Chapter 9 #2
I couldn’t help but stare at the infamous Alice.
Her dark hair was pinned to make it appear quite short.
Her countenance was pretty enough, but her piercing blue eyes were striking.
She scanned the room quickly, her sharp gaze taking in every detail.
I had the distinct impression she was far more “woman” than many in the room. I liked her on sight.
“Well, what a surprise,” Alice said, turning to Flo Harding. “You made it to the party. Not feeling under the weather after all, I see?”
“Alice, hello,” Flo replied stiffly. She looked down and busily rearranged her pale skirt over her legs.
“I should have expected to see you, but I suppose I was hoping otherwise,” Alice replied.
Pearl Brooch Jane giggled at Alice’s overt rudeness. Ruby Ring Marjorie exchanged looks with Diamond Necklace Marcie. Stunned, I looked to Flo and waited for a rebuttal.
“I often wonder what you’d be like if you’d had a mother at home,” Flo quipped. “Perhaps then your manners would be better.”
I smothered my surprise. Who knew Flo had it in her.
It seemed she belonged to this crowd after all.
Evalyn looked positively delighted by the exchange.
It seemed the only thing better than good gossip was witnessing a tête-à-tête in person.
Fascinated, I looked from one woman to the next, once again mentally recording their exchanges.
And back to Evalyn again, whose shoulders hadn’t yet relaxed.
Despite her valiant show of happy hostess, I sensed something was wrong.
“Come now, ladies, we’re here to have a good time.” Evalyn waved a hand dismissively. “Jerry, be a dear and set up the table for bridge. We’ll need refreshments, too. The full cart and a round of mint juleps, ‘tout de suite,’ as the French would say.”
I knew what the full cart meant. The game would likely devolve as the drinks flowed—this was something I was coming to understand about Evalyn and her friends—and it would be a long day of either becoming the topic of conversation or choosing to participate.
“Darling, you know I’m not drinking right now,” Flo said. “I’ve just recovered from that terrible kidney attack.”
Evalyn patted her hand. “You poor dear. We’ll bring you as much tea and lemonade as you can drink.”
Flo threw her hands in the air. “Oh all right, I’ll have one.”
Evalyn’s blue eyes glittered. “That’s the spirit.”
The rest of the ladies chattered while choosing their places around the table.
A young maid flitted about after them, rearranging cushions and setting up our playing table.
As Evalyn dismissed the pianist, Jerry rolled out a cart of fresh glasses and the makings for mint juleps.
While the glasses were distributed, I noticed the worry lines in Evalyn’s forehead had deepened and her hands were trembling as she reached for her mint julep.
I’d never seen her in less than a jovial spirit.
I watched her over the rim of my glass, deciding if it was my place to ask her what had shaken her.
She was attempting to hide whatever it was but doing so poorly.
As she dealt the cards, Alice noticed Evalyn’s hands, too.
“What’s got you so rattled, Evie?” Alice set down her drink. “And don’t bother denying it. You’re shaking like a leaf.”
“It’s nothing to worry about,” Evalyn said.
“It isn’t nothing,” Alice insisted.
“What is it?” Concern etched Flo’s face as she touched Evalyn’s forearm.
Evalyn set down her cards, crossed the room, and returned with an envelope. “This arrived today.”
Flo skimmed it, her brow arching in surprise. “Do you know this person?”
Evalyn shook her head. “Can you imagine? The gall! I don’t even remember crossing paths with her, let alone recall giving her the chance to touch my necklace.”
“Don’t leave us in suspense,” Alice said. “Read it aloud.”
“Be my guest,” Evalyn replied, handing Alice the letter.
Alice smoothed the letter, cleared her throat, and began.
April 18, 1919
Dear Mrs. Edward McLean,
You may not remember our encounter, but we met at Gloria Harris’s charity auction.
We spoke at length and at one point, you let me touch the Hope Diamond necklace.
Since, I’ve lost my beloved husband. My assets have also been seized.
I will never forgive myself for being lured in by the beauty of that evil talisman.
I shudder to think of what ill may befall you.
I urge you to rid yourself of the necklace as soon as possible.
May God have mercy on your soul.
Yours sincerely,
Maude Hughes
I looked from one stricken face to the next as the women shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. My eyes were drawn irresistibly to the Hope twinkling brightly at Evalyn’s neck.
