, gothic, and weird town that is even darker than it seems. Elizabeth starts to uncover some of Hailswitch Hill’sdarkestsecrets that will never leave her; they will never stop haunting her until she accepts that she has made a terrible mistake.

Was leaving a good idea? Once a mistake has been made there is no going back…

Chapter 1

Arrival to the kingdom of depression

Goffered and Cecilia Mannford, the parents of Elisabeth waited with their butler William outside their country house, the day blossomed as if it had never stopped. A huge day awaited the family as it was the Masquerade ball in the next few days and the long arrive of the Heiring family. They were close to the Heiring family especially their son Ryan, he was a fine young man, well that’s what everyone felt and saw in him. He had everything from charisma, good looks and was charming. But it wasn’t them they had to impress, it was Elizabeth, it was her choice, one she had to make herself, even though her mother and father would drill the constant persuasion of her giving her hand in marriage to him. She hated it, it made her miserable to the point that she would try to evade them like the plague, it was her life and she wanted it to be her life that she controlled, but she felt that she didn’t. she felt trapped and there was nowhere for her to go, the country side was a start, often sitting out into the vast beauty of the fields with a picnic and a book to accompany her would make her feel that she had some kind of control, but she was never alone, she would always have someone looking after her, even though she would sit far from them she never had that me time, that time you can lose yourself in a moment of being one with the world.

Her head was leaning against the side of the carriage as the stones under the wheel bounced the carriage in small little bumps, she watched as she approached the huge house, watching her mother and father with a fake smile that they knew they had her right where they wanted. It was more important to them as it was to her about the masquerade ball, because it would involve family and friends from all over to take part in this event, and with the Heiring family being there, an announcement between both family’s was an important one to say the least. Elizabeth couldn’t care about the ball; she knew that she would be pushed into a corner there and that everyone will be sticking their noses into her life, her decisions. As the carriage pulled out Elizabeth waited for the driver to open the door as she lifted her dress up to her ankles and stood down onto the stone floor. She let her dress down and walked towards her mother and father; she hugged her dad and gave her mother a kiss. ‘I don’t want to talk; I just want to go to my room if that is ok with you’

‘What about the ball…?’

‘I shall talk about it later mother’ she nodded to her and then looked at Goffered. ‘Father’

They both watched as she walked up the steps and closed the door behind her. Alice who was their servant rushed to the side of Elizabeth. Her black and white uniform made her look dull against the colourful dress of Elizabeth’s. ‘Is everything ok my lady?’

‘Everything is fine Alice; I wish people would stop asking me such questions’

‘We are worried about you, and it’s the family ball in a few days. Aren’t you excited about the arrival of Ryan…?’ Elizabeth stopped and tuned to Alice.

‘What makes you think that I am excited by such arrivals?’

‘I thought…’

‘I don’t care about what you think, I am sick of people telling me what I should be happy about or excited about, if anything I can’t wait until it’s over’

Elizabeth turned on her heel and made her way up the huge spiral stair case and entered her room.

Elizabeth walked over to her window and looked down to the front garden, a huge area covered in a green beautiful countryside, a fountain that sat in the middle as veins crept up the walls surrounding the home. She watched as she looked down to her mother and father greeted another member of the family who was staying over for a few days ready for the traditional family ball.

Her uncle and his wife who she never really got on with, he was the kind of person who looked down on you because he thought that having more money, more ambition that you were less than him, his wife was a sheep, she followed his every word and Goffered’s brother always gave him stick about how Elizabeth hadn’t found someone, that he wasn’t pushing her enough to find that man, that man to support her. But Ryan Heiring was a man that everyone liked, everyone but Elizabeth.

Elizabeth closed the curtains and sat at her desk, she looked to the mask with diamonds around the eyes, a white mask that covered half of the face but leaving the mouth and chin free. She thought about wearing the mask, staying hidden in the background so no one knew that she was there. She wanted to be alone and away from all of this, deep down she was depressed and felt she had no control over her life.

