Love, Life, and Jewellery

Chapter 2: When eyes first meet

"I like this one," the young woman said in rather obnoxious voice to her sister. "What do you think Nettie? It's quite pretty, wouldn't you say?" Natalia threw a half-hearted glance at the gaudy trinket that Greta was pointing at. "Yes, very pretty," she mumbled, though the thought of ever wearing anything of the sort did not interest her in the slightest.  

Overhearing the two young women, Alastair emerged from the back room of his jewellery shop to greet his client and the other young lady. Miss Greta was the daughter of nobleman Sir Edgar Houston, a celebrated general of the Great War and an acclaimed architect. She was a regular in Alastair's shop, often bustling around, proclaiming every second thing marvellously beautiful and buying every third thing. He was used to her intruding form, which was always dressed in latest fashions that never complemented her robust figure. Her face was rather wide and her nostrils seemed permanently flared, as if she was constantly trying to sniff the essence out of all that surrounded her. Her small brown eyes seemed too close together for normal, and had a tendency to fix undistractedly on anything that took her fancy. She was at this moment implementing that particular gaze on the sapphire and gold ring that she had pointed out to the other young woman earlier. 

"Ah, Mr Clementine! How lovely to see you," Greta shot Alastair what she thought was a winning smile. 

"Always a pleasure Mademoiselle." He bowed curtly. Greta motioned to the young woman next to her. 

"This is my younger sister, Natalia," she said, and Alastair turned his attention to her. 

Her eyes lifted reluctantly from the ground and met his. She was slimmer than her sister, and much prettier, he thought. Her long black hair was styled into not-quite-perfect plaits that complemented her delicate visage. She was dressed in a plain emerald green dress that suited her quite perfectly, and brought out the brightness in her brown eyes. Alastair kept his eyes locked on hers as he bowed deeply. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Natalia," he said, though this time with genuine meaning. She looked as if she was going to say something when she was interrupted by her sister. 

"Mr Clementine, do tell me about this lovely piece? It is quite exquisite! I should very much like to buy it..." 

Alastair kept a straight face and pretended to be interested in her rambling and pompous voice. Somehow, he found his gaze kept wandering back to the intriguing girl. She was probably about sixteen or seventeen years of age, but there was a general air of intelligence about her. It spoke through the way she appeared disinterested in her sister's material fantasies and the way her eyes moved into a dreamy state; eyes that were windows to another world. She stood awkwardly behind her sister, seemingly daydreaming. Alastair guessed she was just as bored by Miss Greta as he was. 

"So Mr Clementine, what do you think?" Greta's shrill voice grabbed his attention forcefully. 

"Pardon?" Alastair tried to remember what she had said. 

"Do you think this marvellous piece looks good on me?" There was a heavy scent of flirtation in her manner. 

"Very lovely, Mademoiselle. It compliments your eyes." He gave her an empty smile. 

"Wonderful! I'll take it!" she smiled happily, batting her eyelashes at him. Miss Greta was an easy sell for Alastair. He had seen many women like her over the centuries, and he knew how to manipulate them all in the same way. A smile here, a compliment there; it was all too easy. He knew exactly how to take advantage of their desire for his attention. 

But as Miss Greta shuffled her way out onto the cold street, content with her new trinket upon her rather sausage-like finger, her slender sister turned once more to meet his gaze. Only the slightest moment passed with their eyes locked; but something more profound and heavy than anything that Alastair had ever experienced impacted upon his being. And with the passing of that slightest moment, she turned swiftly, her long skirt swishing to reveal the hilt of a dagger nestled firmly in her left leather boot.