She had never wondered why Ariella always went to bed later and woke up earlier than her. Lizzy only coveted the shiny things that Ariella possessed, ignoring everything else.
So, everything that would happen in the future was simply a consequence of her own actions.
***
“Amira, here.”
After finishing breakfast and returning to her room, Ariella took out the dangling earrings from beneath her earlobe and handed them to Amira.
“Put it in the jewelry box now.”
“Yes!”
Amira, who was about to fetch the large jewelry box, hesitated. She then turned her head to look at Ariella, her eyes questioning.
Ariella responded with a bright smile. The clever Amira quickly understood and turned to bring out a small jewelry box that she had hidden in a less visible spot.
The earrings, adorned with faintly sparkling diamonds, soon disappeared into the jewelry box. Amira then took the box and hid it away in a suitable place.
Now, all that was left was to trust and wait for Lizzy.
The next day, Ariella woke up late and suggested to Amira.
“Amira, the weather is nice. Shall we go for a walk? A picnic would be nice, too.”
“Sure, my lady. I’ll pack your favorite almond cookies and black tea. Lord Ernst can come along, too.”
“Great, he must need a break as well.”
With that, Ariella and Amira set out for a picnic, bringing along delicious cookies and a puzzled-looking Ernst.
The guards stationed near Ariella’s door had agreed to keep an eye on things intermittently. Ernst suggested bringing in other knights, mentioning past incidents of theft, but Ariella lightly dismissed him and pulled him along.
Before long, spring was in full bloom in the courtyard. The refreshing breeze carried the scent of flowers, and the pouring sunlight was warm.
The two women spread a picnic mat on the green grass. Ariella suggested Ernst join them to enjoy the leisure, but he firmly declined.
If she forced him to sit, he would likely bubble over with frustration, so Ariella decided to stop urging him.
The day was pleasantly warm, and the chocolate almond cookies and black tea were just sweet enough with a hint of bitterness. It was truly a perfect picnic.
They returned to the room only after enjoying a delightful nap under the shade of a large tree.
Amira neatly folded Ariella’s outer garment and soon brought out the jewelry box.
Click. The small jewelry box opened with a cheerful sound.
“It’s gone.”
“Really?”
Ariella approached her and leaned in to look.
It was indeed gone. The gold earrings that had been placed in the jewelry box yesterday had vanished without a trace.
Just as they had anticipated.
“Come on, let’s hurry and catch the culprit!”
A mischievous smile spread across Amira’s face.
If it were any other accessory, it might not matter, but the earrings were a birthday gift from the Duke of Bedford and a present from the royal family, so this could escalate into a significant issue.
If it were revealed that Lizzy was the true culprit, her reputation would plummet to the worst.
Amira seemed eager to run off and catch the thief, her bottom wiggling with excitement. Ariella’s expression brightened with anticipation as well.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
“My lady, may I come in for a moment?”
“Come in, Rose.”
It was the head maid, Rose. Given that she had come during a busy time, it seemed there was an urgent matter.
Something felt off.
Amira instinctively sensed it as she watched Rose enter.
As expected, Rose wore a very troubled expression. After hesitating for a moment, she sighed and spoke.
“Um… has your earring gone missing?”
How did she know? Amira’s eyes widened in surprise.
Upon confirming this, Rose squeezed her eyes shut. Oh my. Her murmured voice was heavy with gloom.
“What’s wrong, Rose?”
“Well…”
She hesitated again for quite a while. This was an unusual reaction for someone who was always quick and decisive in her work.
“Lizzy has summoned the servants. She claims that an unknown earring suddenly appeared in her jewelry box. She believes it must be yours, Arrie, and insists that someone is trying to frame her, saying we need to find the culprit.”
Amira gasped in shock, her mouth agape. To steal something and then come forward to claim innocence—who could think in such a twisted way?
“Lord David is saying it was all instigated by Arrie. I think you should come out, my lady.”
“Okay, let’s go right away.”
Ariella immediately rose to her feet. Amira tried to follow her but was stopped.
“Amira, you wait here for a moment. And later…”
A secret whisper followed. Amira nodded vigorously, and Ariella flashed a light smile before quickly leaving the room.
It didn’t take long to reach the center of the commotion.