Elizabeth undressed and slipped into her white frock, she was tiered as she hadn’t had much sleep with her mind always thinking about her life, her freedom; she was tired of this whole situation and the people she was assisted with. It made her angry, made her moody not towards her mother and father but towards other people. She needed to lie down, and that was what she did, she slipped under the covers as the sun started to set, the dresser and the desk where her mask sat started to darken with the shadow from the sunset. She closed her eyes and tried to think about nothing but the good things in life, a bird tweeting and flying off, free and not a care in the world, a leaf falling off the most beautiful tree in the world as it sat all alone, free to grow on its own, to blossom when it wants, to live how it wants. Her eyes closed, her body relaxed, the wind blew her hair then stopped, she was fast asleep.

Black as night, dark as coal, the bodies of a women and man lay dead in the mud, stabbed in the back and neck, blood poured down their clothes as another women knelt down at the side of them crying. A crowd started to surround them, talking almost themselves, holding torches and looking sad and angry. They didn’t know how to react; they had never seen anything like this before. They had seen deaths but they had never seen a murder, someone said in the crowd “witch” another said. “it’s the little witch” the woman who was knelt down at the side of the bodies looked up as the rain started to fall on her face, down the scar on her cheek and on to her chin, eventually falling to the ground, you couldn’t tell if it was the rain or her tears dripping down her face, you could only tell by the look in her eyes that she was sad, her eyes told you that. She knew this couple and they were her friends, she looked up towards the moon as the dark clouds passed it by. The stars flickered then disappeared, the sound of the burning torches where crisp and angry in her ears, she looked down towards the crowd, and in the background stood an old looking woman with grey hair, the hooded black robe covering most of her body, the only parts where her witch like finger and haggard face that stood out in the yellow light from the torches. At the side of her, holding her hand was a little girl, her hair was long and black, wet from the rain, she looked on with no emotion, she looked up to the grey haired woman and then back to the bodies. They stood for a few seconds before turning and walking off, they didn’t look back, they just walked into the mist or what looked more like they floated into the mist, they looked as if they didn’t have feet, like they were floating on a bed of clouds that arose from the woods and surrounded the town, they vanished, as if they were ghosts. The woman who had a small scar on her cheek stood as everyone stood back. ‘We bury the bodies tomorrow night’ she said to the crowd.

‘And the girl’ a tall bearded man said grabbing her arm.

The woman met his gaze. ‘We shall sort it tonight’

‘What if you are wrong?’

She freed of his grip. ‘Then let’s pray that god is watching over us and will guide us on the right path’ she looked around at the crowd as their torches lit there worried faces. She walked off into the mist, everybody knowing that they had to prepare themselves for what is going to be done.

Late that night, the creepy house that sat next to a stone fountain that was covered in dark twisty vines and black ravens saw the torches from the angry mob descending upon it. The same people that where at the horrible scenes earlier made no attempt to hide their anguish, their pain of what had happened, it was as if they had had their hearts ripped out and where it was shown to them right in front of their eyes.

The old lady with her witch like fingers sat in front of the fire, her hooded robe covering the darkness of her face, her long grey hair reaching half way down her body, the fire was small as the wood wouldn’t last long with what was fuelling it. She looked up to a picture of the little girl that sat on her fire place andsmiled, her teeth where out of shape and where not in the best of health. She looked around to the room now facing her and she left her gaze on the little girl as she slept, she stood slowly as her back was slightly hunched; she walked over creepily and ran her pointy finger through the little girls hair. ‘My child’ she said softly, after a few seconds she closed the door and made her way back to the front room, the smell of burnt wood and the smell of anger filled the room, she stood still for a few seconds before she realised what was going to happen, she did not move, she stood looking at the door, the light from the closed curtains gave it away, she had visitors. Bang, bang, bang, the door shook, she could hear the mop outside, trying to get inside and take what was not theirs. The mop pounded on the door again before one last time, they barged through, two men where leading as they rushed in. One of them had a long beard and instantly felt the force of the old woman, she came from behind the door and hit him with a stick, his nose burst as blood splattered on the walls. The other man who had a bald head turned but was not quick enough to stop her ramming the end of the broom into his throat. The rest of the mop quickly ran in and grabbed hold of the old woman, they pinned her to the ground as she screamed. ‘You will not take my daughter, my child, you will all be cursed to hell, you will all burn for your sins…’ the woman with the scar on her face hit her with the back of her hand telling her to shut up.

