Niamh glanced down at her hands.
There were cuts on her skin.
She’d gotten them while cracking open the king crab.
Even though Elmer White’s technique was helpful, it was almost impossible to
break down such a massive crab without the right tools and not come away with a scratch.
“Thank you, but I’ve got it,” she said.
She reached for the first aid kit Jonathan was holding, but he didn’t hand it over.
“Let me help you,” he said softly.
“That’s not necessary. I can do it myself,” Niamh insisted.
She knew she needed to clean and cover her wounds, or they’d get in the she worked on the crown.
way
when
Jonathan must have realized that too–hence the first aid kit.
“Let me help you,” he repeated.
Niamh felt her irritation flare.
Was he really going to make a scene in front of so many people?
“I said I can manage,” she replied, her voice turning cool, her tone steely. “Or maybe you can give me a reason, Mr. Thomas–why, exactly, do I need your help?”
Jonathan fell silent.
Just then, Queen Elizabeth’s curious voice cut through the tension. “Forgive me for asking, but do you two know each other?”
Niamh and Jonathan both turned to her, answering in unison:
“She’s my-”
“He’s my ex–husband,” Niamh finished without missing a beat.
Jonathan’s words faltered, but Niamh didn’t hesitate. She snatched the first aid kit from his hands and quickly tended to her wounds herself, just enough to keep her hands steady for the delicate work ahead.
1/2
09:19 59
Jonathan clenched and unclenched his empty fists, then silently stepped away.
Ever since she’d learned Jonathan and Niamh were once married, Queen Elizabeth found herself watching Jonathan and Marina with far more scrutiny.
At first, she’d assumed Marina was Jonathan’s girlfriend. Marina always held onto his arm so comfortably, and while everyone else addressed him as “Mr. Thomas, only Marina ever called him “Jonathan.” Still, Jonathan had never introduced Marina as his girlfriend or fiancée, which left Queen Elizabeth quietly questioning their relationship.
Now, knowing Jonathan and Niamh were divorced, it stood to reason that both were single and free to pursue new relationships. Yet, for some reason, Marina just gave her a distinct impression of being… the other woman.
Whatever favorable impression Queen Elizabeth had of Marina at first had completely vanished. In fact, the more she observed, the less she liked her.
It took Niamh a long time to finish restoring the crown.
Impatient, Marina muttered under her breath, “It was only three diamonds that fell out. If it were me, I’d have fixed it ages ago…”
But when Niamh finally handed the restored crown back to Queen Elizabeth, the queen could hardly contain her delight.
“Oh my goodness! Did you actually recut all of these diamonds?”
As soon as Queen Elizabeth spoke, Marina hurried forward.
Niamh had replaced all the colorless round diamonds that Marina once used for the angel’s wings with square stones, then set every one of them in a true invisible setting–no sign of metal anywhere.
Compared to that, Marina’s previous work looked painfully amateur.
jangles,
“You simply can’t do an invisible setting with round diamonds,” Niamh explained, her tone like a teacher correcting a pupil. “You need squares, rectangle or trapezoids to cut proper grooves. And that blue sapphire you used as the centerpiece–such high quality, but you lost so much fire trying to force it into an angel shape.”
Marina’s eyes blazed with resentment at being lectured in front of everyone.
Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth, still marveling at the crown, suddenly caught on.
“This invisible setting… Oh! I know who you are!”
