Elizabeth Rutherford

1862 - Elizabeth's mother dies, leaving her ill-equipped father (who works for an merchant whose focus is satiating Englander's taste for colonial imports) to raise the little girl.

1868 - James takes Elizabeth with him to India on a buying trip where she wanders off on her own, turning up several days later with a monkey that followed her from a bazaar and a talent for riding elephants. She is admonished about wandering off, but is still unattended much of the time. Being curious and not at all shy, she follows interesting-looking people all around the city and into the forest/jungle areas on the hills above the city.

1870 - James must take Elizabeth on another buying trip, this time to Africa, so he hires a tutor -- Thomas Reese -- hoping to preclude a repeat of the events of the India trip (at least the part where she disappeared). Thomas, using this trip as much for the broadening of his own horizons as those of Elizabeth's, and sorely uninformed about the proprieties surrounding a young girl in a foreign land, teaches Elizabeth as much about biology, zoology, botany, cartography and geology (via hands-on field trips) as about grammar and French. Tom's fondest wish is to discover a fascinating new plant or animal, or perhaps find the origin of a great river or the ruins of a lost civilisation. He dreams of the glory of having his name associated -- or even appended -- to a great discovery makes a huge impression on Elizabeth. Her fearless pursuit of that dream into the tops of trees, bottom of caves and muddy rivers actually leads to several small discoveries (her favourite being the tiny blue frogs in the ferny undergrowth of the jungle floor), for which Thomas takes the credit and prestige. Elizabeth is more interested in the actual process of discovery and the adventure of it all anyway (not to mention that she gets to wear trousers), so it works out well for both of them. For her part, Elizabeth is not under very tight rein with Tom, who sometimes doesn't even notice he hasn't seen her for a couple of days. This allows her an unheard-of freedom to do scandalous things (like catching snakes. While wearing trousers.) James is blissfully oblivious about the unconventiality of his daughter's life and education. His work keeps him very busy, and she does seem to show up for dinner when requested -- wearing proper dress, even.

1873 - The group travel to Mars, where Tom and Elizabeth spend another year traipsing about until her father realises she's no longer a little girl and sending her off in the clutches of a bachelor is unseemly. He arranges for her to do volunteer work with Dr. Mikhail Ivanov Fyoderich, an Oxford educated Russian physician who is providing both home-style medical care for British travellers and charity aid to Martians (allowing him to study Martian physiology and ailments). While this arrangement seems more decorous to her father, it in no way dampens Elizabeth's passion for exploration and discovery, and she makes friends with several young Martians. She spends many happy hours exploring the city and surrounding areas with them, mapping her way and applying her Earth-learned scientific disciplines to Martian flora and fauna. Thomas goes on to discover a breed of freshwater shrimp.

1880 - James Rutherford dies of a flu carried in by English travellers. It seems logical to all involved that Elizabeth continue her relationship and education with the good doctor.

1881 - Elizabeth and Dr. Fyoderich travel to Africa to assist missionaries and British travellers. The exotic locale offers some scope for adventuring, and the doctor is occasionally amenable, but more and more Elizabeth's focus is on her medical duties and studies.

1882 - Elizabeth meets and attends to the elder Davingtons. She is fascinated by their lifestyle, having long ago learned that proper people don't wander 'round the globe looking for trouble. The Davingtons are obviously well-bred, yet pursue those things she's learned to leave out of polite conversation. Upon learning that Elizabeth is to return to Mars, they advise her to call on their daughter Rosewater Davington who is currently on the planet.

1883 - Elizabeth and Dr. Fyoderich travel to Mars where Elizabeth's advanced medical training begins at the University of Edinburgh, Syrtis Major campus, and she meets Rose. Lord and Lady Davington impressed her enormously, but their daughter postitively thrills her. For the first time in her life, she has a female friend with whom she can giggle and talk -- no mind that their conversations has more to do with cannibal tribes and renegade elephants than dresses and suitors. They remain in close correspondence until Elizabeth's settles at Wapping-on-the-Flume.

1884 - Elizabeth meets Jonathan Sanders-Davington on Mars, just prior to his return to Earth. They indulge in a friendly sort of one-upsmanship, comparing stories and scars. Sandy wins, but only, Elizabeth thinks, because she hasn't yet visited Venus and still occasionally has to wear dresses and take tea.
Elizabeth confides in Rose, telling of her concerns about poor Dr. Fyoderich's age and health, and Rose suggests that they consider coming to Wapping-on-the-Flume, where Rose would help the two of them set up a small clinic.

1887 - With Elizabeth's studies in medicine complete, she and Dr. Fyoderich return to Earth. Elizabeth gratefully takes her friends generous offer to help found a clinic, and she settles in to a relatively respectable life.

Their friendship picked up where it had left off, as they were far and away the two most adventurous and experienced women in the village. Dr. Fyoderich is the nominal head of the clinic, but Elizabeth has taken over more and more of the duties as time goes by.

Shortly after Lizzie and the Doctor arrived, the elder Davingtons returned from Africa. They received the best care possible, but wasted away and died. The trauma only served to strengthen the bonds between Elizabeth and the family.