Hear The Howls

Chapter 1: The Letter

London England, 1880s

"Miss Lorelei?" A quiet timid voice spoke muffled from behind the door. It must have been Jenny. She had always woken her up early in the mornings. Lorelei could still hear the sounds from the streets outside of her flat. 

It was a modest flat and her employment salary was decent enough to afford it, enough to hire Jenny as a housekeeper, cook, maid, and secretary. And to be sure Lorelei had enjoyed her work as a clerical secretary here in London. 

"Yes Jenny?" Lorelei said sitting up in her bed and looked at the door, and also bidding her to come in. 

A young face peaked her head in, wide blue eyes, and fair hair concealed by a maid's cap, "This just came for you Miss," she held up a letter. 

Lorelei slowly rose from her bed and went to take the letter and she started to open it. It was from her father...Andreas. 

My dear daughter,

I know this must be a surprise to hear from me after such a long time, but my health has not been what it once was, and it's my deepest wish to see you. If you can please come home to your family. I long to see you again, and miss you.

As for the state of things at home, everything is well. The manor feels so much bigger since you've been gone, and much less lively. Your uncle Gottfried is still traveling, but is due back soon sometime before the coming winter holidays. Your aunt Karolina has taken over the run of the home, for which I am grateful for. You may not have heard, but the former housekeeper, Agata had retired and we are looking to hire a new one.

I hear she still lives in the village, so should you choose to come home, you can visit her, she would welcome the visit, I am certain.

All my love,

Your father, Andreas Emmerich.

Lorelei's eyes scanned over the letter many times, as she lapsed into silence, that she almost forgot that Jenny was still standing there, watching her. Looking up at her, and also noting that she was still in her nightdress, Lorelei cleared her throat, "Jenny pack my bags please, and pick me out clothes appropriate for travel please, I need to write some letters."

Jenny nodded watching her with wide eyes, "Yes ma'am." 

The older woman nodded with an encouraging smile, "Thank you."

The young dark haired woman went to her writing desk, put aside her father's letter, and opened up her stationary, and proceeded to write two different letters - one letter was for her employer, Mr. Chambers, and the second was for her father. 

As her hand absently moved about the paper, she let her mind wander to memories of home. 

When was the last time she had seen them? 

She was 22 now...so it must have been a few years now. 

Lorelei remembered that she had gone back to see her mother, Mirella, to be with her, on her final days, and until her funeral. She had been 18 then. It had been almost 4 years. 

The day of the funeral, everyone had been there; her father's side of the family, and then her mother's people....

Her tribe, the Romani people who had settled the land upon arriving. Lorelei could vaguely recall some of their names and faces. 

In her mind's eye one face stood out from the rest. Him. Lukan....

Shaking her head, Lorelei rubbed at her eyes, then felt Jenny touch her shoulder, "Miss Lorelei? You're all packed, and now we just need to get you changed," she said to her softly. 

Lorelei jerked her head in a nod and sighed getting up from her desk, and went to change behind the screen with Jenny at her side to help her dress in the many layers fashionable to London society. It had taken up some time, slipping off her nightgown, then putting on her underdress,  corset, upper dress, then the dress. She had always hated when lacing the strings of the corset, it would always take so long. Finally she had dressed and, Lorelei walked back to her quaint desk and folded the letter for Mr. Chambers, and signed and addressed it to him and then did the same for the letter to her father, "Jenny?"

The young woman stepped over to her, "Yes?"

Lorelei handed the letter over to her, "This is for Mister Chambers, I am going to work now, and will give this to him, and I need you to give this letter to the postman to  mail to my father," she told her. 

After work she shall have to make travel arrangements, and book passage back to Rousier.