and it dawned on her that they would be selecting her supposed
engagement ring right here and now. The man busied himself unlocking himself from the
case and opening it, all the while chatting to Geth as if he knew him well. Then finally
turning to Lexie he asked her name.
‘Lexie,’ she answered in a daze, ‘my name is Lexie.’
The little man looked to Geth with a smile.
‘Congratulations Sir, Madam we are honoured to be of such special service.’
Then with a flourish the little man opened the box and removed the deep blue velvet
covering beneath.
‘If madam would like to sit here, I think the light will be best here.’
He indicated she take a seat on the wide chestnut leather sofa. Lexie cold do no
more than obey, wondering as she did so how many other gifts, for other women had been
purchased in this ostentatious way. Then Geth took a seat close beside her and slipped
one hand around her waist in an intimate embrace.
‘Come Mr. Morley, show us what you have selected and I warn you we expect to be
impressed.’
The next half an hour were the most surreal Lexie had ever experienced, she was
made to try on ring after ring. Every type and design she had ever seen or dreamt of, were
tried and commented on until her head was spinning. She’d never seen, pink or yellow
diamonds, yet here they were, she had no idea there were so many ways to shape or cut
the stones, or how many colours of gold or platinum could be used to show them off. It
was frightening, but possibly the scariest thing was that there wasn’t a price tag on any of
them.
‘Geth please, please it’s too much, these, are too much.’
‘Sweetheart, we can always ask Mr. Morley to bring another collection if nothing
here pleases you.’
The blatant amusement in his voice told her he was quite aware that was not what
she’d meant, but was teasing her, not willing to let her put off deciding which ring to
choose. And she was aware that again her lack of sophistication was a source of
amusement to him.
‘No’ she interjected quickly, not wanting the little man to rush off and bring even
more dratted rings.
‘No, it’s just that they are all so lovely,’ she shot the little man a smile and then
turned to Geth, ’why don’t you chose for me?
‘If I may suggest’ Mr. Morley said with an understanding smile.
‘Madam has such lovely small hands, the solitaires are a little heavy and high. I
think maybe something like this?’
He unwrapped a small box from the bottom of the selection and opened it, nestling
in the midnight velvet was a three stone diamond ring set in rich yellow gold. The three
large but not enormous diamonds sparkled up at her like bright stars and Geth could see
she really liked it.
‘Try is on Cariad.’
He encouraged and slipped the ring onto her finger as he spoke. Lexie gasped, it
was not only a perfect fit, but it was just the perfect ring, sitting delicately on her hand, not
too big, or flashy, she realised with a jolt that she really loved it, so much so that giving it
back at the end of this charade as she was determined she would, was not going to be as
painless as she’d hoped. Pushing that thought to the back of her head she just looked at
the two men watching her reaction and said quietly.
‘Thank you Mr. Morley this is perfect.’
Lexie sat, watching as Mr Morley packed up, re-shackled himself to the locked case
and left. Then they were alone again and she was at a loss, Geth however seemed in high
spirits.
‘Well, time for you to hit the shops I think,’ he said cheerily as he opened his wallet
and extricated a card. ‘Here’ he said handing it to a bemused Lexie, ‘do your worst’.
Then when she didn’t react, just sat there holding his plastic looking strained and
distinctly unhappy, he hunkered down in front of her, an expression somewhere between
incredulity and wry amusement on his face, saying nothing, waiting for her to respond.
‘I, I can’t, I don’t know where to
engagement ring right here and now. The man busied himself unlocking himself from the
case and opening it, all the while chatting to Geth as if he knew him well. Then finally
turning to Lexie he asked her name.
‘Lexie,’ she answered in a daze, ‘my name is Lexie.’
The little man looked to Geth with a smile.
‘Congratulations Sir, Madam we are honoured to be of such special service.’
Then with a flourish the little man opened the box and removed the deep blue velvet
covering beneath.
‘If madam would like to sit here, I think the light will be best here.’
He indicated she take a seat on the wide chestnut leather sofa. Lexie cold do no
more than obey, wondering as she did so how many other gifts, for other women had been
purchased in this ostentatious way. Then Geth took a seat close beside her and slipped
one hand around her waist in an intimate embrace.
‘Come Mr. Morley, show us what you have selected and I warn you we expect to be
impressed.’
The next half an hour were the most surreal Lexie had ever experienced, she was
made to try on ring after ring. Every type and design she had ever seen or dreamt of, were
tried and commented on until her head was spinning. She’d never seen, pink or yellow
diamonds, yet here they were, she had no idea there were so many ways to shape or cut
the stones, or how many colours of gold or platinum could be used to show them off. It
was frightening, but possibly the scariest thing was that there wasn’t a price tag on any of
them.
‘Geth please, please it’s too much, these, are too much.’
‘Sweetheart, we can always ask Mr. Morley to bring another collection if nothing
here pleases you.’
The blatant amusement in his voice told her he was quite aware that was not what
she’d meant, but was teasing her, not willing to let her put off deciding which ring to
choose. And she was aware that again her lack of sophistication was a source of
amusement to him.
‘No’ she interjected quickly, not wanting the little man to rush off and bring even
more dratted rings.
‘No, it’s just that they are all so lovely,’ she shot the little man a smile and then
turned to Geth, ’why don’t you chose for me?
‘If I may suggest’ Mr. Morley said with an understanding smile.
‘Madam has such lovely small hands, the solitaires are a little heavy and high. I
think maybe something like this?’
He unwrapped a small box from the bottom of the selection and opened it, nestling
in the midnight velvet was a three stone diamond ring set in rich yellow gold. The three
large but not enormous diamonds sparkled up at her like bright stars and Geth could see
she really liked it.
‘Try is on Cariad.’
He encouraged and slipped the ring onto her finger as he spoke. Lexie gasped, it
was not only a perfect fit, but it was just the perfect ring, sitting delicately on her hand, not
too big, or flashy, she realised with a jolt that she really loved it, so much so that giving it
back at the end of this charade as she was determined she would, was not going to be as
painless as she’d hoped. Pushing that thought to the back of her head she just looked at
the two men watching her reaction and said quietly.
‘Thank you Mr. Morley this is perfect.’
Lexie sat, watching as Mr Morley packed up, re-shackled himself to the locked case
and left. Then they were alone again and she was at a loss, Geth however seemed in high
spirits.
‘Well, time for you to hit the shops I think,’ he said cheerily as he opened his wallet
and extricated a card. ‘Here’ he said handing it to a bemused Lexie, ‘do your worst’.
Then when she didn’t react, just sat there holding his plastic looking strained and
distinctly unhappy, he hunkered down in front of her, an expression somewhere between
incredulity and wry amusement on his face, saying nothing, waiting for her to respond.
‘I, I can’t, I don’t know where to
Similar Books
