SHORT STORIES:ງ໐นrຖēฯ iຖt໐ thēir ຟ໐rl໓

Hoist 💎

My name is Countess Fryanceen Dailiah De Aalore. I am a wife, a thief, and an accomplice. Tonight I stand in the role of all three.

What I am about to do tonight I have done on many occasions but it doesn't make it any easier. This feeling of apprehension and fear will not subside until what I came to do is over and we are safely away from here.

I say we because the man that took my gloved hand as I alighted from the black Roll Royce was the second piece in this three-prong team of thieves.

We would meet the third piece soon but for now, we made our way up to the breathtaking mansion that loomed before us with the customary smile of greeting plastered upon our lips to meet the host and hostess of tonight's beautiful gala.

Lord and Lady Haythorn were such a contrast that for a minute I found myself wondering how the two ended up together. The snobby round figure of Lady Haythorn clad in a pink satin dress with bellowing skirts outfitted with ruffle and lace favored a pig dressed up in finery. Her husband on the other hand was tall and regal but lack the galant air of authority.

"Aww Count and Countess Aalore it's a pleasure to have you here," Lord Haythorn beamed.

"The pleasure is ours," my husband returned as he took the outstretched hand offered.

With his rogue charm---- the silently fuming hostess who stared daggers at her husband as his lips lingered a little bit too long upon my knuckles---- my darling made her a pink blob of girlish giggles with a blush that burned red down to her collarbones when he greeted her in return. I smiled at her as I suppress the urge to giggle at the spectacle she made.

I just clutch my star-splattered statement clutch and let my hand find my husband's as it was released from Lord Haythorn's grip.

I really wanted to get inside and get the night over with. I got my wish as the chairperson for the evening made the timely announcement that all guests should proceed to the huge ballroom where my darling Antonio Delgrave would be playing Chopin-Ballade No.2 in F major, Op 38. The excitement and fear intrigued me and I felt my darling give my gloved-covered hand a comforting squeeze.

In the middle of the gold, green and brown ballroom in which we entered shortly neatly rowed chairs with gold-colored padded upholstery faced a grand piano that was soon to be the captivator of an unsuspecting audience.

The usher at the door took us to our seats and I made small quick greetings to the other occupants before the light dimmed, however the one where the piano was staged shun brightly on the scene that was about to be displayed. My heart fluttered with excitement. I could tell everyone was just as excited too.

I made a quick survey as I settled in my seat. The door that would lead me to my main objective, the 110.3-carat pear-shaped yellow diamond that originated in South Africa in 2010 when it was unearthed. In the Sotheby's auction, it brought in $10.9 million and 12.4 million when bought. It broke the record for being the most expensive yellow diamond, had no one manning it, lovely.

A few seconds after we took our seats a hush fell over the ballroom. I smiled when I saw him walk in and made his way to the piano looking splendid in his black coattails. This person was the third prong, the reputable Alexandrof McIntyre.

He was totally resplendent when he made a slight bow before taking his seat on the padded piano seat. I held my breath as he poised delicate fingers above the piano then began to slowly take us on the dreamy pensive, composition of the Chopin-Ballade No. 2 in F major, Op 38.

Like everyone else the nocturne emissions of the typical romantic notes compelled emotions of a longing bitter-sweet. Within minutes, however, it ascended towards escalating vibrant notes that took you on a fierce journey of passion that was at your finger's tips yet out of your reach.

I stood up abruptly, too fierce was the feeling it emitted from me, causing the waiter that approach to serve our row champagne tray to fly from his hand in a deafening crash as I knock into him.

He still played, he continued to rip from my soul emotions and feelings that I never ever want to face as I retreated from the ballroom through the door taking deep ragged breaths. His pace was once again slow I became momentary transfixed but the feel of a strong hand gripping my arm caused me to spin around to stare at an angry Lady Haythorn.

The harsh words that were about to explode from her lips stood trapped as she stared into my emotionally filled eyes that spilled tears down a perfectly made-up cheek.

Her eyes softened as she quietly instructed a passing maid to guide me to a restroom. I followed the young girl my mind now firmly on the reason I came here.

"Please could you take me to a chamber where I could privately compose myself," I ask feigning a weakness that was more real than I like and I needed to get closer to the diamond. "And make Count Aalore know I will be fine."

She was at first apprehensive but looking at my pale face she took me up a flight of stairs that I knew led to the private quarters.

"Stay here," she said opening a door for me to enter " I'll get you some camomile tea."

The minute the door closed behind her I hurridly started my quest. I knew the outline of the castle all too well. A few months ago The Opulent a plush magazine that focuses on the rich and famous featured the Haythorn's recently purchased magnificent castle outlining and detailing secrets of the past that would serve my purpose.

The sounds of the Ballad seeped all the way up to me from the downstairs, it propelled me with mythical fingers to the old chamber of the first owner of the castle who for his abnormal thirst for young boys had fitted rooms with secret passages to take them to him by his slaves who procured them.

I glanced down the hall as I made it to the door founding it unlocked I slipped inside and made for the huge ornamental drapery that I knew hid the secret passage.

It took me a few minutes to my apprehension to unlock the secret passage but I spared no time in maneuvering my way through the dark tunnel to the one place where I needed to be, the master bedroom.

I pushed the sounds of the Ballad away and focus my mind on the outline of the castle floor that I had studied. One, two, three, four I counted as I ran my fingers over the stone wall and smiled as I found what I was looking for. With a brace and shove against a slight rise in the wall, I was inside the place that held the real yellow diamond.

I took a quick look around and listen but I saw and heard nothing. With strides that seemed far, I rushed to the dressing table and pulled it away from the wall to reveal Lady Haythorn's safe.

I smiled with excitement now caused by my undiscovered retrieval of the beautiful diamond. I hurriedly entered the code given to me by Alexandrof ---which I did not acquire how he got it--- and laughed as it swung open without any alarm.

The blatant naivety of the rich sometimes surprised me. With the belief that no one would ever know that the real yellow diamond was not the one being displayed tonight no major security was provided to safeguard the real diamond. All the flair for the fake gave me easy access to the real one.

I slipped it into my clutch where it nestled beside the small revolver it too held and with deft movements I hurridly wiped away all my prints after placing the room back the way it was.

It took a few seconds after my arrival back to the room where I pretended to doze that the maid returned with the tea. She gently shook me awake.

"I think a little rest was what I needed," I told her slipping on my stilettos and leaving her standing there.

Three days later as three people aboard a private yacht somewhere in the pacific ocean listening to the recorded sounds of Chopin-Ballade No. 2 in F major, Op 38, and sipping champagne the 110.3-carat pear-shaped yellow diamond was discovered stolen and a comatose Lady Haythorn was laying lost in disbelief in her bed chamber.

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And thanks to you all for taking the time to read my book "Short Stories" 😄🤗😊

Lots of love, birdeyze ~♡