On a cool morning in early October, I stood waiting for the history walk to start at the old mill site. The tour was set to begin at ten o’clock. I leaned against a wooden fence post near the meeting point, watching the light play across the weathered stones.
A woman appeared from behind the large mill wheel. She was dressed in a long, faded dress and a worn apron. As she walked past my spot, her gaze met mine for a brief moment. Her hair was tied back loosely, and the hem of her dress was dusty. I noticed she was barefoot on the cold ground.
I assumed she was a guide, ready to act out a scene from the past for our group. It seemed like a nice touch to bring the history to life.
Later, I mentioned the woman in the period costume to the tour leader. He looked confused and told me they have no actors on staff. The other people in my group had seen only the guide and me. It seems I was the only one who saw the woman by the mill wheel.