The End of Wythwood Boulevard

Part XIX - The Return To St. Ives

5th June, 1830.

Elsie had done it, truly this time. She'd left home, against her mother's orders after impulsively deciding that she absolutely had to go and see Lenore for the first time in several weeks. And, in Elsie's opinion, those several weeks had been the worst of her life.

But that didn't really matter now. She'd escaped from her mothers insanity, and now she was free to go wherever she liked. At least for the time being, she thought, she wouldn't have to worry about her.

And who knows, perhaps Carolyn really would decide to give up on Elsie and just let her go.

After all, that would be in her best interest.

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Elsie made her way to St Ives' Street, and, doing her absolute best, ignored the awkward glances and fearful stares from most, if not all of the people she passed.

It was a lovely day for a walk, really, though it would've been much nicer if she wasn't worrying so much about what would happen to her. Her mother surely wouldn't be able to do anything too harmful, or at least that's what Elsie hoped.. but these strangers on the streets were a whole different story. They could do anything, at any moment, on any day.. and she wouldn't have a clue until it was happening.

What was all of this sudden fear she was experiencing?

Did Lenore always feel like this, too?

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"Five dollars, she's not going to show up." Simon laughed. Lenore had been sitting in the front window of the shop all morning again, watching and hoping that her Elsie might finally make her daring escape. "Oh, come on now. You said that yesterday." Lenore turned to look at him, a bit fondly irritated with his antics.

"And I'll say it again today," Simon was rolling himself back and forth across shelves on his favorite ladders again, replacing and straightening everything that seemed askew, "I might even offer up ten dollars." Lenore could tell that he was absolutely not kidding, which increased her hopes of Elsie showing up even more. She could use the money for new art supplies.. paints, brushes, canvases. Maybe, even a few chisels for her sculptures if she was lucky enough to have some money left over.

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Elsie had been walking for about ten minutes now, which, as she'd timed the walk, meant that she was approximately thirty seven seconds away from the St Ives' bookstore, which was, in her humble opinion, the greatest place in the world. Picking up her pace and throwing that thirty seven seconds out the window, Elsie ran the rest of the way down the street, only stopping to practically throw herself into the door of the bookstore.

Before she even got the chance to look around, she felt herself being practically tackled by the great Lenore Whittock, who was yelling something about Simon now owing her quite a bit of money.

"My goodness," Elsie said, trying to catch her breath, "You'd think it had been a year." She laughed as she straightened up again, leaning over slightly to peer at Simon through the rows of shelves. "Back on the ladders, I see?"

"And a good morning to you as well, Clarke," Simon chuckled as he returned to the floor, disappearing behind the shelving for a few moments before he promptly resurfaced to return to his place behind the front desk, "Have an interesting walk?"

Clearly, Simon had known how everyone would be treating Elsie now. And though she most certainly wished none of this would be happening, it was nice to have people around her that would be able to understand what she was facing. It was reassuring to know that she wasn't facing it alone.

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Elsie had made her way upstairs now, trailed by an uncharacteristically ecstatic Lenore, eager to show off all of the art she had created while Elsie had been away.

Instead, upon reaching the top of the staircase, Elsie was immediately distracted by the small white cat that began to weave between Elsie's legs, just as usual. Elsie laughed, moving out of Lenore's way before promptly lowering herself to the ground, the best she could in her dress, of course, completely ready to be smothered by the notorious Lady Whittock.

Lenore made her way into the kitchen, putting the tea kettle on before she made her way back out to the living area, where Elsie was still sitting on the floor. "You know, if you sit there long enough she'll never let you leave. You'll become part of her domain." Lenore stated, seeming completely serious about the matter.

"I am completely prepared for that to happen," Elsie quickly replied, "If, and when it does." She was lying on her stomach now, looking up at Lenore as Lady claimed her rightful place, sitting on the center most part of Elsie's back, preventing her from moving even an inch.

And, quite frankly, Elsie Clarke was completely alright with that.

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Lenore had gotten up some minutes ago to go fetch the tea, leaving Lady and Elsie to their shenanigans.

Now, they involved Elsie creating a small hat for Lady, which she had begun to fashion out of a small scrap of fabric she'd found on the living room table. It was quite decent for such a small thing, actually, and seemed to fit the cat quite well.

Returning with the tea - which, minutes later, Lady would decide that she would like to taste, Lenore returned to her reserved spot on the sofa, raising an eyebrow at Elsie's new project.

"I don't think she's going to let you put that on her," Lenore said, very skeptically in fact, "I think she'd much rather bat it around then have it atop her head."

"Well then," Elsie replied, smiling at Lenore, "she shall have a new toy. A very durable one, I might add. I had quite a bit of trouble putting this together, so I do hope it's worth the pain."

And so it was settled, then.

Lady Whittock would be receiving a new toy.