Catching Mr Ripper

Prologue- The summer of 1872

'There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved' George Sand

Elizabeth sat with her back against an old willow tree, listening to the sounds of the birds in the tree above her, basking in the mid day summer sun. The gentle wind blew her hair, Colling her from the strength of the blistering sun whilst she read her book. She listened to the sound of children playing in the stream nearby much to their mothers dismay but, them, like her we're taking full advantage of the beautiful day.
"Good afternoon" a familiar voice pulled her out of her current adventure and into an old one.
"I thought you had left me" she smiled at the man as he joined her on the ground, his arm instantly wrapping itself around her shoulder.
"How could I possibly leave you" he smiled, pulling her to him, placing a soft kiss to her hatless head. Elizabeth looked up at his face and saw the anguish the lay there.
"What's the matter?" She had never seen him like this before. He looked broken. As if nothing in the world could consol him.
"Lizzie" he sighed taking her hands in his "I asked your father for your hand. He said no Lizzie" the man sighed, the pain that was written across his face, grew deeper.
"You asked for my hand?"
"I did. He said that he would never allow our marriage because of my class"
"We can elope. We don't need him. There are things we can do-"
"We can't Lizzie. Your father is right, society will never accept us-"
"We don't need society or my father. We would be happy together, that's all we need" she tried to convince him, squeezing his hands lightly.
"Lizzie. I couldn't do this knowing what I would be taking away from you. I would be taking your life from you. I couldn't do that knowing you could happy with someone of your own class" he sighed deeply.
"Edmund. I could never be happy with anyone else as long as you walked the earth. Class and society be dammed. I love you" Elizabeth took his face in her hands, forcing his eyes to meet hers.
"I'm so sorry Lizzie. I release you" Edmund pulled her hands away from his face, he stood up and walked back down the hill, leaving Elizabeth under the tree where they had spent so many happy memories together.
Suddenly, the children's laughter had seemed to have died down and the sun seemed to disappear behind a cloud, casting the world into gloominess. It felt as if the world had, had its heart broken along with her.