Page 5 of Midnight Secrets

Chapter Three

Lucrezia (Present Time)

“Look at this stunning design. The intertwined leaves around the necklace are beautiful.” Catarina stood staring at a necklace laid out on a red velvet display to accentuate the stones.

She was selecting a present for a friend’s birthday and had dragged me to this exclusive jewellery shop in Covent Garden in London. The owner flashed an amused glance in my direction as I feigned disinterest.

“The artist designs unique pieces and never replicates them,” he started his sales pitch. “Every piece has the hallmark of the studio so that the owner knows the value of it.”

In other words, it was an incredibly expensive piece that would cause a dent in her allowance. The pink tourmalines had been carved into delicate roses and inset into the necklace to make it appear that they were growing there.

“What do you think, Lucrezia?” She waved me over from where I was studying some of the newest designs of other artists.

“It’s lovely, but will it suit Harmony?”

“It’s more than lovely,” the owner intervened, giving me a reproachful stare. “It is unique and more importantly a talking point for the owner. Each of these roses are handcrafted to suit the piece. The skill of the artist is very much in demand. Her pieces sell as soon as they come in.”

“How much?” Catarina asked, flicking her long black hair over her shoulder.

His lips tipped up in a knowing smile. “Twenty thousand pounds.” My sister’s eyes widened in shock at the price. “You are not buying a piece of jewellery, but a piece of art.”

My pieces were expensive, and when I first approached Sebastian to sell them in his store, he was the one who advised me on the price. It had been a learning curve, but he knew how to sell to his customers and make them want what he sold. That necklace had taken me hours to create and the delicate roses reminded me of the roses that used to be on the wall in my bedroom back in Tuscany.

Papa had been right about one thing; our trust funds meant we didn’t have to work if we didn’t want to. However, I never considered my creations work—they were an extension of me. Every single one of the collections told a story of my life. All the other tourmaline rose pieces had sold and they reminded me of lying daydreaming on my bed and plotting the future.

“I’ll take it.” Catarina sighed as if she was bored, but the light in her eyes said she was plotting. “And I’ll take the charm bracelet over there with all the faeries dancing around it.”

In fairness, the bracelet was more Harmony’s style so it left me wondering why she needed the necklace as well.

“We’re meeting Papa for lunch,” Catarina said, sliding her arm through mine as she tugged me outside after paying for her purchases.

“I take it the necklace is for you?” I asked.

Her scary grin answered without the need for words. Catarina was a collector of things to fill her life. She lived her life to the extreme and pushed every rule until it was ready to break in her hands.

I only agreed to this trip to London to source materials for my next collection, but Catarina had hijacked it and seemed determined to drag me around behind her on her shopping spree.

The restaurant was filling up with customers, but we were shown directly to Papa’s table. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest when I saw who was at the table. For five years, I avoided this man like the plague because he left me confused and tongue-tied. He’d been my first and only crush and I always felt like an idiot in front of him.

Xavier turned and smiled at us. “There you two are! We were going to have to send out a search party.”

Five years had taught me a lot, more than anyone would ever know. I learnt how to sculpt my face the same way I did gold or silver. No one ever knew what I was thinking.

My lips curved up in my professional smile. “Don’t be silly. What do you think happens when two women are let loose on the streets of London with a credit card? Papa.” I kissed his cheek and sat beside him without acknowledging anyone else.

“Did you two buy anything nice?” he asked, waving a waiter to the table. “We’ll be ready to order in two minutes.” That was mine and Catarina’s cue to decide what we wanted since we kept them waiting.

“Can I take a drink order for the ladies?” The waiter hovered close, his stylus poised over his order device.

“I’ll have a white wine,” I replied. “Catarina?”

“Same here. Bring us a bottle of your house special.”

I tended not to drink at lunchtime, but this was an exception since I didn’t realise Ash would be here. I had a meeting with a diamond distributer at three this afternoon, so I discreetly checked the time on my phone and popped it back in my bag. My security detail Francis knew my schedule. He was Madison’s brother who kept my secret safe and helped organise my appointments with clients and suppliers.

“How are you two ladies of leisure coping without your sister? You were always like the three musketeers,” Jordan said, lifting his glass of amber liquid to his lips.

It had taken Sofia a year to convince Papa to let her go to university. Her four-year course was coming to an end later this year and she would be a fully qualified architect. It was unfortunate everyone thought I did nothing all day but paint my nails.

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