The Charade – Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

by S C Richmond

 

Carl needed that necklace, the stupid girl didn’t know it’s worth nor its history he couldn’t even comprehend how it had fallen into her hands. He didn’t even know why it had fallen to him to get from her all his boss had said was that it was his responsibility to get it back. He could see the look in her eyes when he spoke to her and he knew he could win her trust, she liked him.

He strolled through the market feeling very pleased with himself, he would see her again very soon.

She reached her room and caught her breath before she went inside, running away had left her breathless. Stupid, stupid girl she told herself, ‘I’ve missed my opportunity now.’ She wondered why she couldn’t be like other women and accept a gentleman’s advances, now she’d messed things up, maybe her best chance. She let herself into her room and flopped down onto the bed. “Oh if I had a mothers influence I’d be better at these things.” She said to nothing more than an empty room. She took the new piece of ribbon from her pocket and re threaded her necklace.

She looked at herself in the mirror, she was pretty enough she knew she needed to grow up she couldn’t rely on Mr James to keep taking care of her all of her life. He and Kathy his housemaid and cook and taken her in when they saw her begging on a London street, this room belonged to Mr James too. They had been so good to her and helped her earn some money of her own. She didn’t know what she would have done without them looking out for her. Suddenly she had a feeling of strength, she knew it was time she grew up and stood on her own two feet. If Carl Ward found her attractive then she should be able to make something of herself.

She left the room and went back out towards the market, she had money in her pocket and a new attitude, she would forget about her past and start building a future.

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