The Apothecary's Daughter

Chapter 1

(Pictured above: Emmeline, Gideon and the town of Abbotshire)            

June 1807

Emmeline Somers woke with the dawn and quickly put on a simple calico dress and apron. She plaited her long walnut colored locks in a neat braid before pinning it into a bun. She glanced at herself in the mirror. "Good enough" she said to herself before smoothing her skirt and leaving her room.  Emmeline wasn't an ugly girl by any means. She was a petite girl with womanly curves and a healthy weight. Not that it mattered much, working in her father's apothecary shop didn't exactly attract many suitors. She went into the kitchen and prepared the poultice for her father's leg.

Gideon was a good man, raised his daughter singularly after Emmeline's mother died. It was only in the past few months that he began to show his age. A small cut had turned rather bothersome after he left it untreated. Now he rarely made it down to run the shop.

"Good morning Papa, how are you faring today?" Emmeline asked as she enter his chamber.

"As good as one can at this age, and how are you my dear?"

"I am doing quite well. Nathaniel is to arrive soon with new herbs from the West Indies. "

"How exciting and now am I to presume you will soon be teaching me new recipes once I am good and healed?"

"Maybe Papa, but no one could be as good as an instructor as you. Now let's get your leg set up. I am to make a house call at the Wilbourn home around luncheon and there are things I must take care of downstairs."

"Oh alright, just don't wrap the bandage too tight." Emmeline quickly tended to the wound before going downstairs to tend to the shop.

She swept the entryway and prepared a few mixes that people tended to ask for throughout the day.  It was a quiet life she led but she reveled in it. After the death of her mother it was the only way she could connect to her father. A good man, Gideon married Eleanor for love. After several miscarriages she gave birth to Emmeline. The three of them were thick as thieves. Gideon and Eleanor raised Emmeline with love. Both of them the most caring souls in the entire country, they treated everyone that walked into their shop as kin. Even when Eleanor got sick, she still made it out to house calls. It was this caring spirit that eventually killed her. This was why Emmeline wouldn't allow her father to leave his bed. She couldn't risk losing another guardian.

Emmeline prepared a quick luncheon for her father before leaving for the Wilbourns. She packed a bit of ginger tea and turmeric oil. Lady Wilbourn had recently begun to feel the aches of age upon her and typically requested a visit by Emmeline or her father every week. Recently, with her father's weakness keeping him from doing regular business, she has been called to assist Lady Margaret more frequently. Not that Emmeline minded, the Wilbourn family had become like kin. Sir Patrick wasn't a pleasant fellow at all and was known for his disdain for his wife and love of loose women. His daughter Lydia was quite pleasant and the two girls had formed a friendship over the years of care.

~

  "Good afternoon Megan." Emmeline said cheerfully to the maid as she took her cloak. "Lady Wilbourn is in her chamber I presume."

"Yes Miss."

  "I shall go right up then. Oh, here is her dosage for the week. Please make sure she drinks a cup before she goes to sleep every night. If she refuses add a little honey or brandy to it to lessen the taste." Emmeline adds, removing a small satchel of tea from her bag.

"Yes Miss, I shall have Fiona bring up some tea in a few minutes."

"Thank you Megan." Emmeline ascended the staircase to Lady Margaret's chamber. She knocked quietly before taking the liberty to enter the dark room. Lady Margaret sat up in bed upon hearing the young apothecary's voice.