Marry, Murder, Mystery

Apollo

Apollo grew up in a high class family, the richest on the estate. Everyone knew them even the poorest of families.
It was hard to avoid the spotlight when you were as rich as them, considering they owned the biggest factory too.
Every day he would attend to the dining hall of the mansion for a lavish breakfast cooked by only the best chefs they could find around that time.
Anything and everything they could ever want, bacon, eggs, black pudding, tea cakes. They could afford it all.
He was handsome for his age of 17, took after his father. He was his fathers favourite, the heir to his factory and business.
Apollo sometimes strayed from his lavish life to wander about the lower class streets, around the market most times.
His first adventure was to the butchers, he'd heard stories about how the animals on his plate came to be there, but he didn't feel like it was true so he wanted to see. And he wanted the satisfaction of buying his own cut of meat so he ventured inside. He was met with the face of a very pretty farm girl, she stood idly, humming a tune. It was the most beautiful tune he'd ever heard.
He cleared his throat "excuse me, do you work here?" He directed towards the girl.
She jumped from her clear daydreamed state "uh... no"
"My apologies, you have a lovely tune for your humming" he chimed, smiling.
"Thanks.." the girl stammered before snatching her cut from the actual butcher and rushing out.
Apollo returned home that night, starstruck. He'd never seen someone so beautiful, yet his parents had always said commoners and poor people were ugly and not to be spoken to. Could they have lied?
He was in a daze all through the evening, even during supper, pushing his steak and kidney pudding around the plate with a silver fork.
"Apollo what ever is the matter dear?" His mother asked, closely inspecting his behaviour.
"Nothing mother, just a bit tired is all. I think I'll excuse myself now, goodnight" he said before nodding to the maid at the end of the table to clear his plate.
"But you've not eaten! You must eat for a growing young man!" His father exclaimed.
"I'm not very hungry today father, maybe I'm catching a fever, I'll hurry to get some rest." Apollo lied smoothly before slipping out of the dining hall and up to his sleeping chamber.
He lay in his silken four poster bed that night, unable to sleep no matter how many sheep he counted.
Who was that girl, what was her name?
The next day he arose early, eager to find her again, maybe she'd be back at the butchers or the market. Farmers spend a lot of the time at the market selling their produce.
He slowly strolled through the street towards the butcher, glancing in, she wasn't there.
"She may be at the market" he thought to himself.
So he strolled through the street market. Barely glancing at anything on the stalls.
He hears the tune he heard the day before. Her humming, then he spotted her, he watched her as she scrambled to sit up straight upon his approach.
"How much for the milk dear?" He asked cheerfully.
"Three bits a bottle" she replied, she sounded blunt but her eyes were shining.
"Ah! Such a cheap price" he couldn't help but be shocked, he never knew anything could be so cheap.
He hands her 2 paper notes of money, grabs a singular bottle and strolls off after shining his dashing grin.
"Aye! Yev payed me too much!" The girl called from behind him.
He just waved his dismissal and carried on walking, proud he found the girl he couldn't stop thinking about all night.
"Where have you been, Apollo dear." His mother said, bittersweetly.
"Just on a walk mother." He replied, hiding the milk behind his back. If she found out what he was really up to she would have his head for a hat.
"Okay dear, don't be so late next time we have a special supper tonight"
Apollo sighed before he returned upstairs to his chambers.
After a very long night of his mother gushing over the latest artist to paint her portrait while they ate a steak dinner, he returned to bed once more and managed some sleep.
He desperately wanted to appear at the market the next day but he had some factory duties to attend, a long labouring day of finding out what he would be inheriting.
When he finally escaped and managed to get to the market he heard that same tune, only sadder.
He sees her closing up so he goes up to her and taps her on the shoulder. She jumps.
"Hope I'm not too late to buy some eggs dear, how much?"
They converse over the price, she offers for free but he declines.
"Mister...?" She asks
"Apollo, Mr Apollo Green" he smiles
"How could I take something for free from such a pretty face, miss?"
She stutters "Addy-..." she pauses "Adeline, it's Adeline"
"And your second name?"
She laughs and turns red after talking about how she's much too poor for a second name.
Her laugh brought butterflies to his stomach and a smile to his face.
"I hope to see you again. Adeline"