Free Of Monsters and Madness by Jessica Verday Page B

nod and take the money. “Will you help me? So I don’t spend too much? I don’t want Father to think that I’m careless with what he has given me.”
    “Of course, miss.” She grins at my excitement. “But the first step is yer cloak.”
    “You’re right. I’ll be back in a moment.”
    I return to my room and find a dark green cloak hanging in the armoire just as Maddy said. I carefully place the money inside the pocket, humming softly as I pull the cloak on and readjust my scarf. I can hardly believe how much Father’s opinion of me has changed. Mother would be so happy.
    With my thoughts on the memory of her, I cross over to the bed and pull out the zodiac book to place inside the cloak pocket. I shall carry her with me today.
    When I return downstairs, Maddy is waiting by the front door. “Would you like to walk to the market?” she says. “It’s not far, but I can have Jasper fetch the carriage if you prefer.”
    “Let’s walk. I’d love some fresh air.”
    Maddy starts to wrinkle her nose but catchesherself. “Breathe it in by the house, miss. When we get to the market, it won’t be so fresh.”
    I laugh and hook my arm through hers as if we are sisters. “I shall heed your advice, Maddy.”
    She glances down shyly and gives me another crooked grin. “Off we go, then.”
    We step outside and she leads me past rows of grand houses that look very much like Father’s. Each one is connected with a private courtyard and a set of alleyways. Tall and majestic, they appear to touch the very sky, with carved details that rival what I’d always imagined castles to look like.
    “Do you ever feel lost, Maddy? I don’t think I’d ever be able to find my way back to Father’s house without you. There are so many houses.”
    “I know these streets well. I was born near here. On the other side of town, of course. Nothing so grand as this. Just a tiny flat that I shared with my brothers an’ sisters. I won’t let you get lost, miss.”
    “You have siblings?”
    She nods proudly. “I was the oldest. I have three brothers an’ two sisters. They’re all gone into service, just like me.”
    “I’ve always wanted to have brothers and sisters,” Isay wistfully. “I’m sure that your mother is very proud of you.”
    “She was. But that was before—”
    “Before? Have you lost your mother as well?”
    “Not in the same way as you have, miss. Here we are now.” She points to our left. “The market is just over there.”
    Maddy was right about it smelling crisp and clean by the house. Here by the marketplace, the scent of rotten fruit and spoiling meat is enough to make me choke. A river of muddy water flows down a shallow trench in front of us and I nudge her arm and then wrinkle my nose. She laughs.
    A buzz of voices fills the air as we draw closer. Tents crowd in, one on top of the other, and vendors shout to be heard. I look around me to take it all in. Baskets and crates and long wooden shelves display their colorful wares, and although the people and the goods they have to sell look different from those in Siam, it reminds me very much of the market there. It reminds me of home.
    Maddy steers me toward a yellow building and points to a symbol on a door. She explains that it represents an apothecary, and we go inside. The room isfilled with large glass cases that hold colored bottles of all sizes. Maddy steps up to the counter and introduces me to the shopkeeper, Mr. Williams.
    “Ah, yes,” he says, “you are Dr. Lee’s daughter?”
    I blush. It still sounds so strange to hear Father’s name. “I am.”
    “Welcome to Philadelphia, Miss Lee.” He bobs his head. “May you make many wonderful memories here.”
    I thank him for his kindness, and Maddy asks for some licorice root and cinnamon. As he fills her order, I glance over at the shelf closest to us. I’m startled by the flesh-colored fingerlike tubes of a plant from Siam. “Excuse me,” I say, “is that
khing
?”
    The shopkeeper