There’s no chance I’m leaving this store without everything I’ve just tried on.
Later that day, after Belle had dragged her to Soho to go to every boutique on Carnaby Street, they finally arrived home. They were both carrying enough bags to make their arms ache, and Alexandra was grateful to flop down into a chair, kicking off her shoes and rubbing at her swollen feet. Belle certainly had stamina when it came to shopping, that was for sure.
‘Girls, you’re back!’
Her aunt Elizabeth glided into the room, her hair pinned into an elegant, bouffant bun that she’d taken to wearing for the past five years. Her elegance often reminded Alexandra of her mother, the way they held themselves, the way they moved, and of course the way they looked. Sometimes she worried that she’d started to lose the image of her mother in her mind, and had replaced her with Elizabeth, after all these years.
Elizabeth was holding something in her hand, and she came to sit beside Alexandra. It appeared it was an envelope, and she kept it in her hand as she spoke.
‘I see the shopping trip was successful,’ her aunt said with a knowing smile. It was no secret that Belle did enough shopping for both her cousin and mother combined—both of whom preferred the solitude of home, if given the chance, whereas Belle loved to be out and about. ‘Your father is going to have a fit, as usual. Did you charge everything?’
Belle smiled. ‘He won’t mind at all. I’ll break the news to him over dinner.’
‘Speaking of fathers,’ her aunt said, shuffling a little closer. ‘This arrived for you today. I wanted to give it to you as soon as you arrived home. I thought it might be from yours.’
‘Oh.’ Alexandra reached out a hand for the cream envelope, her heart picking up its beat as she slid her fingernail beneath the seal. Her father had barely acknowledged her existence these past few years—she imagined he was still gallivanting in the South of France, entertaining himself with women half her mother’s age. The few things she’d overheard from her aunt and uncle hadn’t exactly painted him in the best light, and most days she was grateful to be estranged from him.
Alexandra’s eyes quickly traced over the words, furiously blinking away tears when she realised who the card was from. Trust her to get her hopes up and end up disappointed by him.
‘What does he say?’ Belle asked.
Alexandra cleared her throat and looked directly into her aunt’s eyes, knowing that she would understand, given that she had never tried to hide her dislike of her brother-in-law. ‘It’s actually from the royal family,’ she said. ‘Wishing me a happy birthday.’ She cleared her throat, knowing it had most likely been sent by the Queen, who’d faithfully written to her every birthday, as well as on the anniversary of her mother’s passing. ‘It was very kind of them to send me best wishes, although it appears the same cannot be said about my father. Truth be told, he probably doesn’t even know what date my birthday is.’
Elizabeth took her hand and held it gently for a long moment. Her aunt didn’t need to say anything—her eyes said it all.
‘I’ve been hoping for weeks that he might send you something special,’ Elizabeth confessed. ‘But in case he didn’t, I wanted to give you these. I hope they will make you forget all about your father’s absence.’
Alexandra watched as her aunt took a small velvet box from her pocket, holding it out to her.For me?
‘But it’s not my birthday until Saturday,’ Alexandra whispered, taking the box and looking up in wonder at her aunt. ‘And I don’t expect anything from you, certainly nothing extravagant.’ Her aunt and uncle had kept her all this time, had refused to receive money from her father and been beyond generous when it came to both her education and care, so she certainly didn’t want them making a fuss on her birthday.
‘We have another present to give you on Saturday, but I like to think of this as a little something from me,’ Elizabeth said, her voice lowering an octave, ‘and from your mother. I’m sure she would have wanted you to have them. As do I.’
Alexandra opened the box and gasped when she saw two diamonds twinkling back at her—the most beautiful, elegant earrings she’d ever set eyes upon, and easily a carat each in size.
‘They’re too much.’ Alexandra’s eyes filled with tears again, but happy ones this time as she touched her fingertips to one of them.
‘They belonged to your grandmother,’ her aunt said, leaning over to carefully take one out and gently pushing it through the single hole in Alexandra’s earlobe. ‘Your mother and I always argued over who was to have them, but our mother chose to give them to me on my wedding day, with the explicit promise that they were to remain in our family forever. I was the first to marry, and that was how she chose between us.’
Alexandra turned her head so her aunt could place the other one in her right lobe, before standing to look in the large, gilded mirror above the fireplace. ‘They’re beautiful,’ she said, turning ever so slightly one way and then the other, and watching as each earring caught the light. ‘But Belle, surely you want—’
‘Belle has plenty of other pieces of family jewellery she can inherit from me,’ her aunt said firmly, interrupting her. ‘These are for you, Alexandra. I lent them to your mother on her wedding day, so they have a connection to her that is special beyond words, and now they belong to you. There is no one I want to have them more than you.’
‘Thank you,’ she said, throwing her arms around her aunt. ‘For everything, not just these. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.’
‘You’re more than welcome,’ Elizabeth said, but Alexandra could see how much her words meant to her, for tears were filling her aunt’s eyes now too. They both dabbed at their cheeks then, smiling through their tears. ‘And who knows? Perhaps your father will surprise us all by sending you something on Saturday too.’
Alexandra resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It seemed that pigs would sooner fly than her papa remember his only daughter on her eighteenth birthday. He could have remarried or had more children for all she knew, it had been that long since he’d bothered to contact her, although she was fairly certain her uncle made sure to keep abreast of her father’s whereabouts. Something as significant as marriage would most likely have been news that was reported back to him.
‘Perhaps,’ she said politely, holding her tongue on everything else she’d have liked to say about him. She was going to ask her aunt about her mother’s jewellery collection, but decided not to—she had so many pieces that were family heirlooms and items that had been gifted to them by the royal family over the years. She’d wondered for some time where her jewellery might be, or what would have happened to the possessions in their home back in Athens after so long. ‘These are truly the most beautiful gift that anyone has ever given me. Thank you.’
‘Now, let’s talk about tomorrow night,’ Elizabeth said with a big grin. ‘I cannot wait to take you all. The opera would have been my first choice, but the orchestra will be just as magical. I was thinking we could have a glass of champagne here first, before we go.’
‘That sounds perfect,’ Alexandra said. ‘Thank you, both of you.’ She looked from her aunt to her cousin. ‘I know I probably don’t say it enough, but I’m so grateful for everything you both do for me.’
Belle jumped to her feet then and linked her arm through hers. ‘Come on, let’s go upstairs and plan out our outfits for the weekend.’ They picked up some of the shopping bags and headed for the stairs, Belle dragging her along at speed to her bedroom.
‘Did I mention we’re meeting William on Saturday night?’ Belle asked as she flopped onto her bed. ‘He said he’ll take us out with some of his university friends, would you believe it? I think we’re going to have the best night of our lives! It’s going to be amazing.’
