Saved By The Pirate (Book One)

33. The Pirate's Necklace

It was beautiful, it was golden-colored, it was a dress, and it was mine.

"That's mine?" I asked Lady Wheat when she held the thing I would be wearing to the ball up. She nodded.

"Yes, dear. Consider it my wedding present to you," the Lady said happily. I couldn't believe it. That dress was mine! Every fabric string of it!

"Why don't you try it on?" I smiled. I couldn't wait.

***

I stared at myself in the mirror. "Thank you so much!" I said, turning around so I could see the back of the dress.

"Of course, dear! You look wonderful. Katherine, don't you think she looks wonderful?" Lady Wheat asked, looking back at her daughter.

Glancing at Katherine in the mirror, I could see she wasn't very thrilled about me being in that dress. I think she even went as far as wanting to burn the dress - with me in it.

No matter. I wasn't going to let a Christopher obsessed girl get the best of me. I looked good in this dress, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"She looks beautiful, Mother," Katherine sighed, longing to leave. Her mother smiled triumphantly and turned back to me.

"Shall I brush your hair?"

My hair was such a mess anyway, there was no point in trying to untangle the rat's nest, but I just nodded, smiling, and Lady Wheat called over one of the maids asking for a brush.

"Just hold still, dear," she said, gently, connecting brush to hair. She brushed in long strokes, making sure she got every single one of my hairs - every single one of them. It was painful; there was no denying that. How could women do this every day? It was torcher!

It hurt so bad that I couldn't even hide it. I made squeaks here and there, and I couldn't stop the facial expressions I made. It was too much. Both the Lady and Katherine noticed this and looked at me through the mirror. The Lady with concern and Katherine with humor.

"Am I hurting you, dear?" The Lady asked with her big doe-like eyes.

"N-no," I said, biting back some unladylike things. "All is well."

From the corner of my eye, I watched as Katherine was about to burst in laughter. Why thank you. I'm glad my suffering brings you joy.

Once the Lady finished, she handed the brush back to one of the maids. "I think-. Oh! I almost forgot, silly me," the Lady said, turning to her deranged daughter. "Katherine, do you mind handing me that pearl necklace Christopher had given me? I believe you have it. At least, I do recall you said you wanted to borrow it."

Katherine's once entirely joyful face turned red at that moment. "I-. Mother, I gave it back to you, remember?"

"Oh, yes," the Lady said. "It should be in my chamber then."

In the Lady's chamber, hmm, why did that sound so familiar? Wait. Pearls, Christopher, necklace, oh no. No.

"Uh... my Lady, I don't think I need a necklace. This gown is perfect enough without it," I reasoned. "And besides, I already have my husband's ring on my finger. I don't need another thing from him."

"She's right, Mother!" Katherine screamed. She was so loud that even one of the servants jumped.

Her mother whipped her head around to look at her daughter. "Katherine," she said. "You're yelling."

Katherine sighed. "But she-"

"Nonsense. This dress is not complete without this necklace. Be a dear and fetch it for me, please darling?"