Chapter 1
The day was a good day for Ankh-Morpork, probably not for everyone in it but it was still good, in terms of nothing life threatening was happening to the city. (Which everyone thought was a good day for Ankh-Morpork) It was in the afternoon when a small brown carriage was moving towards the city with a horse drawn cart, filled with some trunks and furniture trailing behind it.
As I said before, Today was a good day for Ankh-Morpork.. ..probably not for the everyone in it and everyone in it understood why.
Trembling hands clasped harder in her lap as the young woman sat alone in the small carriage. Her nerves were starting to fray but her determination was keeping them stitched into place. She watched out the window as the carriage she rode in went through the Hubwards gate. Age 20, the young woman was of a good height(she thought so herself), her hair deep dark red with heavy waves but now wound together in a low neat bun at the base of her neck. Her face was fair, her lips full, chin small and her eyes as grey as the ash in a dying fire(or the end of a lit cigarette).
Her slender nose twitched as the smell of the city wafted into the carriage. She was told that she'll 'get used to the smell' and she didn't know if she'd get used to it or just forget it was even there. She chuckled at the thought.
Inside the city now, it was bursting with life. It wasn't all happy life but but that's how this city worked. Laughter here and there, yelling men, women giggling, dwarf's bickering, trolls lumbering by, someone yelling 'Now that's Cutt'n Me Own Throat! that is, don't think ther'd be a better deal out there!', also animals and then horse drawn carts coming both up and down the streets that the carriage passed by or was on.
A New Life, she thought smiling, a new home. Moving her hands apart and smoothing down her dress. It was one of the nicer looking dresses she had made for herself, dark Blue full length dress with black lace trim around the bottom. The bodice was plain that covered her smallish curves and chest, she had short puffed sleeves with black lacing under it .
She was proud of herself for what she had accomplished in sewing and was glade she had decided to bring her business with her. She had clients here already and knew she would get more.
The carriage turned a corner and a few more times until it stopped.
"Right Miss, we're here." a gruff voice said, out side the carriage. It wobbled as someone jumped off the front and moved towards the side and opened the right door to be faced with a short scruffy weathered face. Sighing with relief and grabbing the small suitcase and bag she stepped out the onto the cobblestones. Turning back towards the carriage and looking at the small square around her. she could see that some people and a troll had stopped a moment to watch her step out of the carriage and then moved on.
"Miss Clare?" asked a deep voice behind her. Turning around, all she could see was a large orange moulded chest. She blinked and looked up into the face of a Golem.
"Awh-I'm sorry?" looking at him/her confused and curious.
"You are Miss Louise Clare, yes?" asked the Golem again, looking down past her to his/her hand holding a thin slate of wood with paper attached to it.
"It's said here 'A Miss Louise Clare will be arriving by carriage with a cart behind it with her furniture to be moved inside the newly acquired home slash shop full stop'." looking back to the young woman's face, waiting for a response.
"oh-yes, that is me, sorry. I've spent too long in that thing."point her thumb at the carriage behind her, smiling. "It's a pleasure to meet you.. ah?" Miss Clare asked the Golem.
"Melog, Miss Clare, my name is Melog" inclining his/her head. "Mr Matchead was not able to be here today to show you your new home, so he had me take care of it instead." turning away from the Woman to unlock the door for her.
"Now, Melog is that Mister or Miss?" she asked stepping to the left to see how he was opening the Door. Melog stopped a moment looking her way "I think I prefer Mister, Miss Clare"
"ok then, Mr Melog" Miss Clare said happily. Looking over her newly paid for home and business with determination in her eyes.
In front of her was a large boarded up window and to her right Mr Melog had opened the front door, moving aside to let her walk in first. Taking a breath, she stepped inside.
