I stood glued to the spot as the report arrived. I couldn't hear anything as I studied the man that was speaking. He stood at the foot of the staircase, his eyes gentle and his complexion pale. Looking up at me to the stairs above, he gave me a sympathetic smile. This was the moment I had been dreading. This was the moment I hoped would never come.

'Their boat...'

There was a long pause after the gentlemen spoke and I could feel tears that were threatening to fall.

I had begged them not to go. Begged them to stay in London with me.

Without another word I escaped to my bedroom. Shutting the door behind me, I pressed my back against it, slowly falling to a seated position. I cradled my legs and buried my face in my knees as slow loud sobs ripped through my throat.

As my cries faded, I heard a light tap at my door.

'Elizabeth, may I come in?'

I slowly pivoted my body and moved away from the door, pulling on the handle to let my grandmother in.

She had been widowed after my grandfathers passing, which meant she had a lot of spare time. That's why she had no objection to watching over me whilst my parents were away. I had declined to go with them due to my fear of the sea, which I now see as a very valid excuse.

'Oh my poor girl,' she spoke quietly, lowering herself to my sitting level, engulfing me in a warm hug. The hug was meant to comfort me as we processed the loss, but I could feel it was also a hug of worry. Worry of what would happen to me now that my parents were gone. I could not live with my grandmother as she lived across the country and was in no way fit to introduce me to society. Yet I could not live by myself as that would be completely improper.

I was lost.

(A/N): I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Leave any feedback in the comments <3