‘Find the girl’ she said to the rest of the mob.

Everyone opened the doors to the rooms as some went upstairs. There was a scream from one of the rooms.

‘Got her, need some help in here’ one of the men shouted as she tried to struggle. More people ran in and tried to subdue her, they grabbed her legs and arms as she kicked and screamed, she was shouting. ‘Mother, mother don’t let them take me’

The old lady bit one of the men holding her as he screamed in pain, she hit the bald headed man who she hit before and hit him across the face, he fell to the ground as she rushed over trying to grab the little girl, but it was no use, the woman with the scar hit the old woman with her torch at the back of head and knocked her to the ground.

‘Get the girl out of here, we will decide what to do with her soon enough’

‘And her’ the bearded man said holding his bloody nose, a broken one at that.

‘Leave her here, leave her to rot’ the woman with the scar signalled for everyone to move out of the house as they walked off into the darkness with the little girl, the old lady was still conscious but dazed as she could hardly move, she could hear the screams from the little girl as they became fainter and fainter.

The screams stopped as the cold fog rose from the outside, slowly creeping inside the house and casting its dark eerie aura around her, she was alone again and no one to help her.

A little girl started to scream as Elizabeth slept, the scream was even louder the second time as Elizabeth opened her eyes; she rose up out of bed, panting as if she was out of breath. She looked around as the daylight shot through the window, she did not hear the scream again but she did hear the noise of a carriage pulling up, she heard the carriage stop and then voices. She got out of bed and moved the curtain to the side, some people she did not recognize stood out of the carriage and where greeted by Elizabeth’s parents, she wiped her eyes as she must have slept straight through the night. She looked down and knew that people where turning up for the ball later tonight. Somewhere long distant relatives and would come early as they would spend time walking around the country side and having tea in the gardens. But Elizabeth was not interested in getting to know any of these, they were not her friends and she did not know them, she wanted to spend time away from all of this and having more people here put a great amount of pressure on her, she would find it harder to explain that she was not interested in this arranged marriage that her parents wanted. She wanted to make her own choices but telling that to the likes of Lady Bernice and lord Wells would be an insult, they were people that had power, knew people that had power and impressing them was a big thing for her parents. They had the same thing for their daughter and had her marry a young, hansom architect, but that didn’t wash with Elizabeth, no, she knew what she wanted, she had an idea, but doing it and thinking it where two different things.

Elizabeth heard a knock at the door, she welcomed in the visitor, it was Alice as she popped her head around the door. ‘Excuse me my lady but your mother would like you to gather downstairs to talk about the ball tonight’

‘How many people have arrived Alice?’

Alice paused before for replying. ‘Including Lady Bernice and Lord Wells… around eight my lady’

Elizabeth was still looking out of the window, watching the carriage slowly venture down the stoned drive and through the huge black gates. ‘And are they all down stairs?’

‘No, some have gone into the country side; it is a beautiful day for it’

‘I can see that’ Elizabeth turned to Alice. ‘Very well, will you help me into my dress’ she said walking over to the light blue dress hung up over the mirror at the side of her dresser.

Alice began to fit Elizabeth into the corset as she tied the laces at the back. ‘May I ask you something my lady?’

‘Of course’ Elizabeth said as she showed some discomfort on her face, she hated having a corset being strapped on to her, but she always wanted to look good, and showing off her hour glass figure amongst the other women, it gave her a feel of achievement that she was the most beautiful girl at the ball.

‘It’s about Ryan’

‘If this is about my mothers and fathers decision to want me to wed…’

‘No, no… I never thought you would go for someone like him’

Elizabeth paused. ‘And you really believe that?’

‘Of course my lady, to be honest I think you must find it hard’

Elizabeth moved away from Alice as she was finished, she walked over to the wall and looked into the oval shaped mirror, her long brown beautiful locks resting over her pushed up breasts, her big brown eyes with a look of anger and despair behind them. Elizabeth felt she was being controlled and wanted to be out of this situation, she thought about running away and getting far away from here, she didn’t care where just as long as she could start a new life on her own and make her own decisions.

