Виктория Холт: The Black Opal

Well, if I could not be a guest, there was no reason why I should not look in on the party. So when they had left, I slipped out after them, fingering my good luck pendant to assure myself that I had that with me and that while I had, no matter what reckless action I took, I was safe.

I made my way to the shrubbery undetected. I had a clear view over the lawn. A white table with white chairs had been set up in readiness for the al fresco party. Estella and Henry had arrived and had first been taken into the house, I guessed they would come out very soon, accompanied by Lucian and Camilla, and possibly the pale-faced young man who was the tutor.

I crouched under the bushes. On no account must I be seen and I must choose the right moment to slip away. I would creep through the shrubbery and then negotiate the dangerous part, which was running across the paddock to the hedge. Once I had crawled through that I would be safe.

All would be well because I had my good luck pendant with me. I put my hands up to touch it and horror swept over me. It was not there.

For a few moments I was so numb with horror that I could not move.

Only a short while before I had touched it. It must be there. I was dreaming. This was a nightmare. I stood up, risking being seen. Again I put my hands to my neck. No pendant. No chain. What could have happened? I had fastened it securely when I put it on. I always did. I shook my dress. I stared at the brown earth. There was no sign of the pendant.

It could not be far, I comforted myself. It had been round my neck only a few minutes ago. I was on my hands and knees searching. It must have fallen off. I had lost my precious gift Uncle Toby’s gift and all my luck.

I felt desolate. There were tears on my cheeks. I must find it, I must. I crawled around . searching . searching. I must go back the way I had come. Could I be sure of the exact path I had taken across the paddock? My despair overcame me. I sat down, covered my face with my hands and wept.

Suddenly I was aware of someone close to me.

“What’s wrong?” asked Lucian Crompton.

I forgot that I had no right to be there. There was no other thought in my mind than that I had lost my most treasured possession.

I stammered: “I’ve lost my good luck pendant.”

“Your what?” he cried.

“And who are you? What are you doing here?”

I answered the questions in order.

“The pendant my Uncle Toby brought home from Hong Kong. It says ” Good Luck” on it. I’m Carmel and they didn’t ask me to the party, so I came to have a look.”

“Where do you come from?”

“From Commonwood House.”

They’re here today. “

“Yes … but not me. I was just going to watch.”

“Oh, I know. You’re the little girl who …”

I nodded.

“I was found under the azalea bush which gave Tom Yardley a lot of trouble one year. I’m Carmel, which means garden. It’s where I was found, you see.”

“And you’ve lost this pendant?”

“It was there after I’d crawled under the hedge.”

“Which hedge?”

I pointed across the paddock.

“That was the way you came in, was it?”

I nodded.

“And you had it then. Well, it can’t be far off, can it? It must be round here somewhere.”

I felt a little happier. He spoke so confidently.

“Let’s have a look for it. Which way did you come?”

I pointed.

“Well, here we go. You show me. Two pairs of eyes are better than one.

You keep yours open. This way. Watch your step. Don’t want to tread on it, do you? What does it look like? “

“It’s green and it’s got ” Good Luck” on it in Chinese letters.”

“Right. It shouldn’t be hard to find.”

We came to the edge of the shrubbery without success.

“Now,” he said.

“You crossed the paddock. I see where you got through the hedge. There’s a little opening there, isn’t there? That’s where it was.”

I nodded.

“Then we’ll make for that space. Keep your eyes open and we’ll cross the paddock. Try to remember the exact way you came.”

We walked across, a little apart and arrived at the hedge. He knelt down and gave a cry of triumph.

“Is this it?”

I could have wept with joy.

He held it up and said: “Ah, I see. Look. The clasp is broken. That’s why it dropped off.”

“Broken,” I said in dismay, my joy evaporating.

He studied it intently.

“Oh, I see. A link has come off. All it needs is to fix it back. The clasp itself is all right. It’s a job for the jeweller, though. Old Higgs in the High Street will fix it in a few minutes. Then it will be all right.”

He handed it to me. I clutched it, half joyful, half tearful. I had not lost it, but I had to get it to old Higgs in the High Street.

Nanny would not allow that. I should have to get Estella or Henry to help me. Perhaps Sally could.

He was watching. Then he smiled.

“I tell you what we’ll do,” he said.

“After tea I’ll take it to Higgs and he’ll do it right away.”

“Would you?” I cried.

“I don’t see why not.”

“After…”

“Well, we ought to be there now, you know. Let’s go.”

“But I’m not supposed to be there.”

“I’ve invited you. This will be my house one day and I can ask whom I like.”

“Nanny …”

“Nanny who?”

“Nanny Gilroy. She’d say it wasn’t right for you to ask me. You see, I was found under the azalea bush. Nanny would say I didn’t belong ..”

“If I say you belong, you belong,” he said in a swaggering way which made me laugh.

I was hugging my pendant. Good luck had returned.

So I went back with him to the Grange. Estella was amazed, and so was Henry. Lucian told them about the pendant and Camilla wanted to see it and hear about the Chinese letters which meant “Good Luck’.

“It’s lovely,” she said.

“I wish I had one.”

I glowed with pleasure and was very happy.

Estella looked alarmed. She said: “You know Carmel is … not really one of us.”

“Oh yes,” said Lucian.

“She was found under the bush. She told me. Why wasn’t she asked?”

“Well … she’s a foundling,” said Estella.

“What fun!” cried Camilla.

“It sounds exciting. Like something out of Shakespeare or a romance.”

“She was left under an azalea bush.”

“Yes!” said Lucian.

“The one that gave poor old Tom Yardley a lot of trouble one year.”

He and Camilla looked at each other and laughed.

I liked them. They were very friendly. I guessed it was because they were rich and important and did not have to keep reminding people that they were really better than they seemed. They behaved to me as though I were just another guest. The cake was delicious. It was sprinkled with coconut and I had two pieces.

“Do you like it?” asked Lucian, smiling at me as I took my second piece.

“It’s lovely.”

“This is better than crouching in the shrubbery, eh?”

He and Camilla laughed and I said: “It’s a lot better.”

They both seemed to like me and as soon as tea was over Lucian went to the stables and told the groom that he was going to take the dog-can into the town and we were all going. Lucian seemed to be very important, for all of them did what he said without question; and we all crowded into the dog-cart which was fun. Lucian drove and I sat beside him.

Then we went into Mr. Higgs’s shop and Mr. Higgs himself came out and said: “Good afternoon, Mr. Lucian. What can I do for you?”

“Just a little job,” said Lucian.

“It’s a link on this chain. It just needs fixing, I think.”

Mr. Higgs looked at it and nodded.