Strength of Character
Moira opened her handbag and tipped its contents onto the floor. “Satisfied? Your necklace isn’t here.”
Amber’s face, recently scarlet with rage, now flushed with embarrassment. “I’m sorry. Aiden said he had seen you in my bedroom. And the necklace is gone…” She stumbled over herself, apologizing to her guest.
Moira was having none of it. “Maybe Aiden, whoever he is, stole it. Maybe he’s looking for someone to take the fall.” She took a step toward Amber, aware of every eye in the garden on her. “I’ve never been so insulted. To be accused of stealing. And from the likes of you.” She closed in for the kill. “I only accepted your invitation because you begged, and I felt sorry for you.”
Amber quailed beneath Moira’s withering gaze. She had committed social suicide and it was obvious she knew it. How their positions had reversed. Amber, head cheerleader and homecoming queen, had had it all in high school. But first her career, then her marriage had floundered. It had taken years to fight her way back.
Moira had been a studious girl with few friends. Amber had tortured her through high school. And then, in an unlikely fairy-tale scenario, Moira’s great aunt, some kind of duchess in Europe somewhere, had bequeathed her title and fortune to her favorite niece, having never married or had children of her own. And now Amber was ruined again. She would never come back from this.
Moira dropped her purse onto the small pile of its erstwhile contents before stalking off, leaving it there.
~~~
Moira couldn’t help herself. She still felt sorry for Amber. Yes, the woman had been cruel to her when they were young, but Moira had really believed she had changed. She pushed her dinner plate away, having barely touched it. Risa cleared it away.
“Will you take tea here or in the drawing room?” the maid asked.
“I think I’ll take it in my room tonight, Risa. Thank you.” Moira looked up at a sound from the doorway. Her cousin, Andrew, sauntered in, a smirk on his handsome face. Moira was puzzled until she saw the necklace dangling from his fingers.
“That’s the most fun I’ve had in years,” Andrew said. “I’ve always wanted to pay her back.”
Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place. Aiden was Andrew’s middle name. Moira rose from her chair, grabbing the necklace from her cousin. “How long have you been planning this?”
“I just took the opportunity when I saw it. I knew you’d play your part perfectly.”
Moira stepped closer, unconsciously mimicking her earlier approach to Amber. Startled, Andrew stepped back.
“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy.”
Moira shook her head. “How can you have known me all your life and yet not know me at all?” She turned to Risa, who stood, unmoving, still holding Moira’s plate. “Cancel the tea. Please have Mike bring the car around.”
Turning back to Andrew, she said, “I expect you to be gone by the time I return home from apologizing to Amber. I intend to tell her, and everyone else, exactly who took the necklace. You should probably leave the country.”
This story grew from a random first line. I changed she to Moira, and the tale took off from there. I hope you enjoyed it. I find myself wondering if Moira and Amber became friends. What would you do if you were to write a follow-up to this?
Great story, Dascha. Them becoming friends would be a good follow up.
I would not necessarily make them friends but there would be forgiveness. I would write of kindness and understanding and acceptance. And I would make sure Amber got another chance but give her strength and show that she had grown.