Three days passed after that conversation with Shacklebolt.
I tried to live an ordinary life — I worked at the stables, helped Mrs. Cole with the household, met with Maggie. But inside me, all that time, anxiety and uncertainty were still sitting there.
Besides the fact that ill-wishers were still continuing to watch me, and I had to remain on alert, I was also worried about the decision I would have to make sooner or later.
Shacklebolt said he needed time to prepare the documents, so I didn't have to rush and could think everything through calmly. And for now — live as I had been living and try not to attract attention.
But of course, that was easier said than done.
One day Mrs. Cole sent me to the grocery shop for flour and salt. It was an ordinary thing, since I had gone there about a hundred times already.
Nevertheless, who could have known that this time everything would not go according to plan?
Toby's shop was almost empty — only old Mrs. Graves was choosing groats, and some man was flipping through a newspaper at the counter. I took a basket and headed toward the shelves with flour.
At first, nothing foreshadowed anything unusual.
Until suddenly…
I saw her.
Tall, dark-haired, with sharp cheekbones and astonishingly perceptive blue eyes. She was a true beauty, whom I had never seen in our village before.
She was standing by the counter with herbs, sorting through bundles of dried plants, and was clearly looking for something.
I froze with the basket in my hand and simply stared at her. It happened completely involuntarily, but at that moment I could not even control the direction of my gaze. It was fixed only on her.
At that moment the girl raised her head and met my eyes as well.
For a moment something like curiosity or interest flickered in her eyes, but she immediately looked away and continued choosing herbs.
"Can I help you, miss?" Toby jumped up, who was usually rude to everyone, but now was unexpectedly glowing with eagerness to please.
"No, thank you," the girl answered with a slight accent. "I'm just looking."
A French accent.
I recognized it almost immediately, because in my university group there had been a French girl, and she had quite a strong accent that stood out.
So now, just hearing it, I recognized it right away.
Could this girl really be from France?…
My heart involuntarily jumped with surprise.
Nevertheless, I forced myself to look away and deal with the flour. The sack, the scoop, pouring it into my container — familiar movements that required no thought. But from the corner of my eye I still watched the stranger.
She chose several bundles of herbs, paid, and headed toward the exit. But as she passed me, she suddenly stopped.
"Excuse me," she said. "Could you tell me where I might find fresh rosemary here? My grandmother asked for it, and he"—she nodded toward Toby—"only has dried."
I blinked.
"Rosemary?" I repeated. "Mrs. Cole has some in her garden. My… aunt's. I can ask her, if you want."
"That would be wonderful," she smiled. And that smile was so warm and open that something inside me trembled.
"I… I'll be here tomorrow, around the same time," I blurted out. "If you want, I'll bring it to you!"
"Agreed," she nodded. "By the way, my name is Elinor."
"…M-Merope," I answered.
"Nice to meet you, Merope. Then until tomorrow."
She left, and without her presence the shop immediately seemed duller and more boring.
"What are you standing around for?" Toby snapped at me meanwhile. "Either buy something or get out!"
In the end I bought the flour and salt and went outside.
Elinor was already nowhere to be seen. But the air still smelled of her perfume — lavender and something else sweet and pleasant.
For some time I still stood there, catching the notes of that scent. Nevertheless, soon someone unexpectedly touched my shoulder.
"Why are you frozen?" Maggie called to me, who was just passing by. "Did you see someone?"
"Just… nothing," I shook my head. "I just… met a girl I hadn't seen here before."
"Oh, you probably mean that French girl?" Maggie immediately guessed and waved her hand. "She's visiting her grandmother, at the edge of the village. They say she's from a rich family, studies at some expensive school in France. Pretty, right?"
"…Pretty," I agreed.
Maggie suddenly looked at me slyly.
"Oh, Merope, why are you blushing?"
"I'm not blushing!" I protested, while feeling my cheeks treacherously flush with heat.
"You are, you are," Maggie laughed. "Did you fall in love or something?"
"Are you crazy?" I flared up. "I'm seeing her for the first time in my life!"
"So what?" Maggie shrugged lightly. "Love at first sight happens."
Nevertheless, at that moment I only waved her off, calling all my friend's guesses nonsense.
And yet…
All the way home I was still thinking about Elinor. For some reason, our meeting had left an indelible impression on me, one I could not even explain in words.