‘Is everything ok my lady’ Alice said rubbing her hands together nervously.

‘No, everything is not ok, I hate it here. My parents their friends this constant pressure to impress. I only care to be left alone, to make my own decisions’

‘You hate your parents?’

‘No… not hate, I love them but I can’t be around them anymore, they want me to be something that I am not. I think about the ball tonight and all of the people looking at me, all the girls who judge me because they know that Ryan wants my hand in marriage, I do not care for his hand, they shall have him if they please’

‘Then why don’t you start a new life’

Elizabeth looked at Alice, judging her by that comment but at the same time thinking that it was an option, maybe after the ball she could decide? But getting through tonight was going to be tough, especially the dance between her and Ryan, that feel of discomfit, her feeling out of place, it dawned on her that she must stay strong, not let any of this get to her.

Elizabeth thanked Alice and left as she made her way down stairs, she headed to the dining room and had something to eat, and it wasn’t much, just some cheese and biscuits with a cup of tea. After she headed to the back of the house where the hall was, it was a huge room with a tall ceiling, a big crystal chandelier hung from the roof as the cream architecture continued onto the walls, the floor all polished, the red thick curtains fell to the floor and the red table cloths that covered the tables made a real impact to the whole room. There were some people still decorating the room ready for the ball, Cecilia Mannford stood across the room giving orders to one of the decorators, she didn’t like the fact that a picture of her was not decorated enough. She glazed across the room and spotted Elizabeth.

‘Honey, there you are’ she said walking over with her arms open.

‘Hello mother’ Elizabeth said as they both hug.

Cecilia looked Elizabeth up and down. ‘I see we bothered to get out of bed then?’

‘You know me mother, I love my beauty sleep’ she gave off a fake smile.

‘Yes well we have a big day ahead of us. Your father has gone off somewhere, probably showing off his antique collection’

‘I see there are already people showing up?’

‘Well of course, they like to see the country side, I wish they would arrive later, I don’t want them seeing the ball room like this’

Elizabeth looked around. ‘I does not look that bad mother’

‘Oh if only things where done ever so proper, like decorating my picture like I’m some common woman’ she looked over with a sign of anger then looked back to Elizabeth smiling. ‘I need you to do something for me? I need you to call into London and let the Humleys know that it is the traditional family ball tonight and we would love them to attend, after the death of her sister Lily has not been the same, she distance’s herself from everyone’

‘But don’t you think she wants to be left alone? She has lost someone close to her’

‘Nonsense, she has plenty of time to get over her death, she can’t stay cooked up in that house all of her life. Plus while you’re there I would like you to visit the winery and give them this’ she handed her a note. ‘we would like to have the wine here by the time we start the party’

‘Yes mother’

Cecilia looked at Elizabeth and put her arms out resting them on her shoulders. ‘My daughter, your all grown up and soon will be wed, and there is no better man than Ryan, you will make a wonderful wife’

‘And what if I don’t want this?’

‘Now Elizabeth we have talked about this, me and your father have talked about how good this is that you marry the son of one of the most richest and most powerful people in the country, this is wonderful for the family Elizabeth’

‘What about what I want, about my feeling?’

Cecilia put her arms down. ‘It will take time, you’re feeling will change, he is a good man, charming, elegant. Why would you turn your back on any of that?’

‘Love, the fact that I’m not sure it’s what I want’ Elizabeth new it wasn’t what she wanted; she just couldn’t look her mother in the eyes and tell her that.

‘Now I don’t want to hear any more about this, this is a great opportunity for the family and I and your father are very proud. Now I want you to visit London and do what I ask of you young lady’ Cecilia was anger inside, but more with the fact that she had some kind of regret about her daughter not having a say in what she wanted to do, but she was stubborn and never looked at the big picture, the true feelings of Elizabeth.

‘Yes mother, looks like I don’t have a say in anything I do’ Elizabeth walked off in a mood, her mother watched as she left the room, knowing that her daughter was slipping away from her.

Elizabeth went to the front as a carriage awaited her. ‘Anders, can we leave immediately?’ Elizabeth demanded to the rider.