Evalyn’s strained laughter broke the silence. “What utter nonsense. The Hope Diamond is my good-luck charm. Everyone knows that. It has never brought me an ounce of bad luck.”
Given our private conversation about the curse and now her trembling hands, I didn’t buy her act. She could insist she didn’t believe in such nonsense, but the truth showed in her wrinkled brow and the lines around her mouth.
In the marked silence that followed, several of the women exchanged weighty looks.
I, too, wanted to deny the stone’s power and deny something as foolish as a curse, but tragedy had touched my own home only weeks after Julien had begun work for the McLeans.
And the more I learned about the misfortunes that had befallen those who came within the stone’s orbit, the larger the seeds of doubt grew. Nausea rolled over me in a hot wave.
“Lizzie,” Evalyn said. “You work on legendary gemstones all the time. I’m sure you find this as foolish as I do.”
I hesitated until the silence grew too heavy to bear.
“Of course,” I said. Evalyn’s expression was almost pleading, and I rambled on to try to make her feel better—to try to distract myself from the encroaching dread and the realization that a curse may not be so ridiculous after all.
“I can’t believe that woman had the nerve to write such silliness. ”
“What utter nonsense!” Flo agreed.
“Maude is nothing but a superstitious ninny,” Alice said. “Imagine, a stone being cursed. We aren’t living in a novel, for God’s sake.”
“If you aren’t worried, why did you hire guards for the children?” Rita asked.
“Why would you ask such a thing,” Evalyn replied. “Anyone with our wealth can’t be too careful. Besides, we’ve been receiving kidnapping threats since Vinnie was born.”
My eyes bulged, but the others merely nodded. I’d seen the guards and had considered them superfluous. The sign of an overanxious and spendthrift mother. But kidnapping threats were truly horrifying.
“That’s more bad luck, Evie,” Jane chimed in and then added, “Your brother also died in a car accident, and it left you lame. And you’d seen the diamond by then already. By the time of your father’s death, you’d held it.”
My eyes darted to Evalyn’s face, looking for some sign of pain or fear, of grief. Instead, it was Marjorie’s face that paled. Evalyn merely shrugged.
“Maybe it’s too late for me, too,” Marjorie said, voice strained. “I’ve tried the necklace on. I may be cursed already.”
Evalyn rolled her eyes. “Please, this is all ridiculous! There’s no such thing as a curse.” Though her words were brave, I didn’t miss the way she gulped down the rest of her mint julep and signaled for Jerry to pour another, all the while her hands still trembled.
The conversation fractured into many. I overheard Marjorie confide in the woman on her right.
“That’s the fifth note she’s received this week, and they’re each from different people,” Marjorie said. “She’s told to save the letters, too, should the police need to investigate. Can you imagine being threatened or blackmailed every day? I don’t know how she can stand it.”
“She drinks herself to sleep,” the other woman replied in a hushed tone. “Or takes Veronal.”
With effort, I hid my surprise. Veronal was a powerful sleeping aid that could easily become addictive.
Between the pills and alcohol, Evalyn was sedating her nerves.
Given the fact that she received so many threatening notes every week, I was no longer surprised she threw herself into life with such reckless abandon.
If she stood still for long, she’d be too terrified to leave her house.
I glanced at Jerry, who perched in a corner beside a Chinese vase on an exquisite oak table near the door.
He tried to appear politely detached, but his eyes were bright, and if he leaned forward any farther to better hear the conversation, he would topple over.
“But what about that young man who used to work for you?” Flo insisted. “Wasn’t he a jeweler? What was his name?”
I froze. Flo clearly didn’t know “that jeweler” had a twin sister, sitting in the very room, close enough to touch her.
Everyone started talking at once, the volume increasing as they carried on, until someone began to laugh.
Suddenly the room felt stuffy, the collar of my dress too tight, the insufferable laughter a condemnation.
I stood abruptly and excused myself to the ladies’ room, nearly tripping as I bolted for the door.
As I stepped into the hallway, I heard Evalyn’s voice ring out through the commotion. “You all know Lizzie is the jeweler’s twin, don’t you!”
“No!” someone replied. “She looks nothing like him.”
“I assure you, she is his sister.”
Another voice. “Goodness, how tragic.”
“Isn’t it?” Evalyn replied. “How could I turn her away?”