The Sultan's Strength - chapter 2

A/N - this chapter's quite fun, I think.

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Karen’s Story

Chapter 2

Simon noticed the locket as soon as he came home, hanging below my breasts on its long chain.

  “Where did that come from?” he asked, reaching for it.

 

I drew back, reluctant to let him touch it although I could not have explained why.  “It’s my inheritance.  From Great Aunt Mina.”

 

“What?  That’s it?”  I could see that he was holding back laughter and I felt my anger rise.

 

“It’s very valuable,” I snapped.  “It’s 24 carat gold and is hundreds of years old.  I have its full provenance, which can only increase the value.”

 

“Well, get it valued, then.  We could do with some extra money.”

 

And that was it.  Great Aunt Mina’s gift was reduced to a way of helping to pay the gas bill or a new carpet for the stairs.  My thoughts were all of anger, unfocused, undirected.  How dare he?  How dare he speak to me like that, dismiss my most precious possession so glibly?  He deserved to pay for what he had said but, at that moment, I could get no further in my thinking than that.  The locket felt warm through my clothes, which I supposed was due to me wearing it all afternoon.  I laid a protective hand over it, silently promising that we would have our revenge.

 

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