With everyone’s blessing, I proceeded to find a cushy spot of unlaundered military uniforms that was near the main doorway. It was close enough that I could hear the door from the entry space open and close whenever clients came by, but also far enough away from the other girls work that I could doze between passing off orders. After a few hours of dozing I was beginning to feel much more like myself again. There had only been three pick-ups so far— two were done by housekeepers of distant estates and one was a small load for the local banker. I had just begun to consider making myself useful again when I heard the bell chime through the wall. I stood from my seat and did my best to straighten the wrinkles in my dress before waltzing through the door to greet the next client.
When I opened the door, I was surprised to see an exquisitely dressed young girl. She was petite, maybe fifteen years old. Her vivid blue dress was crafted out of some of the finest satin in the kingdom— and was fine enough that even I would have been pleased to wear it a week ago. I looked up at the girl’s face and was greeted with a pair of bright blue eyes, a dash of freckles, and shiny gold curls that would have shamed even my mother’s blonde strands. After giving the girl a thorough inspection, I quickly slid behind the counter to remind myself that I was here to do a job, not gawk at a young girl’s outfit.
“Good morning miss. Do you have a pick-up for today?” I flashed a friendly smile like I had seen Mr. Dwarfer do the day he met me.
“Yes, thank you.” She smiled sweetly. “It should be under the name Aurelia Lockly.” Her diction was clear and perfect—an obvious indication she was a well-bred young lady.
“Thank you Miss, Lockly. That will be just a momen— Hold on a second.” I stopped myself and looked the girl up and down again. “So, you’re Aurelia! Oh it is such a pleasure to meet you. The other ladies speak of you often, and I have desperately wanted to pair the name with a face.” I placed my hand to my lips for moment, realizing I may have outspoken. “Please forgive my bluntness, I am simply pleased to meet you.” I offered a dainty curtsy to display respect.Annie shouldn’t be so informal with a respectable lady.
“Well, I must say I am honored to hear that they speak so highly of me.” Aurelia laughed sweetly and offered me a return curtsy. “It is an honor to meet you as well, miss…?” She paused playfully, allowing me to fill in the blank.
“Annie. I’m new to the mill.” I made careful effort not to include my unfortunate choice of last name. “I apologize for taking up your time. Please allow me to fetch your belongings.” I began to make my way out from around the counter but her welcoming laughter halted me.
“Oh no need to rush, Annie dear.” Her laughter died as she gestured for me to remain in my spot. “I am sure the other girls have told you by now that I visit here to get away. Where would the fun be if I simply took my washing and left?” She grabbed one of the waiting room chairs and slid it up to the desk, seating herself comfortably. “So, tell me, Annie, how does a pretty young woman like yourself end up working in a laundry mill?” She leaned back in her chair, relaxing as much as one could in a wooden seat.
“Well…” I paused, but then realized she was only making brief conversation and probably wouldn’t pry too severely if I told her my story. “I left home… a bit of a family drama situation. I came here looking to hide out for a bit and was lucky enough to find a job.” I shrugged as if the explanation was truly that simple, and she nodded in commiseration.
“I completely understand family drama.” She rolled her eyes in a very obscene manner for a lady, but I simply giggled at her relaxed demeanor. She was very easy to talk to for someone I had just met. “If I wasn’t so trapped out here, I would have left my family long before now. All they ever care about is getting in with the court and sucking up to the royals. They are so desperate for their attention that they never even spend time with their own daughter.” She huffed into her seat, blowing a loose golden curl away from her eyes.
“I understand that,” I sympathized, imagining my mother. “My mother never made time for me, either. She might as well be a stranger at this point, but her even after all of that, I still aim to please.” I was surprised by the amount of honesty in my statement. It was something I hadn’t truly admitted to myself, but it rang true in my heart.
“Exactly!” Aurelia exclaimed, bolting upright in her chair. “Why must we care so much about what our parents think when they don’t give a blooming thought about us!” She smacked her fist on the table, clearly fired up, yet her tone still expressed a light heartedness toward her frustration.
“Parents can be so ridiculous.” She sank back into her chair with a sigh and crossed her arms, trying to look serious, but she only managed to burst out into a giggle. “I fear we have too much in common, Annie. I shall have to keep talking to you since you have failed to bore me.”
I laughed at her chide. “My apologies Lady Lockly.” I offered a dramatic bow. “Please allow me to entertain you with gossip about the latest politics within the royal court instead.”
“Oh, please, any torture, but that!” She cried dramatically as she raised her arms in defense. “Also, Lady Lockly is my mother, I would rather become a scullery maid than be compared to her. Call me Aurelia, and I hope you don’t mind that I have been calling you Annie.”
