Belonging - Starring...
Gwendolyn Mathewson
Crispin Clover
Very Rough Draft - ©2016 Maria Bernard - Belonging (House of Goths 2)
When he had come into the shop weeks ago, Gwen couldn't stop staring. She couldn't believe her eyes or stop her heart from racing. The man might as well have stepped out of her many favourite historical romance novels. In fact, he could be any number of characters, from Heathcliff to Edward Rochester. For that matter, toss in Dracula for all the black he was wearing. Not to mention the pale skin, the long wavy black hair, and haunted grey eyes. In short, the man was breathtaking, all her Victorian inspired dreams-come-true in the flesh.
Often while standing behind the counter at Mathewson's Jewellers, the family-run business where she worked, she wondered how it all had turned out for him. He'd seemed so despondent if not jaded for lack of a better word. On the other hand, the girl he was with appeared so hopeful, so reassuring towards him. Even Gwen herself had gotten caught up in her enthusiasm. In truth, she recalled both she and Becky, as she had introduced herself, had practically ganged up on him at the time. Becky had painted such a wistful picture and Gwen couldn't help but fall under the spell of it. While Crispin, his name was, had looked on rather unconvinced the entire time.
In the end, Gwen had found the perfect gift for him to give the lucky lady in question. Gwen sighed every time she imagined it. The girl would have had to be a fool not to accept this gift. In fact, it was the most beautiful bracelet that Gwen herself had been admiring forever. It had arrived at the shop ages ago only to be ignored by the vast clientele. She'd become so enamoured with the simple little pewter bracelet. If only it was she he would have given it to. That man, that bracelet, together, it was all so very perfect.
Gwen couldn't believe it when he had run his long slender fingers over the bracelet sitting amongst the other sparkly gold and silver trinkets Becky had requested for a closer look. Gwen had placed it alongside the others in a last ditch attempt. With the slightest exchanges of eye contact with her, Crispin picked up the tiny pewter bracelet and twisted it around his fingers.
"This is the one," he said with a sigh before reaching for his wallet.
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©2016 Maria Bernard - Belonging (House of Goths 2) ISBN: 978-0-9938067-4-2