The huge mansion was decorated conventionally in a royal way. Everybody was busy chatting with each other. A group of ladies were laughing in a fake sense so loudly that it almost made Lyric drop her goblet filled with water. The sophisticated talk and formal dressing were already making her nervous when Lady Valarie called her to introduce her to others. She tried to walk as straight and normal as she could but was stumbling due to the heals, Lady Valarie made her wear. She hoped that Lady Valarie wouldn’t realise that she had changed into some short and little fewer stumbling heels.
She's wearing peep toes heels, which matched the dress perfectly. To top it all off she's wearing a subtle necklace and an ornate bracelet. The dress left her shoulders uncovered, instead it supported around her neck and flew down into a tasteful square neckline. It's comfortably fit but by still looking elegant. Her arms had been covered to just below her elbows. The sleeves broadened towards the bottom and playfully accentuated her skin.
“This is Lyric Bouvier, my daughter-in-law, daughter of Mr. Lawrence Bouvier. Married my son six months ago. She belonged to a wealthy and royal family but their culture was quite different! She lived in Los Angles, that’s why but she’s really intelligent and beautiful.”
“Thanks M-Lady Valarie!” she changed her sentence as Lady Valarie looked at her in alarm.
“You are right Lady Valarie! She is an angel!” said a young lady with designs covering her face. It looked as though she had painted the make-up on her face. She was the only person who wasn’t wearing those net gloves in her hands. The dress covered her shoulders halfway and flew down into an elegant draped neckline. It's a loose fit. Her arms had been covered to just above her wrists. The sleeves broadened towards the bottom, allowing for bracelets to be visible. The dress' waist was thin, but it's a loose fit. A cloth ribbon had been wrapped around her and has been tied on one side. Below the waist the dress widened and had multiple symmetric layers from top to bottom. The dress reached all the way down, almost covering her feet and was the same length all around. She's wearing ballerinas, which matched the dress perfectly. To beautify it all she's wearing a pearl necklace and a colourful stone bracelet.
“This Ms. Soliel Calistèe de la Roche! An artist! Her family was in debt seven years ago but her paintings saved the honour of the family.”
“I believe that art is the creator of the world. Without art it would be impossible for the humans to imagine!” she said moving her fingers in a unique style.
“True!” replied a lady who unlike others was clutching a metal goblet with ancient designs carved in it.
“And this is Lady Esmerelda!”
“Hello!” Lyric said politely.
“You’re as pretty as peach!” she exclaimed graciously looking at her clothes.
“Thank you?” Lyric replied smiling nervously, confused if it was a compliment or a sarcasm. “You want me to bring you a glass goblet?”
“Oh no, no, no…young’un. Glass doesn’t amount a hill of beans does it?” she replied heartily. “Oh rats!” she cried suddenly and Lyric thought that were real rats so before thinking she cried- “Where?”
“Very funny-your daughter-in-law is!” Lady Esmerelda continued smiling in a good way as Lady Valarie patted Lyric on shoulder, laughing, trying to keep her silent. “I am sure she’ll fit in soon! Don’t worry Valarie, you ain’t raisin’ cain! Well, Valarie, I am surprised you have kept crawdads on menu! I thought you used to dislike them!”
“They are just for you Lady Esmerelda!” Lady Valarie replied. Lyric was surprised Lady Valarie was being called by her name. “Ah! And there goes Leigh for the speech! She is a historian!”
Lyric saw on the stage a blonde-haired girl holding the microphone in one hand and looking at the middle of the crowd. “We have all gathered here to celebrate a hundred and twenty years since Lord Francis gave Lady Margaret who is more commonly known as Lady Frances since that day when Lord Francis gave her the Purple Diamond!” Leigh said looking a little right to the glass box in which the jewel was kept, then back to the crowd. “Hope you enjoy this special treat by Lady-” she broke off as she heard some song playing.
“Oh…missed you for longer then you know! Come back…” It wasn’t long till everyone tracked the source of music. It was coming from Lyric’s purse. “My love…” Lyric opened the purse and started searching for her phone. She found it and muttered in a tiny voice- “Excuse me!”
She left for her room. Behind her, she heard Leigh start her speech again.
“Yes!” she picked up the phone.
“Lyric! It’s me, John!”
“Yeah what’s wrong?” Lyric replied hoarsely.
“We caught the murderer of Wardley!”
“Big deal! You called me just to say that?” Lyric continued speaking coarsely.
“Yeah why?”
“You know there is a party going on here and I am there! What was so urgent!”
“I am sorry if I disturbed you, your highness!” he remarked sarcastically.
“I am sorry!” Lyric sighed, realising her mistake. “It’s just all these rules and everything is so rigid here! You can’t even laugh your head off at a joke properly. Never mind! Tell Owen to check the files again so that we could close the case! I’ll be in touch soon bye!”
She wasn’t willing to face everyone again. The pressure was too much for her. So, she decided to make an excuse when someone asks her and stay there until somebody does. With tears on the edge of her eyes, she sat down on the extra comfortable bed. She looked at the newspaper kept on her pillow which she thought was by Cliff. She read the tittle- Mrs. Anonymous doesn’t exists
Information leaked from inside the department. Mr. Anonymous, now known as Mrs. Anonymous, is a shady character, created from the imagination of one of the high positioned officers. ‘No such man or woman exists! The character was created to hide the fact that many smart thieves are roaming around the world!’ an inside person was overheard saying this to his friend.
However, Mr. Lawrence Bouvier still doubts that his daughter was kidnapped by Mrs. Anonymous for unknown reasons when Mrs. Anonymous stole a really expensive jewel from their house two years ago. A really expensive, Blue Pearl, one of its kind. He states that Lyric, his daughter, might have seen the face of Mrs. Anonymous and she would have either kidnapped or killed her.
Lyric’s heart fell as she read those words said by her father. He missed her. He was there looking for her while she was here, attending a party in an ornate gown. How would he feel when he knows it? It’s thought made her throat dry. What if Mrs. Anonymous had kidnapped her? Her father was half right! She had seen Mrs. Anonymous! But Mrs. Anonymous hasn’t realized that she had seen her half face! Or had she? What if this was the big thing Mrs. Anonymous was planning for? To kill her!
~Janushi Raichura
Author of the book series Ventures of Gem Land
