Rose was out late. Miss Meijer had a headache and had sent her for a painkiller. The servant girl had inwardly cursed Miss Meijer but had smiled sweetly and said that of course she would go. She hated being out after dark after her last unfortunate encounter with a street thug who just randomly happened to be Mr. Meijer's brother. And so she hurried, with the vial safely in her pocket, up the steps to the wealthier area of town.