Monday seemed to come as slow as a tortoise, because Saturday night and Sunday Lizzy spent twiddling away in her room. She refused to speak a word to her father and ordered all of her meals brought to her room. Just like Mrs. Shufflefield had said, she was very grateful when Monday arrived.
The whole morning was full of loud thumps and bangs of luggage that came from the lobby of the building. Elizabeth sat thoughtfully against the door of her room, listening to the voices of chattering girls, her age, throughout the hall. There were whispers of excitement and enthusiasm.
At half past noon Mrs. Shufflefield did her usual rounds, leaving Elizabeth's food plate on the rug outside of her door. Overjoyed at having something to do besides sit, Lizzy opened the door enthusiastically to see three girls standing over the tray, peaking through the door's brass keyhole.
They all squealed with freight, causing Lizzy to break into laughs. The other girls stood staring at her wide eyed as if she was ghost.
"Hello, my name is Elizabeth Shaft," Lizzy smiled, extending a graceful hand to shake. She frowned as no exchange was made and the girls turned and left her doorway. "I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?"
No answer came so she returned back to her torturous room in despair.
That afternoon the first lesson was held. Everyone reported to Mr. Pierre Jobet's French classroom and introductions were maid. Elizabeth recognized the three girls that she had met earlier sitting across the room from her. At her first attempt to talk to them they all made sure to turn their heads in the other direction as if she was not even there.
As soon as the lesson was over all of the girls returned to their bedchambers for the evening. Elizabeth hung her head sadly at the thoughts of her utter failure to make friends. "What did I do wrong?" she asked herself sadly as she pulled the door to her room.
Just before she was to shut the door a body flew through it. "Miss. Elizabeth.... I've been running after you all the way here. Your father wanted you to know that he is going to be leaving tomorrow morning, to go back to England."
That startled her. Deep inside she wanted to go back to London, but surely not with him, "He's coming back isn't he?"
"Of course Miss. He's just going on a little trip to retrieve some things, you know," Mrs. Shufflefield continued through panted breathes.
"That's nice. Tell him that I wish him a bon voyage," Lizzy smiled sarcastically. She really wasn't in the best mood at the time and wanted to be alone, but her heart was aching to have a friend. She didn't understand why the other girls paid her no mind. They saw her, but made sure to avoid her. More than anything, she needed a friend.
