Twenty-Seven
Nancy sighed. She was going to have to handle this.
It didn’t take but a second to decide on an approach. She stepped forward, all charm and confidence. It wasn’t a role that came naturally to her—smooth wasn’t usually her style—but she was trying to channel what Ari would do if she weren’t in a full-blown panic.
‘You know what? I think there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding.’ She let out a breezy laugh, resting a hand lightly on Ari’s shoulder as if they were merely caught up in some adorable mix-up. ‘My friend here is just a bit of a disaster, bless her heart.’
Ari gaped at her. Nancy sighed, as if exhausted by the sheer complexity of the situation, and launched in.
‘Right, so. I know how this looks, but Ari was returning the necklace. She borrowed it earlier because there was this whole mix-up with the bride’s something borrowed. You know how these things go, emotions were running high, there were tears, and somewhere in the chaos, Ari ended up with the necklace.’ She let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head like she couldn’t believe it either. ‘Naturally, the moment she realised the mistake, she wanted to put it back. Discretion was key—you understand—weddings are delicate ecosystems. One wrong word, and suddenly Aunt Patricia isn’t speaking to the Maid of Honour, and the florist is threatening to leave because of vibes. So, really, she was doing the sensible thing by slipping it back without causing a scene.’
Nancy widened her eyes, radiating weary patience. ‘I mean, you can imagine what would’ve happened if she’d asked for permission to return it. It would’ve become a thing. People would overreact. The last thing anyone wants is to stress out the bride. So, technically, Ari was doing a service here. Just badly.’
Ari, catching on, nodded solemnly. ‘Yeah. I can see that now.’
The staff member blinked, visibly trying to untangle the mess she’d just been handed. But Nancy looked so reasonable, so tired by it all, that pushing further would mean getting dragged even deeper. The staff member exhaled sharply through her nose and nodded. ‘Fine. Just go back to your rooms. And don’t touch anything else.’
‘Oh, never again,’ Nancy assured her, already steering Ari toward the door.
‘Of course,’ Ari added, already backing toward the door.
The moment they were out in the hallway, Nancy grabbed Ari’s arm and dragged her toward the staircase. She flicked a look over her shoulder to see the woman lock the door.
‘You are not allowed to talk your way out of things anymore,’ Nancy whispered fiercely. ‘I was in physical pain listening to you.’
‘Hey, I was getting there!’ Ari protested. ‘I just needed a second round of excuses!’
Nancy groaned.
Ari sighed dramatically but allowed herself to be led away. ‘Fine. But for the record, I totally could’ve handled that.’
Nancy muttered, ‘Yeah. That’s what I was afraid of.’
‘I had it. I bloody had it!’ Ari cried, frustrated. ‘It was in my hands.’
‘That was the right one? You’re sure?’
Ari shot her a look.
‘OK, fine. You’re sure.’ Nancy sighed. ‘So, she did take it.’
‘You didn’t believe me?’ Ari said though she didn’t sound all that surprised.
‘I felt there was some room for error,’ Nancy pointed out as gently as possible. ‘Which is not the same thing.’
‘Well, no errors now. Just a thief and a liar,’ Ari said.
‘Yes, she is,’ Nancy agreed. ‘But that door is locked.’
Ari frowned. ‘I know.’
‘But it’s just a lock. And locked doors unlock eventually,’ Nancy said casually.
Ari looked at Nancy in astonishment. ‘You’re cool with me trying to get the necklace?’
‘It belongs to you,’ Nancy said.
Nancy felt the weight of Ari’s hand on her wrist. ‘Thank you,’ Ari said, her voice steady but quieter than usual.
The words settled into the space between them, and for a moment, Nancy wasn’t sure how to respond. Most of the time, Ari was a whirlwind of confidence, always the one holding things together, but in that moment, she looked… different. Vulnerable.
‘Yeah, well,’ Nancy finally said, trying to shrug off the big moment, ‘you’re a bloody menace. But you’re in the right.’ She paused. ‘Do you want some help?’ she added casually.
Ari’s eyes widened. ‘What? Really?’
Nancy shrugged. ‘That’s my job, right?’
‘It’s really not,’ Ari said emphatically. She took out her phone.
‘Is this the moment to check Instagram?’ Nancy asked, confused.
Ari put her phone away and smiled. ‘The money we talked about is in your account. You don’t have to do anything beyond this point. The contract is fulfilled. You can leave right now, and I’ll see you for the drive home. No harm, no foul.’
Nancy baulked. ‘You didn’t have to…’
‘I absolutely do,’ Ari cut in.
Nancy’s gaze drifted to the floor, her mind racing. She had always prided herself on being responsible, the voice of reason. But as she stood there, watching the excitement flicker across Ari’s face, a flicker of something else ignited within her.
‘You sure you don’t just want to report the theft to the police?’ Nancy checked.
‘I don’t see a world where they get that necklace back. The second they show up, that necklace gets moved. And this place is huge. They wouldn’t find it if she didn’t want them to.’
Nancy nodded. ‘I’m inclined to agree. With that in mind, I think we have to do this quietly and carefully. We work together and walk out of this place with your necklace.’
Ari’s eyes sparkled with a mixture of disbelief and gratitude. ‘Are you serious? You’d really help me?’
‘Yeah,’ Nancy replied, a smile breaking across her face. ‘If you’re going to take this chance, I might as well be there to make sure you don’t get caught.’
Ari laughed, the tension lifting from her shoulders. ‘You’re a bad influence, Nancy Doyle.’
‘I’m an idiot,’ Nancy told her—and she meant it.
She knew this was dumb. But for Ari, this was about more than a trinket. She wanted to correct a mistake, maybe even claw back some missing self-esteem in the process. Nancy wanted that for her. It surprised her just how much.
Nancy glanced toward the grand staircase, her heart thudding. They needed a plan.
‘So…’
They heard footsteps approaching, and Laurence, the butler, appeared. ‘Ladies,’ Laurence said, clearing his throat with a slight bow. ‘I trust you’re ready for the spa?’
Nancy blinked, caught off guard. ‘The what?’
‘All female guests are invited to attend a spa session to prepare for the wedding,’ he explained. ‘The men are horseback riding. Shall I show you the way to the spa?’
‘Guess so,’ Nancy said, swapping a look with Ari as they reluctantly followed him. Planning would have to wait.