The year is 1464.
The War of the Roses rages on; a great showdown between Lancaster and York.
Yet, asleep in her bed, fiery-haired Melissa Woodville dreams of splintered shields, broken swords, and the resounding screams of wounded men in the Battle...
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ONCE, AS A child, Melissa stole her sister's necklace.
A glass cabochon stone the color of burnished bronze, it was suspended from three strands of delicate pearls, mounted on a round, silvertone setting —and the most expensive, beautiful piece of jewelry Elizabeth had ever owned. Her husband, John Grey had given it to her, on occasion of little Thomas' birth, and Melissa's eldest sister had worn it when she had visited Grafton, displaying it proudly above the low neckline of her blush pink dress.
If asked now, the Duchess of Gloucester could not say what possessed her to act as such — to steal from her own sister. Elizabeth, of course, had been devastated when she could not find her necklace, as it had disappeared from its perch on the wooden dresser, where she had taken it off so she could bathe. She could not have known that one of her own sisters was the thief — that little Melissa, while handing her soap and retrieving her towels, had filched it and hidden it in the loose floorboard underneath her bed.
"In fact," the red-head mused inwardly, jabbing needle into thread. "I am quite sure it is still there."
For indeed, after thieving the jewel, she had never touched it. It held no significance for her, the necklace, and perhaps she should have returned it to Elizabeth at some point, claimed a lost object to be found, but she had never cared enough to do so. It was a memento of sorts — not for its beauty or glamorousness, but something that signified her eldest sister's luck in life. First to be married, first to have children, the lady of her own lands, Elizabeth had always been the golden Woodville daughter, had inherited what seemed like all the luck in their family.
"I suppose I resented it." Melissa thought absentmindedly. "I suppose I wanted to see what it felt like — to be so naturally blessed."
