Masterful Trickery

X. Locked Jewels

Three years ago...

Ralph could not take his eyes away from the lady in blue.

Why would she not look at him?

That made him even more desperate to see more of her face, to look into her eyes and discover something far more.

"May I ask to be introduced?" he asked no one in particular. He looked around the group and realized Levi and Victoria shared a look of concern while Emma loudly cleared her throat.

The two young men at either side of Lady in Blue became alert and they both grabbed her by the arm and started to take her away.

What the bloody hell was happening?

As the woman was ushered away from them as though they had always meant to leave before he arrived, Ralph started to follow but his brother, Levi, reached for his arm and said, "Ralph, pray tell us about the recent case you have been working on. We are hungry for an adventure story, are we not, Tori?" he asked his wife.

"Ah, I shall spare myself of this," said Emma, jumping to her feet.

Before Ralph could stop his sister, Emma had turned to follow Lady in Blue and her companions across the ballroom. Levi was talking too much and Tori had hooked her hand around the crook of Ralph's arm.

Something was telling him that his family was conniving against him.

*****

Alex went still as she realized what he had just realized.

Ah, then it did not take long for him to realize after all, she thought.

She simply chuckled. "I told ye, I'm friends with yer sister, didn't I, guv?" Proud that she managed to be nonchalant about it, Alex held out her hand. "Now, give me me bullets. Symbol of yer apology."

Ralph narrowed his eyes at her. "You deliberately missed to tell me who you are," he said, his voice etched with accusation. "You could have simply said you are the lady from the wedding."

Alex shrugged. "I forgot 'bout that," she lied.

His eyes turned to slits. "You are telling me you forgot about it? You do not remember our time in the garden?"

Alex remembered every moment of it. How could she not? But that seemed to be a long time ago. One could say it was merely a short dream and she had long awoken from it. "Aye," she answered, stepping back, her hand still outstretched. "Me bullets, guv."

Ralph simply stared at her for a long time. Finally he snapped and he shook his head. Reaching inside the pocket of his coat, he said, "You are still one odd woman."

Alex merely gave him a mocking smile as she waited.

When his hand reappeared, it was holding a small box. Alex smiled when he handed it to her. She opened it and her smile widened. "Yer forgiven, guv," she said, snapping the box close.

Ralph could not seem to take his eyes from her, reminding her of that night of Ysabella's wedding. He had stalked her across the ballroom and surprisingly turned it into a magical one for her. He wore the same look in his eyes as he did now.

And it bothered her.

Shaking her head, Alex turned around to hide the box of bullets into her satchel.

"I am planning to go back to Wickhurst this afternoon," Ralph said behind her. When their eyes met, his was serious. "Do not dare escape again, bandit."