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Sara dug into her bag and handed over the box. The man behind the counter opened it. He pulled out a jeweller’s eyeglass and began looking the piece over.
‘Well, then.’
‘You know my thoughts,’ Lance said.
‘I think you’re a bit light on in your valuation. Losing your touch.’ John Smith looked at Sara and frowned. ‘This is a valuable suite of jewels and amethysts are all the rage at the moment. Are you sure you want to sell?’
She’d never been more certain in her life. ‘Yes. How much do you think it’s worth?’
‘Well. Your fiancé here thinks it’s worth fifty. I believe a bit more, but after buyer’s premium you could get fifty-five.’ He turned his attention to Lance. ‘You’re not going to auction it?’
‘That wouldn’t be proper.’
John narrowed his eyes at her. ‘No, I’m guessing not. Want me to arrange things?’
‘Please. Now, what else do you have for us?’
John took a bundle of tinkling keys from his belt and unlocked a drawer. ‘A couple of items you might be interested in. Did you hear old Fothergill’s dead?’
He fiddled with the drawer and pulled out two small satin bags.
‘No,’ Lance said. ‘How’s young Lady Fothergill coping?’
‘She was in here the other day. Think things are tight in that big, lonely estate of hers. She was selling off some trinkets. I asked if she wanted you to call and she does. I can text you her number.’
‘As always, thank you.’
‘Now, here is what I was talking about.’
He pulled out a velvet-covered tray, opened the little pouches and spilled two glittering rings onto the inky surface.
Sara’s heart stuttered, before beating a little faster. ‘What’s this?’ she said as if her voice wasn’t her own.
‘If we’re engaged, you need a ring.’
John smiled like the Cheshire cat. ‘He told me all about you. Asked me for the most interesting ones I have. And here they are.’
He waved them over with a flourish. Lance picked up the first, an enormous sapphire the colour of worn denim, with tiny diamonds surrounding it. It was old, outstanding. He twirled it under the lights then picked up the other ring, which was smaller but no less beautiful. An oval opal which shone like a rainbow. Again, surrounded by diamonds with a carved gold band. The sapphire was magnificent, but the opal...
It took her breath away.
‘This,’ Lance murmured. She held her breath as he twisted it under the lights and it changed colour with every turn. ‘Beautiful and complex, like you.’
He looked at her, in that second entirely inscrutable, unknowable. ‘Let’s see what it looks like in natural light.’
Lance took her hand again, the warm grasp of it unusual, unnecessary, and it sent a shimmer of pleasure right through her. He led her out of the shop, the little bell tinkling its quaint tinny sound as they walked into the lane once more. A chill breeze blew as leaves skittered around them. Something about this felt...important. Far more significant than it all really was. And she didn’t want to look at Lance, or the exquisite piece of jewellery he held. The morning had seemed fun, the fantasy of it all. But this was all too much, too real. She looked up at the grey sky, which always seemed to follow them here, and wrapped her coat a little more tightly round her.
‘Autumn’s coming earlier this year.’
Lance chuckled. ‘I’m not out here to talk about the weather. Do you like it?’
He held out his hand, the ring pinched between his thumb and forefinger. She looked down at the exquisite opal, full of fire with pinks and greens and blues, the muted gleam of old cut diamonds framing the edge of the gemstone. It took her breath away, this ring. How could she not love everything about it? Still she shook her head.
‘You prefer the sapphire?’
He’d compared the opal to her.Beautiful and complex.It had so much meaning. Too much, if she let her imagination run wild. ‘Aren’t opals supposed to be bad luck?’
‘Only for the faithless, apparently. Which I suppose means I’m doomed.’