‘Of course my lady’ he said tilting his head as he opened the door for her.

Elizabeth was about to enter then she heard the voices of two girls, they called her name and approached her with fake smiles. ‘Elizabeth, Elizabeth’ they said. ‘You leaving already?’ they hugged her.

‘I was on my way to do some things for mother, I’m afraid I cannot talk right now’

‘You are going to be back for the ball aren’t you?’ one of the girls said. The girls were actually sisters, their father was another one of those high class pomp’s, he owned a train company and only drank the finest brandy and smoked only the finest cigars, their mother died while giving birth to them and Elizabeth thought she would be better off that way than spend the rest of her life listening to these two stuck up and spoilt girls, even though her herself was in no position to talk, but Elizabeth knew she was and has been spoilt but she actually thought about leaving, being more independent. But not the Theary sisters, they were never going to change and they never liked Elizabeth, it was only because she was going to marry Ryan and that made her more popular, and that was what they thrived on, having more popularity and power, that is what 99% of the people that where going to be here tonight wanted.

‘Yes I shall be back for the ball; I take it you are attending?’

‘Of course, well isn’t everyone here attending’ one of them said with a stupid grin on her face, they both looked alike, both with blonde hair that was bunched up at the back and wearing two stupid hats that made them look more ridiculous than they already where, they thought they were special, like they are better than other people but they weren’t, they were annoying and Elizabeth hated them, she couldn’t stand all of the people here, she had only one true friend and that was Alice. Even though she had never told her that she thought that keeping the distance between the people that worked here was better than to make friends with them, not for her sake but for her parent’s.

‘We just love how you and Ryan will be taking the main dance together’

‘Yes, you look so good and just think of what people will be saying, you are going to be married to one of the most wealthiest men in England, well his father is but still, it’s going to be great, you must be proud?’

Proud… Elizabeth was not proud she was embarrassed, embarrassed that she could not have found someone herself, but she was becoming anger inside and had to leave before she lashed out at someone.

‘Yes, I am, lucky me that I have the greatest parents in the world and the most trust worthy friends’ she placed her hands on the sisters shoulders and gave them the fakest smile if you ever seen one.

The two sisters smiled back, Elizabeth turned on her heel as she dropped her smile and entered the carriage, Anders closed the door as the sisters waved Elizabeth on. Elizabeth sat in the carriage in complete silence, well; there was no one to talk to be she was still, her face leaning against the glass window, looking out the country side, the lavish trees standing tall and healthy, bricked walls running along the side of the roads, she always imagined that every time she was riding in the carriage that she was leaving home, not knowing where she was going, she just listened to the sound of the horses as they trotted along.

They weren’t that far outside of London, they had passed a few small villages until she finally came into the busy and hectic life of London, carriages passed her by as most women held up their umbrellas over their shoulders, most wearing white dresses with white gloves and hats, linking arms with men that wore waist coats with a gold chain attached to a pocket watch, their moustaches where full as they walked with a sense of pride. The streets where filled with people going about their daily routines, they passed some shops that had a few carriages waiting outside and onto a bridge, the bridge then went on to a part of London that the rich where seen hanging about, the houses where well decorated and clean, across from the houses was a small park, benches and flower beds where accompanied by trees, a tall black metal fence surrounded the park, this was where the Humleys lived. She was one of her mother’s closest cousin’s but after the death of her sister she has not heard or spoke to her in some time, the carriage stopped outside her house as Anders pulled the carriage to a halt. He stepped down from the carriage and opened the door for Elizabeth, she looked up at the house and saw the curtains draw back, she knew that Lilly was up there, but she felt a bit uneasy coming here, she never thought Lilly was the most talkative person but she was down to earth, she wasn’t like one of the “in with the rich crowd” kind of people, she was always more private, kept to herself. Elizabeth looked at Anders.

‘You shall wait here, I shall not be long’

‘As you wish my lady’ he said bowing his head, standing next to the carriage like some English soldier.

Elizabeth made her way up the white steps and knocked on the door, she waited a few seconds before there was an answer, her butler stood tall and thin, black and white suit with white gloves. ‘Hello Miss Mannford’ he said in a deep voice.

