Promises in Moonlight

Part 37

Seth was working in his study with the French doors open when he heard the voices.

Annie, Tina and Evie.

"Ok, here I think." Evie told the two girls. She looked at the spot she had chosen. It was perfect for the climbing rose. With a smile in her voice she added, "Then it can climb against that wall and you'll be able to get the scent of it." The two girls put down the bag of manure they were carrying and Evie put down the climbing rose they had bought from a local garden nursery. Tina picked up a shovel. Evie doubted she'd make much inroads with it, given that Tina looked almost as slender as the shovel. Hoping she didn't sound patronising Evie said, "We could wait till I can dig it."

Seth wondered whether he should volunteer. He'd have to change. He'd only just come back from Wellington and was still in his business suit. But perhaps he should go volunteer. He got to his feet and headed for the door, but stopped when he heard Tina.

"No. We can do it, can't we Annie?" Tina the fourteen year old had been desperately trying to make up for last week's debacle with the gate.

Annie agreed quickly. Seth banked a grin. He doubted whether Annie would be any more use at digging a hole than Tina. But she had sounded so determined.

Tina tried to dig, but being slight and having no previous experience, she made little headway. The ground was conceding little.

"Here." Evie smiled, as she looked at the effort and outcome. At this rate they would still be here come midnight, tomorrow, at this pace. "I'll do it."

"You're hurt." Tina shook her head and tried to make more of a dent in the ground. Who'd have known that digging a hole was this difficult? She planted the spade edge into the ground and tried to push it down by planting her foot on the top. It probably dug in about an inch.

"No. I'm ok. Tina. I'm fine." Evie pushed up her sleeves and studied her engagement ring.

"But..."

"I'll start it, then you can carry on, ok?" Evie began to tug her engagement ring off, and carefully wiped it before putting it in her rear jeans pocket. The two girls watched in amazement, surprised to see the amount of care Evie took with that cheap ring.

"You like that ring don't you?" Tina sounded puzzled as she considered the way Evie treated her cheap ring with obvious reverence. Tina had seen a ring similar to the one Evie wore, in the jewellers in town. It wasn't expensive.

"Yes." Evie smiled in clear delight. It was still the only new present she had ever received.

"Why?" Tina couldn't help but exclaim. "It's cheap." Seth winced as he heard his niece say what he knew to be true. He'd tried all sorts of tactics to get Evie to wear the other ring. But she only wore it when they were going to be out in public. And even then, she kept the other ring with her, either in a pocket, or bag, or on a chain around her neck.

"Tina!" Annie's eyes widened in horror when she heard her sister's evaluation. Annie glanced first at Tina and then at Evie, wondering how Evie would react to hearing that her ring was cheap.

Tina looked embarrassed and said more quietly, "Well it is." and then being defensive added, "I saw it at Hardy's for 39.99!"

"I know." Evie said quietly as she reached for the spade.

"See. She saw it too!" Tina tried to sound vindicated.

Tina and Annie shared a look. "So why do you like it? Guys are supposed to buy the women they love the biggest diamond they can afford." Tina told Evie in her most sophisticated voice. "And Uncle Seth is rich. Really loaded!"

"Yeah, he gave Jane a really expensive bracelet." Annie said as if she was imparting a state secret. Seth winced. It seemed everyone knew about that bracelet. "It had rubies and all sorts." Annie stated in awe. Seth cringed.

Tina frowned at her sister, before she added in a quiet voice, "So you should have a mega ring." Seth waited with baited breath to hear what Evie would say to that.

Evie remained silent. She didn't want to destroy the girls' confidence in their uncle's love, and clearly they thought Seth loved Evie. But, if they followed their own argument they would soon see that as Evie hadn't been given an expensive ring and given their uncle could have afforded one, that perhaps that showed that he didn't love Evie.

Evie shrugged then mumbled, "The ring is just a contract." She then dug the spade into the ground. She ignored the wince and dug a bit deeper. At least that took her attention away from the hurt in her heart.

Tina narrowed her eyes and asked, "What did you say, Evie?" Tina reminded her, "You said the ring is just a contract."

"Yes.  The ring is just a symbol! The ring is just a contract." Evie glanced at Tina, and could see that Tina was not happy.

Tina hoped this was just a misunderstanding. Contract. "Symbol? For love."

"No, the ring is a symbol, more of a contract. The engagement ring is just a formal contract." She kept digging. "The cost of the ring doesn't matter." She dug again with force. " What it means, is" she mumbled, "the ring is a physical entity representing a contract between two people that everyone can see, that these two people have reached an agreement. "

Tina watched Evie's antics: She was digging while she shared her view about the ring, as if she was just discussing lunch. Surely Evie would be upset given the ring was really cheap, Tina scowled. 

Annie glanced at her sister, who was clearly not happy.  Annie added, "Evie, I still think you should have like the biggest diamond." And  in Annie's  child-heart she hoped her statement would persuade Evie to pester Seth for a bigger ring! "You should tell him, the ring doesn't fit. And then, you can both go to the shop and buy the biggest ring."

Evie smiled.  "The ring is fine, Annie."

"I don't get why you like it." Tina muttered when she realised that Evie was not going to explain why their mega rich uncle had bought his prospective wife a cheap ring. She didn't understand why Evie treated the ring as if it was priceless.

Evie stopped digging, rubbed her forehead and said, "Oh, that's easy." She smiled and both girls didn't miss the absolute delight in her voice when she said, "It is my first new present." And, regardless of the fact that it was cheap, that was a feat in itself. Her first new present. Brand sparkling new. And just for her.