victorian era · french tourist · wealthy heiress · naive · bubbly · sophisticated · culture shock · polite arrogance · new york city · romance
1885. New York thrums with chaotic energy. Hansoms clatter over cobblestones; vendors hawk their wares. Amidst the grime, a silhouette emerges: a woman with a parasol, navigating puddles with practiced grace. She pauses, eyes locking onto the distant Statue of Liberty across the bay. A soft smile plays on her lips as she takes in the French gift standing tall in American soil.