Love, Life, and Jewellery

Chapter 5: The Invitation

November 24th, 1924

London

To most honoured Mr Clementine,

It is my pleasure to invite you as a most esteemed guest to the Houston Estate Christmas ball. The ball is to be held on December 24th. A feast of the finest foods will be prepared and dancing will take place until the clock strikes midnight. I most humbly ask for your attendance and wait anxiously for your reply.

Yours truly,

Your loyal customer and friend, Miss Greta Houston

Alastair had received the letter two days ago, and since it had first been opened, it had lain untouched on the smooth-lacquered coffee table in the study on the third floor. It was however, not forgotten. Although only a single piece of white paper, it stood out like a dead tree in the centre of a grassy moor.

Alastair had never been invited to a ball; and never had he ever wished to attend one. He had never felt the allure of ballroom dancing and had never learnt the art of movement to music. Couples dancing across polished floorboards weaving in and out amongst each other, the polite chatter of men and women while sipping fragrant red wines and the cosy atmosphere of love, friendship and merriment was a situation in that Alastair was an outsider.

The invitation had triggered a raging debate within his mind, and questions which only his own ponderings would answer. Firstly: why had Miss Greta sent him the invitation? Alastair reasoned that she fancied him and hoped that a connection could be made if he attended their Christmas ball. The thought of being in the company of such an unpleasant and obnoxious woman repulsed him, and ordinarily Alastair would have immediately discarded the document and continued with his own enclosed existence.

There was however one main reason that Alistair had kept the letter in situ for the past two days: Natalia will be there. Although it had been over a week since Miss Greta and her younger sister had visited his jeweller shop, he had found that several times a day his mind would find its way back to her dreamy eyes and long dark hair. He simply found the girl intriguing; she had an originality of unspoken character that Alastair had never detected within any woman he had ever met. The fact that he knew so little about her, had not even heard her speak, ignited his curiosity in such a way that he may even go as far as leaving his comfort zone and entering undiscovered territory.

The most pressing question of all had sat with the weight of an anvil upon his heart: was he going to attend the Christmas ball? After two days of procrastination and indecision, Alastair took out a fountain pen of blue ink and a piece of cream-coloured parchment. Gradually, he began to write:

27th of November, 1924, London

Dearest customer and friend Miss Greta,

In response to your earlier invitation to your Houston Estate Christmas ball, I am pleased to inform you that I will be attending the night of fine food and dancing on December 24th.

Respectfully,

Your Jeweller, Mr Alastair Clementine