The Quintessential Modern Woman by Marcus (WebArchive)

Hailey looked at her reflection in the full length mirror and smiled. She looked as if ready to conquer a new continent. Not that she would of course, wars and conquest were silly things that had no place in the modern world. It was after all the start of the 20th century, a time to explore new ideas. A time to push boundaries and question old ways of thinking.

Considering herself an advocate of the modern age, Hailey was not your average 22 year old by any means, especially for a woman. Sole child to Sir Thomas Kennedy she had been brought up in a household of abundant excess. Her father had been on the forefront in the steelworks industry and both owned and ran the nation's largest, most acclaimed one. Some would even say it was the best steelworks in the world. Hailey had, since an early age, been tutored by her mother until the age of 12, at which time her mother had sadly succumbed to smallpox.

Her mother had been a champion of women's rights for as long as Hailey remembered and with the support of her husband regularly held sessions in their grand city house for people of the same mindset. She had made sure to tutor Hailey in maths, physics and chemistry but also more traditional subjects like literature and arts. As her mother had been taught ballet as a child she also made sure Hailey at least had a basic skill in the art form.

A widower, Hailey’s father had started to bring Hailey along to the steelworks a few times a week where she had started to develop a keen interest for mechanics. In what seemed like no time she was helping out with repairing broken machines and had, according to many of the employees, an impressive technical understanding being such a young girl...