On the right already set up, all along the wall was the tall curtain covered mirror she had delivered a month earlier with her other possessions that would be up stairs. To her left was a large darkened space that would become her clients console and fitting area, once the wooden boards outside on the window were off, there would be more light into the room. On the wall across from her were two doorways. Halfway on the left, that doorway entered in the kitchen/ now sewing room and the other straight ahead was the staircase that lead to the second floor.
Stepping more inside the shop she could hear outside heavy objects being moved off the cart. Miss Clare glanced in the kitchen area then walked upstairs to look into the the three rooms. The nearest room had her already set up bed and mattress, also a table with a couple of personal locked trunks. Looking at the other rooms she found her trunks of fabric and sewing equipment in one and the other had three more tables and chairs. Going back into her own room she opened her trunks to make sure nothing was damaged.
Satisfied with everything up stairs Miss Clare went back down to see what was happening. To her surprise most of everything she had brought with her was already inside. She walked over into the kitchen, a nice stove sat in the far left corner, next to it on the far wall was a small window and a long bench underneath it. On the right wall under the stairs was a door that lead to the toilet.
Miss Clare was happy with what she had paid for, now only a couple more adjustments to this place and it would be up and running.
Walking back into the main room, Mr Melog was standing there waiting for her presences.
"Everything has been loaded off the cart, Miss Clare" Said Mr Melog, taking a step closer to her with his hand open for her to take the set of keys.
"Thank you, Mr Melog, for all your help." Miss Clare said taking the keys, sitting down on one of the trunks and letting her legs dangle.
"It is quite alright, Miss Clare. It is my job" said Mr Melog "If there is anything else I can do for you, I would be glade to help"
She started to notice her stomach was aching with hunger. "Actually... I would like to know if you can guide me to somewhere I can have an early dinner?" she asked with a smile.
"I believe I know a place, Miss Clare"
...
Finishing the something of type of beef stew in front of her, she dabbed her lips with her handkerchief. She cleared her throat "Thank you, Mr Melog for showing me this... homely! place." saying to the Golem sitting next to her.
"It is a pleasure, Miss Clare. Mr Matchead comes here some nights before going to his home" replied the Golem "he says the meals here remind him of home"
I can imagine! She thought chuckling to herself.
Having another thought Miss Clare pulled out a piece of paper from a hidden pocket in her skirt.
"Mr Melog, would you happen know where this place is in Ankh-Morpork?" she said, opening the piece of paper and putting it on the table in front of the Golem to read.
Mr Melog leaned forward reading the paper then looked over at Miss Clare. "Yes I do."
"Are we able to stop by there before it gets Dark and I go home?" Asked Miss Clare, taking a sip of her raspberry twisely drink and feeling her heart beat faster.
"It is some distance across the river but we should be able to go see it now, if you would like?" said Mr Melog.
"I would be very grateful" she said smiling at him.
...
Stepping off the road on to the stone steps in front of an old wooden door, she felt like her heart was in her throat beating hard. As she knocked on the door, she put a small polite smile on her face and waited for someone to answer. In front of her was a large house, mansion was a better word for the large house but she just kept on staring at the wooden door until it opened by a man in a suit, looking down his nose at her.
"yes? Are you here to see His Grace or Her Grace this evening?" asked the butler to Miss Clare. But she wasn't looking at him, she was looking into the (now she new was a mansion) Mansion where there was old but fancy furniture, rugs, carpet going up the stairs, that could fit four people across in dark green and light green leaf swirls.
Her heart fell, the smile disappeared and her shoulders drooped a little.
Looking at the man now in front of her, the man was slowly raising one of his eyebrows.
"I.. I-I'm Sorry.. I must of gotten the wrong address," she stepped back down the steps onto the road "I'm so sorry" turning she ran down the street.
"Who was that Wilkins?" called out Sam Vimes, as he walked out the parlour to Wilkins left with a slight frown on his face, hearing that someone was at the door.
"A woman, sir. She had the wrong address, Sir" closing the door to the darkening night and the Golem walking down the street in the same direction as the woman.
...-***1***-...
Thank you for reading..
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