Claire swallowed dryly, with the person nonetheless holding her by the shoulder, however the query was quickly resolved.

The person tugged on the purple glass necklace round Claire’s neck, inflicting her to take a step ahead.

It meant standing very near the person.

Claire’s eyes shifted round, not understanding what to do.

Why was he so taken with such crude tinted glass? Was she being punished for doing issues that didn’t swimsuit her?

…Possibly he was the proprietor of the necklace.

The person eyed the tinted glass rigorously. It seemed like he was in search of an indication that it was his.

If this was the proprietor, she ought to return it, since she simply picked it up off the street.

So, proper now, she wanted to unclasp the necklace and provides it again.

However how?

In her fingers was the meat and butter she purchased to eat with Isabelle. It meant that there was no hand free to unclasp the necklace.

Her fingers had been clammy with sweat from the stress, however she knew higher than to face there.

Claire mustered up her braveness as soon as once more.

“Uh… look, I don’t have my fingers free proper now, however would you thoughts holding these for me?”

The person’s gaze bore into her.

Claire felt herself shrinking beneath his gaze. She hadn’t considered herself as timid, however apparently that wasn’t so.

“You’re the proprietor of the necklace, aren’t you? I’ll untie it and provides it again to you in a second.”

The person’s forehead furrowed for a second, then he took the 2 bundles from Claire’s arms with a grim face.

Claire shortly introduced her fingers to the again of her neck and tried to unclasp the necklace, however her fingers slipped. Her fingers had been slippery with sweat.

She wiped her fingers on the hem of her skirt and tried once more. Simply when she thought she was shut, her fingers slipped once more.

The person was watching her with a chilly stare.

If this didn’t work, ought to she ask the person to untie it for her? She took a deep breath, hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

Keep calm, Claire.

Calmly, ignoring the person’s stare, she reached up and located the clasp on the necklace.

She couldn’t let her guard down simply because she was so shut.

Claire tried rigorously, this time together with her fingernails as an alternative of her fingertips. On the third time, she lastly succeeded.

She handed the necklace to the person with a sigh of aid and received her issues again.

She wished he’d let her go now. She felt very uncomfortable doing this in entrance of this man.

She thought they had been performed with one another, so she ought to simply be capable of say goodbye and go away. Simply as she was considering that, the person’s mouth opened.

“The place did you get this?”

Claire hadn’t performed something fallacious, however she felt like she’d performed one thing unhealthy. Claire responded calmly.

“I picked it up.”

“The place?”

“Within the birch grove.”

“Birch grove?”

“The birch grove surrounding Depend Norton’s property.”

“When you discover a jewel, shouldn’t you report it first?”

Claire, who had been intimidated a second earlier, felt more and more uncomfortable with the person who had been snapping at her from the start of the dialog.

She knew she was fallacious for not reporting the property, however she puzzled if she deserved to be interrogated like this.

All of that was interrupted when he instructed her it was a jewel.

Claire seemed up in shock.

“A jewel?”

The necklace was dangling from the person’s hand.

“Sure, a jewel. Did you suppose it was coloured glass?”

“Sure… After all I believed it was coloured glass.”

Not a phrase got here again from the person. Solely the sharp purple eyes that appeared to pierce Claire.

The person was suspicious of her. Claire felt like she wished to hit his chest.

Simply as she was about to protest, the person seemed away.

“Nicely, you’ve by no means seen jewellery earlier than.”

“I didn’t notice, actually. I’m actually sorry if you happen to’ve been in search of it for a very long time.”

The person replied with a nonchalant tone.

“It’s okay, ignorance just isn’t a sin.”

Regardless of his assurances, Claire felt unhealthy once more.

After all she was ignorant. It wasn’t regular for commoners to see jewels, which had been the unique property of the the Aristocracy.

Claire’s mouth twitched in frustration.

“Then why did you retain speaking nonsense earlier?”

Earlier than she might end talking, a slender man sporting glasses hurriedly approached them from behind.

“Mr. Clive! You’re late for the assembly, what are you doing right here?”

“I’ve to go.”

“What’s that necklace?”

The person with the glasses requested.

“My grandmother’s memento.”

A memento. Claire instantly felt like capturing herself within the foot for not reporting it as misplaced and located.

“Granddame Caitlin Norton?”

…Norton? Did he simply say Norton?

Feeling misplaced, Claire’s gaze flickered backwards and forwards between the 2 males.

Claire bit her tongue. He was aNorton.

Immediately she realized why he seemed so acquainted, although she’d by no means seen him earlier than. She had seen the person’s image within the native newspaper in Shadehill.

He was the second son of Depend Norton.

Her reminiscence was fuzzy, however she remembered the primary younger grasp being a delicate individual. So, this have to be the second son.

Clive Norton. As soon as she realized his id, Claire might see why she felt like she was being interrogated.

No marvel, maybe. He was the Excessive Constable of Shadehill.

Claire bit her tongue. Norton.

Immediately I noticed why he seemed so acquainted, although I’d by no means seen him earlier than. I had seen the person’s image within the native newspaper in Shadehill.

He was the second Earl of Norton.

My reminiscence is fuzzy, however I keep in mind the primary grasp being a delicate individual. So it have to be the second.

