What You Wish For

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The next morning Carrie was eager to apologise to Margaret at the first opportunity, which thankfully came early as they awoke around the same time.

“I'm sorry about what I said last night.”

“Don't be,” Margaret said. “My father informs me that you were right.”

“I'm sure you'd like Mr Thornton, if only you gave him a chance.”

“It will not be easy,” Margaret said with a sigh. “Manufacturing is a rough business and his stance of being at war with his workers is one that I simply cannot agree with, but as I said to father, I will try to be more understanding at future meetings.”

That was enough for Carrie, at least for now and she set about her morning routine.

Her toothbrush was made from a bone handle with badger hair bristles and her toothpaste was a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and chalk. It tasted foul but she supposed it did the job. Thankfully she had managed to acquire a little peppermint oil and before dabbing her brush in the powder, she added a few drops of oil to the bristles. It was no Colgate but it was better than nothing.

After she had dressed, she headed down to breakfast and chatted with Mr Hale until Mrs Hale and Margaret joined them. She did not tell them she was seeing Mr Thornton about a job today because she felt it was better to present it to them as a done deal. She also did not want to jinx herself because whatever this job was, she did not have it yet.

When Mr Hale asked what their plans for the day were, Margaret informed him she was going to see Bessy, the young girl she had met from Princeton. Carrie told him she was planning to taking a walk and exploring some new areas of the town.

Before she left she went back up to her room and pulled her handbag out from under her bed. She had not worn makeup since she had arrived here but today she felt that she needed a little additional courage. She dabbed a little concealer under her eyes, patted her complexion down with powder and added just a tiny bit of Mascara to her eyelashes. Makeup was not common here and if she wore too much, she would stick out like a clown in a church.

She got her jewellery out of her purse and considered wearing it since it also gave her courage. She had noticed, however, that gemstones were not common in this time and diamonds especially. So she left her solitaire earrings, ring and pendant in her purse and put on only the small amethyst earrings that her aunt had left her. She also sliped her horse broach into her purse though, so that it too was with her. It was her good luck charm.

When she remembered her aunt's words about the earrings, it had occurred to her that they might be responsible for this freaky situation she had found herself in and she had removed them immediately. It hadn't worked and though she had many theories as to why she was trapped in this fictional world, she still had no answers.

Finally ready, she put her makeup away in her handbag and slipped it back under her bed, along side her rucksack that housed her Uni books and laptop.

She began humming to herself as she walked to the mill, for music always calmed her. She missed her CD player. Her mobile phone had some music on and she did have headphones for it, but she knew she would quickly wear the battery down if she used it much so she settled for humming. Perhaps one day she could afford a piano, then she could play all her favourite music.

As she approached the mill she grew nervous and she paused outside to wipe her damp palms on her skirt.

“Wish me luck,” she said softly to her aunt, looking to the heavens. Then she took a deep breath, mustering as much courage as she could, and strode through the mill yard and into the offices.