Chapter One

Necessary Choices

An unusually cold, portentous breeze blew through Lizzy’s hair as she made her way toward town. She walked briskly, putting a comfortable distance between Harkin Manor and her fast retreating form. Her destination was less than two miles across the meadow, along a well-worn path, where wildflowers bloomed in great abundance on this late spring morning. Normally on such a day she would find relief from her myriad of duties in the Harkin household and enjoy the fresh air, the sunshine and the verdant green of the surrounding countryside. But not today. While attempting to set her mind at ease and enjoy the walk, Lizzy couldn’t help but worry over another confrontation with Mr. McGreevy, the shopkeeper she would be visiting on behalf of Mrs. Harkin. With her anxiety mounting she clutched her sweater a little tighter to her chest and proceeded head bowed against the increasing wind, methodically putting one foot in front of the other until she reached the shopkeeper’s door.

The bell rang when she moved inside the bustling establishment. Determined not to be daunted by her task, she took a deep cleansing breath, greeting Mr. McGreevy with a smile, while at the same time being thankful for the half dozen customers browsing through his wares. Perhaps today wouldn’t be like the last time.

“Ah, Lizzy!” the man’s eyebrows raised with interest as he spoke, his eyes reflecting back a light that was both devious and cruel, although not at all unexpected. He immediately excused himself from Mrs. Bridges and moved her way.

“This note from Mrs. Harkin,” Lizzy said, handing him the envelope. This was the only purpose for her visit, and she would have been happy to leave straightaway, since she didn’t need a reply for her mistress. She bowed politely, smiling, “I really need to be off.”

“Oh, no, you must stay,” his comment dripped with subtleties, although the meaning was obvious to Lizzy. “I have a new shipment of materials that I’m sure Mrs. Harkin would be interested in seeing. If you’ll follow me into the back I’ll cut some samples.”

Lizzy gulped, trying desperately not to look as uncomfortable as she felt inside.

“I-I…” she started to protest, and yet the man’s request was so innocent that she could find no explanation to excuse herself.

“Come right this way. Jenny—” he called to his young assistant, “please take over for a few minutes.”

The girl nodded, then returned to Elliot Mason who was choosing tobacco from Mr. McGreevy’s ample stores.

With his attention now solely focused on Lizzy Barton, Mr. McGreevy moved directly to the back of the shop, leering over his shoulder to insure that the girl followed closely at his heels—which she did. Lizzy’s entire body shuddered so deeply that she was afraid the other customers might notice. As it happened, they’d paid scant attention to the exchange between the Harkin’s maidservant and the shop’s proprietor and had gone back to their shopping, seeing nothing untoward about the man and the much younger woman going alone into the bowels of the store.

The pair thread their way through the storeroom where bolts of new material stood upright against one wall, and a jumble of packing crates were placed in such disarray that Mr. McGreevy needed to shove them left and right in order for them to pass. They were not stopping to look through the new yard goods, however. Once negotiating the maze, Mr. McGreevy parted a curtain, made a quick right turn and led Lizzy down a flight of stairs to the cellar. With every step on their downward path, the air grew cooler and more humid, and Lizzy more scared. She could feel the moisture on her cheek, and needed to wipe her palms on her grey dress to keep them dry.

“Mr. McGreevy, you certainly don’t store your new yard goods in this damp cellar,” Lizzy declared once her foot hit the d