Things between the Prince and I had been a little strained since our conversation yesterday. I tried making eye contact to gain his attention to talk but he seemed content with chatting up all the other girls.
I think I was becoming paranoid. Everyone had been fighting for his attention with the eliminations around the corner.
Since it had been a few weeks since coming to the palace, the prince encouraged us to send a letter or package home to our families.
I had written a letter in the day room with Harriet and we had decorated them with sparkly pens. It wasn't something I did often, since I could easily text or call, but it was a fun activity.
Some girls had packages of sweets or photographs to send to their parents, friends or siblings. Genevieve just sent her parents a text, complaining that writing a letter would strain her hands.
Stella was giving her younger sister a teddy bear that had a big bow around its neck and a love heart sewn into its chest.
Penny came in abruptly and was holding a brown satchel bag. She said it was a special gift for her sister.
Even though I swear she had told me the other day that she had been so glad to get away from her 2 brothers, no mention of a sister.
Her story didn't add up to me.
The paranoia of everything was getting to me I think.
Whatever was in her bag though seemed to be weighing Penny down by the way she was carrying it.
I leant forward to peak inside and caught a glimpse of something shiny, but she moved slightly, knocking into me and caused me to trip forward.
Penny, myself and the bag went flying.
What was surprising was what fell out of the bag.
A sprawl of jewels, from necklaces to earrings, tumbled from the satchel, all gemstone encrusted and expensive looking. Everyone in the day room silenced, including the prince who had been chatting to some of the girls unaware.
It was silent until the princess cried out.
"My necklace! She stole my necklace!"
✿✿✿
The prince took Penny and his sister from the room immediately while a handful of maids collected the taken jewels.
"Do you really think she was trying to take the jewels? Give them to her family?" Stella asked the room of girls.
We all stood huddled in a uneven circle around where Penny's bag had been dropped.
"I don't see the point. We are already living in luxury and our families receive compensation. What's the need for more?" Genevieve muttered, more concerned with the state of her hair than the actual situation at hand.
"Maybe she didn't steal them." I suggest but I'm shot a few looks, from Genevieve in particular, like that's absurd.
"Of course she took them. They fell from her bag, they didn't just magically appear in there." Gen explains as she waves her hands around while she talks, shooting me a glare.
"I'm sure Penny didn't mean it." Freya said, trying to stick up for her friend.
"If that's even her real name." Lexi hissed under her breath.
The room went deadly silent and everyone was looking around at everyone else. Some with glares and others with concerned faces.
Genevieve muttered something unintelligible about Penny before she and many of the other girls made way to the exit.
Before anyone could leave Prince Thomas came through the doors.
He looked completely serious and hurried, clearing his throat.
"Lady Isabelle, come with me."
His tone had changed, totally and utterly serious. For a second I was scared of his authority. He seemed to be taking the current events seriously.
I followed him from the room, only glancing back to see some of the concerned faces of girls thinking I did something wrong too.
Was I in trouble? I hadn't done anything. I suppose I knocked into Penny.
Once we are out of the room and the doors close behind us Prince Thomas speeds his pace but keeps talking.
"Penny said you happened to bump into her. Not that this is really significant in the matter, but we need any help we can get trying to figure out what happened."
"Is she going to be sent home?" I ask, my voice only coming out in a whisper.
The prince turns to me, "That's the thing. Penny claims she didn't steal anything and someone had changed what was in her bag. She seems sincere but I don't know what to believe."
I continue alongside him until we reach another door, one I haven't been through. It leads through to a large office where the king, queen, princess and Penny are present.
"Have you looked through security footage?" I ask, looking to the prince then the king who looks extremely concerned.
"Yes, but some of the files appear to be missing. We can get an IT person to come out if needed. Unless there is a confession." The king spoke in a firm voice, clicking a few times on a large pc screen.
"I pretty handy with technology, if you need assistance."
"Let Isabelle have a look dad, she's quite intelligent." Princess Charlotte said, giving me a smile and nodding towards the pc her father was using.
The king considered before stepping aside and allowing me access to the screen.
It was open on the folders of security files so I flicked through, realising by the timestamps the ones we needed weren't there, but that didn't mean I couldn't find them.
I opened the section of code and scrolled through, finding exactly what I thought had happened. It was just some basic changes, an encryption to hide.
"All the files are here, someone has just tampered with the device and made them appear to be inaccessible." I explain, my eyes flicking to Penny who sits in a chair avoiding my eye and Princess Charlotte looks at me proudly.
"Wow, well done Miss, for figuring it out." The king gave me a grateful look and I showed him how to retrieve the files.
I took away the fault and closed the code to show all the missing files we still there, "Now you can see what really happened."
"Thank you Miss Isabelle. Now Thomas, take the ladies to the sitting area while your mother and I figure this out." The king said and the prince nodded at his instructions.
I followed Penny out of the room and the prince and princess followed behind me.
Penny looked at me with concerned eyes, her cheeks lightly tear stained.
We came to a sitting room and we all sat together.
But more than concerned, she looked scared. I didn't know if she was guilty, but by the look on her face she certainly wasn't innocent.
After a few minutes the king returned, not giving anything away with his serious expression, and pulled Prince Thomas and Princess Charlotte from the room.
Now Penny and I were alone.
I heard a sob so I turned to her on the couch.
"Isabelle, they're going to send me home." She whispers in between weeping, sniffling every few seconds.
I move over to comfort her with a hug, "You'll be fine as long as you didn't do anything wrong." I say but that didn't seem to make her feel better.
Actually it just made her feel worse I think, and her crying became louder.
"But I did," She cried out, "I stole the jewellery and now there going to get rid of me."
I was shocked for a moment.
She actually stole the jewellery, why would she do that?
"Why did you do it Penny?" I ask softly, hoping she might tell me.
She looks over to me, "I don't know. I just saw these nice things and thought no one would even notice they're missing."
I know I can't doing anything to fix this, since she's admitted what she's done to me. And the security footage she's tried to delete is now uncovered.
She'd be lucky if all they do is send her home. Theft from anyone is bad, but from the royal family.
Knowing there's nothing I can do I pull her into my arms and hug her tight, feeling her shake with her sobs.
"Everything will be alright Penny, don't worry." I say, but I don't think it's convincing either of us.