Isabelle's Journal (round one)
(This would have been her journal entry the night of the séance. And yes, there is a theme here. :) )
I must somehow find a way to convince my mother and father that I do
not require a husband. I know it is the social norm of society but I
do not want to become the property of some man; at least not before I
have a chance to explore the world more than just the society of
London. To marry one of the many men that I have had to meet over
the past few months makes me already feel as if it would send me to an
early grave; if from nothing more than simple boredom.
Nicolas Varney, the man who did the séance, was interesting or more
like that which followed him around was. Of course, I made father and
mother believe that it had worked though it did not. He did not even
summon the correct spirit; though mother is convinced that it worked
and that is all that mattered. She didn’t even guess the correct one
that was haunting me. No, John is safely still around; frankly I
don’t want him to leave and while I’ll play along with their little
parlor games, I would never contribute to getting rid of him.
If mother and father only knew what I was up to in my spare time; when
they weren’t looking. I’m not so sure they would be as offended by
knowledge I have in guns and using knifes and the like as they would
be about my study into the occult. I only can assume on my own
knowledge that some of what happened was parlor tricks, probably
mostly for mother’s benefit. I am convinced that the sudden cold and
the things dealing with the little boy spirit were quite real.
Mother is easy to convince of things, I believe she mostly knows only
what she chooses to. Father is a little more difficult but he tends
to do things to make mother happy. If I somehow can make mother
happy, so it would satisfy father and still not end up married that
would work. I must come up with a plan because they will not let up,
unless I find a husband or can find a way out of it.
I do want to go back to that butcher’s shop; I would so like to learn
to lock pick and I feel that half-man would have knowledge that might
be useful to me. I wonder how much he would charge for such things.
Maybe, I should bring him home as possible husband I bet that would
just scandalize my mother though then maybe she wouldn’t think that
Jose had been so bad.
Then there is the scientist couple; I’ve never met a woman like that
before. I believe her name was Finch…Mrs. Finch or I assume
professor Finch. I do not recall her first name then again I’m not
sure I was told it. She seemed independent but she is married; I
wonder if that’s possible and how to does one go about finding a
husband that will allow such independence? I still do not want to be
married but at least that would be in the correct direction of what I
would want in a marriage. I wonder if that is more possible among
academics; as they are two scientists. Not that I want to be a
scientist but journalism requires a certain degree of knowledge as
well.
If I approach this subject with mother she will just tell me that I am
young and do not know what I want or what is truly good for me. If
that is the case though then why does it make sense to marry me off;
would it not be likely that I would make a bad decision in the mate I
chose?
I am glad that Elizabeth was found well and intact but that little
adventure made me just have an urge for more. I want to explore
places, see new things and meet more people. I want to not have to
attend boring parties or be introduced to more possible suitors and I
never again want to have to endure another night with my father
constantly asking our dinner guest if he will marry me.
I sometimes wonder if Samuel would be of any use in my endeavor to not
be made to marry. He must know people who could take me on an
adventure. My godfather is, after all, not nearly as boring as my
parents and he would seem like the type that would know interesting
people. Maybe, I could talk him into getting me introduced to some
of them. Then again he might just be able to teach me how to gamble
and speak in ancient languages.
I believe I shall end this entry here; with a circle back to where I
started. I must find some way to keep from getting married.
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