𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞

Parting Ways at Last

The morning was slow and dreadful. Florence barely ate any breakfast as she sat in the library with the other children. The Fitzsimmons' had left a few days after the dance, Florence and Sam never even played any real tricks.

Clair's room was horrendously clean. The normal clutter of parchment and trousers littering the floor were nowhere in sight, except stuffed into his briefcases. Each one of Cathryn's dresses had been neatly folded and placed into her bags which now sat atop a tightly made bed. Ruby's curtains were drawn now, giving the room an unusual gloom, along with the fact that Maylis had slept in his room the previous night to prepare for departure the next morning. Her rocker took up an odd amount of space in his room making everything feel off. Each child sat in their own empty rooms.

Florence bit her lip furiously and mock clawed at her own door. She managed to draw herself out of the shelter of her room eventually. She visited each child's room one by one. First, Clair. She cried, short small sobs. He didn't seem to mind. Their words of departure were few and shaky. Florence had wrapped her quivering arms around him and held him close for a few minutes. His shirt was dotted with teardrops afterwards. She pressed a faithful kiss to his lips and walked out of his room.

Next came Cathryn. Florence found that Cathryn understood what had formed between each of the children on her own. She stayed silent and didn't press about anything, realizing just how fragile Florence had become. The two girl exchanged short hugs and Cathryn offered Florence a pair of her pearly white gloves. This made Florence giggle at the memory of the first day when Cathryn had arrived. How Florence wondered how the mysterious girl could ever manage to keep them so clean. Eventually, the door to Cathryn's room closed behind her too.

Last was Ruby. Florence drew in a tense breath before she entered his room. More tears were she here. Murmurs of sadness tangled between the two. Ruby swayed her side to side as he held her, like he had at the tavern downtown. The whole time spent in his room was unbearable. She knew how lonely she'd be without him. Without all of the children. Ruby placed a kiss atop Florence's head and muttered words in French.

"Mon amour, toujours. Je vous souhaite le meilleur, continuez à travailler votre Français."

"My love, always. I wish you the best, keep working on your French."

Later, the Fawn family stood on the steps of the home. Florence shuddered and tried to hold in her sadness at the sight of the three leaving. The time had finally come. She never imagined she'd grow so close to the mysterious people who'd shown up at her house a month earlier.

Jacob and Aurora stood close, waving pudgy fingers at the other children as they boarded the carriage. Mr. and Mrs. Fawn beamed down at them from their perch on the marble stairs. Florence stood close by, forming sentences with her eyes to each one of them. The pit in her stomach grew and grew as the stable boy began unhitching the horses. She imagined the ride, staying in several different inns. Crossing the same bridge they all had on the way to Simpson's in the Strand. Tears begged at her eyes, but she wouldn't allow them. Even as the carriage began to drive away, she caught glimpses of each of their faces through the windows. Wiggling her slim fingers at the three, Cathryn, Ruby, and Clair all headed down the road away from the Fawn estate.