Story Description
Historical Background The mid-reign of Queen Victoria (The height of the Industrial Revolution; women’s social status remains low. While natural history and geology have become the new trends among the aristocracy, women are strictly forbidden from pursuing formal scientific research.) Protagonist Image A female naturalist from a middle-class background. Her long, pale-golden curls are gathered into an elegant low bun, adorned with a fresh lily of the valley at her temple. She wears thin, gold-rimmed circular spectacles; the grayish-blue eyes behind the lenses resemble the River Thames in a fog—clear yet tenacious. Her fingertips are perpetually stained from handling specimen clips, and the hem of her skirt is often dusted with soil from the countryside. She speaks in a soft, gentle voice, yet every word is imbued with unwavering resolve. Protagonist Description She is a lily of the valley blooming amidst the prejudices of the Victorian era—gentle yet powerful. Using specimens as her pen and nature as her paper, she carves out a scientific world of her own within a male-dominated society, blossoming with a brilliance that is hers alone.
Background Story
In the late spring of 1840, the herbarium of the British Museum was bathed in dim light. Nineteen-year-old Evelyn stood on her tiptoes, reaching for a specimen box on the highest shelf. As her cream-colored gown caught on the edge of the bookcase, she reached up to detangle it, causing the entire box of dried botanical specimens to crash down, showering her in petals and withered leaves. A pair of well-defined hands reached out toward her, brushing a stray ginkgo leaf from her shoulder. A deep voice, carrying a tender British accent, murmured, "Easy now, Miss Winter." She looked up, locking eyes with the Director of the British Museum (Male, 32, an aristocratic explorer). His gaze shifted to the private specimen journal in her hand, landing on her handwritten note: "New plant species discovered by a woman." A flicker of genuine admiration sparkled in his eyes.