Catherine hummed as she swept the hearth. Today Constable Crane was coming over for tea. The children were off at a friend's house. She jumped a little when the knock came and set the broom aside. She opened the door with a smile.
"Bonjour!" she said without looking at who ever was there. She glanced at her visitors. Her smile faded quicker than quick sand. "What is wrong, constables?"
"Hello, Ms. Blanc, I am Steven Smith. We are here to talk about your financial issues," a proper man said. Catherine nodded and stepped aside, letting the constables and other authorities. She sighed closing the door and leading the men to the table.
"Please sit," she said, her supposedly good day ruined. The men sat with her.
"What is your source of income, Ms. Blanc?" Steven asked.
"I have a small job at an inn and I sell some of my vegetables and herbs I grow in the market," Catherine replied looking down. "They don't bring in much, just enough to get us through our lives."
"But it is not enough to pay your taxes. Have you thought of going to a convent for help?"
"I cannot."
"Why?"
Catherine sighed. "My father insulted the nuns often and to the point where anyone who was related to him was banned from every convent."
"Marriage?"
"Who's going to marry a woman who looks after two younger siblings?"
"If you don't pay your taxes-" Steven was cut off by another knock at the door. Catherine stood and answered it. A wave of frustration hit her.
"I see you are not having a very good day also, Ichabod," she said in a soft voice.
"How did you know that?" Ichabod asked, stepping in. Catherine pointed to her head with a small smile. It didn't last; Ichabod's dark eyes were boring into her own. She broke down into sobs. Ichabod hugged her and tried to comfort her.
"I didn't know you were courting Constable Crane, Ms. Blanc," Steven said, appearing in the hallway. Ichabod glanced at Catherine and stroked her hair.
"Yes we are courting, for some time now," Ichabod lied. Catherine looked up at him, astonished. "We were talking about possible marriage."