I crossed my arms and placed a hand on my chin in consideration. “Hmm, I don’t believe I am offended enough to snub you until the end of winter.” She gawked amusedly as I continued, “so, I suppose I shall permit it.” We laughed as if we had been friends for years. She was far younger than me, but her sense of humor was directly on par with mine. We laughed over rules and puffed-up parents, and had a genuinely enjoyable time. After a while, she finally concluded that she had to be on her way, and I was sad to see her go. It was nice being able to chat with someone who had so much in common with me. She collected her laundry and bid me a friendly farewell. As I watched her leave, I noticed a separate figure pass her and make their way to the door. No sooner than the door had shut, it swung open again and in waltzed Mr. Dwarfer.
“Good morning, Annie, it’s good to see looking so well-adjusted.” He gave me a brief smile then continued, “I am glad you are here, actually. We just got a new shipment of laundry soap in today, and I will need you and the others to unload it. You can just throw out the old stuff, this one is said to be better quality.” He waved at me to follow as he started toward the side door that led to the workshop.
“Girls! I need you to— My heavens!” His jaw dropped as he finally noticed the condition of the room. The girls paused their work, flocking around to where we stood, beaming proudly at his expression. “It’s about time you girls cleaned this place up. It looks remarkable! I must say, I am impressed you have all really outdone yourselves!” He gave a pleased grin as Hazel stepped forward.
“Actually Mr. Dwarfer it was—”
“A lot of work, but worth every bit of it!” I cut Hazel off before she could give me the credit. I had done this for them, not for myself. “We are just pleased that you are happy with the work.” I smiled brightly, ignoring the other girls’ puzzled looks.
“Well, that I am. Well done, ladies.” He gave another approving smile. “I think you have all earned yourselves a small bonus this week. Now, why don’t you all help me unload this new soap so you can prove to me that you deserve it?” He chuckled and the other girls rushed into action. As they passed me, they each gave me a silent look of appreciation, and even Glenda gave me a friendly pat on the back as we walked toward the truck. My heart beamed with satisfaction. It was the most incredible feeling, one I wanted to continue for as long as possible.
It didn’t take long to unload all the soap with everyone’s help. The jugs of solution were heavy, but soon enough the shelves were stocked, and all the old soaps had been tossed. I met up with Sylvia to help her dump out the wash basins and fill them with the new cleaner, and we were very pleased with the freshly cleaned drain. The water flowed perfectly and didn’t leave a single unwanted puddle on the floor. We started popping the cork tops off the new soap jugs and the building instantly filled with the scent of crisp apples.
“Do you smell apples?” I asked Sylvia as we measured cups of the compound into the basins.
She leaned her nose towards the cup and gave a light sniff. “It’s this new soap,” she concluded, pouring the liquid into the hot water. “A lot of cleaners we use have been scented by fruit or flower extracts to cover any lingering scents on old laundry. I quite like the smell of this one actually.” She spoke cheerfully as she finished her task and popped the cork back onto the jug.
The scent was refreshing, but also a bit overpowering with all the jugs being opened at once. I excused myself to get some fresh air and stepped outside through the side exit. Once outside, I took a deep breath to clear my head. The winter air was still cold, but much more bearable than it had been the night I ran through the woods. I decided to take a little walk, following the slender creek toward the woods. The girls had already essentially given me the day off, so I didn’t think they would mind if I spent a little time on my own. As I walked, my boots crunched over the scattered twigs that littered the ground. I move carefully, watching my step so I wouldn’t slip on any wet spots from melting snow. The mill was just barely out of my view when I felt my body grow cold from exposure. Having decided it was about time I headed back, I turned to follow the creek, but froze at the sound of a distant stick snapping.
No… It couldn’t be. I held every muscle, not willing to risk so much as a breath. What was I thinking coming all the way out here without telling anyone? I slowly began to hunch down toward the ground, trying to make myself as small as possible. I reached toward the whistle and gripped it firmly, preparing to use it if needed. For a moment, everything was silent. I let out my held breath, feeling safe enough to rise from the ground. The tension in my muscles began to lessen as I stood to my feet. Maybe it was just a squirrel? I took a deep breath in the attempt to calm my nerves. I looked around the path for any signs of disturbance other than my own before feeling safe enough to proceed back the way I came. Gathering my courage I took the first step toward home.
Then the hand clasped around my mouth.
chapter nine
I screamed as loud as I could into the hand that held my mouth. An arm clamped around my waist and pulled me back into the brush as I desperately clawed at their hand, but my attacker didn’t even budge at my flails. Panic seared through me as my memory flashed back to the dagger glinting in the moonlight. My thrashes gained more force from the terror, but their grip held firm. The assailant spoke quietly, stunning my movement.
“Arabella, please… It’s Peter,” he whispered urgently into my ear.