Clive Norton. As soon as she realized his id, Claire might see why she felt like she was being interrogated.

No marvel, he was the Excessive Constable of Shadehill.

Since he was the proprietor of jewels, that are unique to nobles, he have to be noble. Claire was overcome with resentment, and puzzled why he was talking in a plain method when he was a nobleman.

Claire involuntarily took a step again quietly, hugging tightly what was in her arms. The will to run away was mounting inside her.

“Ed, get the lady’s private info. This could possibly be stolen.”

“Theft? All proper.”

Clive, who stated that ignorance wasn’t a sin, determined Claire was a suspect. She instructed him she’d picked it up, however he thought it was stolen.

The person known as Ed pulled a pocket book and pen from his jacket.

Clive didn’t care what temper Claire was in; he checked the time nonchalantly.

“I’ll be off to a gathering.”

Clive’s gaze flicked briefly over Claire.

Claire, who was left behind, was solely launched after Ed wrote down her private info, together with her identify, age, dwelling handle, and the place she works.

She pleaded that she didn’t steal. Ed stated he didn’t suppose she was a thief.

She would possibly get a reference examine, however no large deal.

No large deal, he stated in a nonchalant tone, however she didn’t imagine him.

***

When Claire returned dwelling, she was shaken and exhausted. Isabelle, who’d arrived earlier than Claire, turned on the fuel mild.

“Claire, what’s fallacious together with your face? Did one thing occur?”

Claire pulled out a chair on the kitchen desk and sat down. Isabelle came visiting, trying involved, and stroked her cheek. The contact was soothing.

“Only a glass of water.”

Claire seemed shocked, and Isabel shortly poured her a glass of cool water. Claire gulped it down with out pause.

“Sister.”

“Yeah.”

Claire stood up from the place she’d been leaning again in her chair.

“I purchased meat. Let’s eat meat first.”

Revitalized by the glass of water, Claire started to cut the meat.

“Aren’t you going to inform me what occurred?”

“I’ll, however first I’m going to eat some meat and get some energy.”

Isabelle laughed, as if it couldn’t be helped. She watched Claire’s again as she stood up, turned on the range, and pulled out the pan.

Such a spunky little sister.

Isabelle peeled and sautéed the carrots and potatoes. She added them to Claire’s roast beef and it was a beautiful dinner.

They completed dinner, catching up on their lives as if nothing had occurred.

“Sis, can I sleep with you tonight?”

“Totally free?”

“You had a pleasant meal earlier.”

“It was scrumptious.”

Isabelle smiled.

After washing up and becoming their pajamas, they lay facet by facet in Isabelle’s mattress. The mattress was small, so that they had been pressured to lie shut collectively.

Isabelle stroked Claire’s wavy hair over her shoulder.

“What occurred to the necklace?”

It was a query she’d been that means to ask since earlier. Clearly, the necklace she’d left within the morning was gone by the point she returned.

Maybe the rationale she got here again distraught was due to the necklace.

“The proprietor took it.”

“Proprietor?”

Isabelle checked out Claire, questioning what she was speaking about, however Claire was staring blankly on the ceiling.

“It wasn’t coloured glass, it was a jewel.”

“That was a gem?”

“He stated it wasn’t a sin to be ignorant, and never understanding the distinction.”

“Who stated that?”

“Grasp Clive stated that.”

“Clive? Who’s that?”

The identify had by no means been a subject of dialog between Claire and Isabel, so Isabel didn’t instantly acknowledge who it was.

“The Depend of Norton’s second son. Excessive Constable of Shadehill. Grasp Clive Norton.”

“The necklace belongs to him?”

Isabelle seemed up, a little bit shocked.

“No. Oh my God, it was a memento from his grandmother Caitlyn Norton, who handed away the 12 months earlier than final.”

“What?”

Isabelle sat up in shock on the identify of Caitlyn Norton.

Claire was nonetheless staring blankly on the ceiling. Her complexion was visibly pale.

“Why was her style so easy that you just make individuals mistake it for coloured glass?”

“…However, because you gave it again, perhaps it’s okay?”

“No, I don’t suppose so. He thought it would’ve been theft. I is perhaps accused of being a thief and be taken away by the police.”

“Did he ship you dwelling?”

“He wrote down my identify, age, handle, and even the truth that I work at Lemon Home. I is perhaps dragged alongside on the way in which to work tomorrow.”

Her face seemed as if she’d already been imprisoned.

“Are you aware what they do to jewellery thieves? Do you suppose I can stroll again by myself legs? No, I imply, do you suppose I can come again alive?”

“Claire.”

Isabelle tried to chop her off, however Claire continued to mumble.

“No. Possibly that is the final night time I get to spend with my sister?”

Unable to let Claire’s more and more imaginative thoughts wander, Isabel pinched her arm. Very arduous.

“Ouch! It hurts, sis!”

Claire puzzled what was fallacious with the usually upbeat woman.

“Since you’re speaking nonsense. Now shut up, and get some sleep.”

“I can’t sleep as a result of I’m apprehensive.”

“You’ll sleep, staying awake received’t clear up something.”

At Isabelle’s sobering phrases, Claire shut up and closed her eyes.

Sure, she thought. Possibly after an evening’s sleep, all of this can be forgotten. She fell asleep with that hope.