‘Hello Arthur, is Lilly here?’

‘Of course, please do come in’ He said closing the door after him. The house was dark inside, the curtains where closed, and the only light was candles and some small lamps. The place seamed dusty, the floorboards creaked when you walked over them, and there was an eerie silence to the house.

‘I do apologise about the…’ he looked around and then back to Elizabeth. ‘Mess, Lilly will not have anyone clean or touch this place’

‘And why not? Surly she cannot live here like this?’

‘Her sister was the last person to stay here, she felt that her… presence is still here. I must warn you that Lilly is somewhat isolated herself, even her husband does not come back from drinking until the early hours, it is a same’

‘Has no one tried talking to her?’

Arthur gave a deep laugh. ‘My dear, you are welcome to go up to her room and try but don’t expect her to be fully co-operative, she just is not the same’

‘But this is absurd Arthur, if my mother was here she would turn this place upside down’

‘But she isn’t, most of the people that are or what once where close to her have given up’

‘That is not true, how dare you say such ridiculous things’

‘I always forget how naive you are sometimes Elizabeth, one day that will be your downfall, I shall escort you up stairs to her room and you can see for yourself, maybe then you will realise that behind all the money and popularity, humans are humans and in the end all the money cannot save you from a broken heart’

Elizabeth knew that, she knew that what he was saying was the truth but she had an image, it was an image that she hated, as if it was engraved into her. Most of the time she tried to be something she is not but had no choice in the matter, she didn’t have a normal life, but at times she wished she had, she wished she was not so highly strung and that she could be a normal girl.She wished that she could just let go of her duty to be something she is not, but she would continue with following orders and continue to be pushed around.

Arthur led Elizabeth up the creaky and tall stairs, at the top she looked at the pictures on the walls as Arthur led her down the hall. There was one big painting of Lilly with her sister, both of them young and looking happy, also elegant and promising. Elizabeth didn’t know how to approach Lilly, what could she say? “My mother wants you to get over the death of your sister and come to the family ball tonight” Why did she have to come here? It was all that was going through her head, Arthur waited at the side of the room holding his hand out for her to enter. Elizabeth hesitated and then opened the door slowly, she closed the door behind her and looked on to a half lit room, the bed had a stream of light that cut down the middle, there was a brandy bottle on the side that looked nearly empty. The glass at the side of the bottle had a small drop at the bottom, Elizabeth thought that she had been drinking to hide the pain, and by the looks of it, drinking herself to death. In the corner was a big chair, the back was high and Elizabeth could see Lilly’s hand resting on the side arm, in front was a picture of her sister, she was sat in a beautiful garden as a black dog sat at the side of her.

‘Lilly’ Elizabeth said. ‘It’s me’

She did not respond, Elizabeth didn’t know if she was dead or alive, or even passed out from the drink. She decided to walk over and knelt down at the side of the chair grabbing her hand softly. ‘Lilly?’ she was leaning her head against the back rest and staring endlessly at the picture of her sister, she was breathing because Elizabeth could hear her breathe, her hair was shaggy and her clothes where rough and slightly scruffy, she was wearing a nice dress but she had probably been sitting around in that dress for a few days, who knows?

‘You know my sister was the best of us’ Lilly said in her half assed tone, as if her voice was going.

‘Lilly, you cannot stay here like this; I will not allow it…’

‘She was a great sister; you know when we were kids she would always try and dress me like a doll, she loved dolls, had a whole wardrobe full of them, mother always tried to get her to throw some of the more tattered ones away but she thought that they were her friends. No, she wouldn’t let go of them, and you know… even though I was older than her I always looked up to her, she was the sensible one, always kept to herself’ Lilly smiled, probably the first time in a while Elizabeth thought. Elizabeth couldn’t relate to that, the sister relationship because she was the only child and part of her wished she had a sister or a brother, it would take all of the attention away from her.

‘So you were close as kids?’

Lilly moved her head to the side and looked at Elizabeth for the first time, Lilly smiled. ‘Oh yes, we have always been close, I just can’t let her go, my heart is not strong enough… but there is nothing I can do’ Lilly softly caressElizabeth’s cheek. ‘I forget just how beautiful you are, but you don’t look happy?’

