Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

An Abomination

"You know I don't," Ana turned to him, a smile on her face. "We desperately needed that new bathtub." Will couldn't help but grin that that, it was almost finished being installed and Will was far too excited to christen that elaborate marble tub. He'd first joked when he'd seen it that they could have swam in it, but Ana had replied that she had something different in mind.

"We did." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek, breathing in the orange water of her perfume. "But you already have sapphires."

"And now I have two sets." She turned to the box, taking it from Louise and holding it out to him. "They're gorgeous, take a look." Will flipped the gold latch, lifting the lid and peering down at the black velvet inside. The set that her mother had bought her were lovely, but they were nothing compared to these. Sapphires swirled in curves and curls, outlined in diamonds that glittered in the light of the room. Even the fine gold of their setting gleamed in the light, and Will drew out the tiara to consider it.

"Ana, wherever did you get these?" He turned to his wife, placing the tiara atop her pinned hair. It only seemed to enhance everything he loved about her, from the gold of her hair to the light in her eyes. "They must have cost an absolute fortune."

"Oh, I don't know how much they cost." She plucked the earrings from the case, faceted sapphires fringed with diamonds, and turned to one of the many mirrors in the room to put them in her ears. "They were a gift."

"I think I would remember these." Will followed her, still holding the box as she clasped the matching bracelets around her wrists. "Unless you've already cuckolded me and these are from a lover."

She snorted, and Will didn't think he'd ever heard such a delightful sound. "My love, you would suspect me so soon?"

"If they aren't from a lover, then where are they from?" Will looked to the box, noticing the glittering gold label that he had overlooked. "Is that Russian?"

"Yes, when I took it to a Tiffany's they were quite certain that not only the box, but all of the jewelry is from Fabrege." She turned her back to him, "Care to help with the necklace?"

The gold chain was delicate between his fingers, but the weight of all the stones made him fear for his wife's spine for a moment. "Fabrege, I assume they're exclusive?"

"They usually serve the nobles in Saint Petersburg." Ana watched as the diamonds and sapphires spread across her chest. "Apparently while we were on our honeymoon, a servant came to the house. He didn't speak much English, but Peggy said he pressed the box into her hands, said it was a wedding gift for me, and then left." Her fingers dipped underneath the black velvet cushion of the box, pulling out a piece of paper. "There's a letter that came with it, although I can't read it."

Will glanced at it. "I'm assuming it's in Russian."

"And finding someone to translate it has not been easy." Ana sighed as he finally clasped the necklace around her throat. "Although I haven't exactly been trying very hard."

"Do you think it's from your supposed family?" Will let his hands rest on her shoulders, considering the both of them in the mirror. God, he wished he had a photographer to capture the way she was smiling, the finery around her neck and in her hair. "Or maybe someone heard your story and thought to play a joke on you?"

She sighed, "Perhaps, or perhaps someone had simply ordered it for me and it had to come direct from Russia. I hardly care which, but aren't they just beautiful, Will?"

"You are." He bent down, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Would you mind if I asked you to wear something?"

"Usually you're asking me to wear less." She giggled, but turned around in his arms. "What did you have in mind?"