A question that Elizabeth knew all about, she knew she wasn’t and telling her this would not make Lilly’s day any better. Elizabeth grabbed Lilly’s hand and was going to speak but Lilly spoke first.

‘I can see that something is bothering you?’

‘Tell me what I should do?’

‘Why what is the matter love’ Lilly rose up and leaned over to her.

‘I’m not in a place a wish to be, I feel like I’m losing my self-respect, my freedom to decide what I want from life’

‘I take it your talking about this marriage, this pressure from not only your family but the people around you?’

‘I don’t want it, I don’t want to be married to him, they can’t see it but they will not listen to me’ Elizabeth was like a child now, Lilly felt like she needed to be like a mother figure, she could see that Elizabeth was upset and scared, she felt angry herself at what they had done. She wasn’t like the others and thought that Elizabeth didn’t stand a chance around them, putting pressure on her to do something she didn’t want was wrong and Lilly knew that.

‘It is appalling that they think they can make you marry him, I should have known that this would happen, but you need to stay strong dear’

‘What is it I should do? I want to run away, escape from here and never return’

‘And you think this will be the wisest thing to do, where would you go?

‘I do not care, I just want to be left alone, to have a normal life’ she was upset, a tear slowly fell from her eye and onto her cheek.

‘My darling, I’m afraid they is nothing I can for you, I dare not get involved in their plans, but if I can give you any advice, it would be to find what you want to do and do it, don’t let anyone stand in your way and do not let people push you around. My sister was like that’ Lilly looked back up to the picture. ‘She never bowed down to anyone and she loved her life’ Lilly looked back to April. ‘I shall not be attending the ball tonight, I just cannot be around everyone, I’m in not state but I want you to take something’ Lilly stood slowly and made her way over to a small jewellery box.

She lifted out a necklace, a silver necklace with an oval shaped amber centre. ‘This belonged to my sister, she always wore it, she always said that it made her feel safe and that she felt she was stronger around other people’ Lilly laughed. ‘She really was a crazy woman at times, but she was my sister and I loved her as much as she loved this’ she put the necklace in Elizabeth’s hand.

‘I cannot accept this, this belongs to you, she was your sister…’

‘This is yours now, I want you to wear it, it would bring me great comfort that it is being worn by you and not stuck in some box’

Elizabeth opened her hand and put the necklace around her neck. Lilly smiled. ‘You wear that with pride, I hope it gives you the protection my sister always thought it brought her’ Lilly walked back to her chair and sat down. Elizabeth held the necklace in her hands and rubbed it with her thumb, she looked back up to Lilly. ‘What shall you do now?’

‘I… I think that I shall stay here, I’m not ready to leave, I would only be in the way, I’m not going to be any fun to be around, tell your mother that I said I’m sorry for not attending. I’m sure she will understand… and Elizabeth? I hope you make the right decision, you don’t want to regret what you have done later on in your life’

Elizabeth thought about what she should do, even more about what she wanted, she did not want to get to a stage where she hated what she did in her youth, she wanted to look back and realise that she made the right decision. She saw Lilly sat in that chair and did not want to be like that over her life choices, even though Lilly had made the right ones she could see how she would end up if she went through with the marriage. After Elizabeth left Lilly’s house she visited the Winery in silence, she handed the man a note that her mother gave her and said nothing, she got back into her carriage and watched the world go by as she held the necklace, she was thinking more about her plan, and the more she thought about it the more she wanted to do it, she would go to the ball and hope to get through the night and try to keep everyone happy and then it wouldn’t matter after that, she would be far away from there, hopefully starting a new life somewhere.

When Elizabeth returned home she could see that more people had arrived, somewhere stood at the front talking as somewhere just walking around the house, she pulled up and thought about going straight up stairs to her room but she wanted to go and speak with her mother about Lilly, she exited the carriage and as she predicted she was greeted by everyone that saw her, she put on her fake smile and greeted everyone with bows and nodding of the head. After she got inside she saw her mother talking to some people, her mother excused them and made her way over to Elizabeth.