Free 03 - The Wicked Lady by Brenda Jernigan Page B

and she was sure they wouldn't miss a few baubles.  Thank goodness, she'd convinced the seamstress to make a slit in her skirt for a hidden pocket.
    Carefully moving around the ladies, as if to change to a different view of the room, she successfully retrieved a bracelet, two brooches and a ring.  Good, she hadn't lost her touch.
    " Kristen girl, ye should be ashamed. " Her conscience decided to rear its ugly head, and that was the one thing she really didn't need. She had to survive. That was something the streets had taught her, so over the years her conscience had learned to be quiet. But now the voice was back louder than ever.
    She pushed the thought to the back of her mind but blushed nonetheless. Now was no time to develop a conscience. After all, she didn't really think of her skill as bad. She merely robbed from the rich to give to the poor--mainly herself. These few items she'd keep as a nest egg, just in case.
    When Kristen looked up, she noticed a new woman had joined the group. She was introduced as Ella. Ella had beautiful blond hair, but what Kristen noticed first was the exquisite necklace that Trevor had described to her earlier. The necklace was simple, yet elegant. A huge emerald about the size of a walnut hung at the end of a gold rope and rested just above the woman's breast.
    This would be a challenge, Kristen thought as she made her way carefully around the group so she could stand beside her victim. At least the lady had her hair pulled up so the clasp could come easily undone.
    While Kristen waited for the precise moment, she halfway joined in the conversation. "Excuse me, but it looks like you have torn your gown." She pointed to the bottom of Ella's gown.
    Ella took the bait and murmured, "Oh, heavens."
    They both bent over, and Kristen accidently bumped Ella. The rest was a piece of cake. The poor woman never knew what hit her, nor did she notice that her necklace had suddenly disappeared.
    Kristen was just getting ready to leave the li ttle group when Ella shrieked. "My necklace! Don't anyone move."
    Kristen froze. Oh, no . She'd been caught.
    "I probably dropped it on the floor when I bent over ," Ella gasped as she felt across the top of her grown. "Help me look."
    Kristen immediately let her breath out and stooped down and started searching the floor. "This is just terrible. Your clasp must have been very loose."
    "It was. I have had trouble before."
    Thank goodness , Kristen smiled to herself, then said, "Perhaps you lost it elsewhere. I don't remember seeing it on you when you came in here." Kristen immediately looked toward heaven. Forgive me, Father .
    "Do the rest of you remember seeing it on me?" Ella asked the group who looked at each other, puzzled.
    "Now that you mention it, no.  Maybe Kristen is correct and you lost it in another part of the house. Here, let me help you retrace your steps," one of the older women offered.
    "Thank you."
    Trevor decided to join the group just then. "What's the trouble, ladies?"
    "It seems Ella has dropped her necklace. We are helping her look for it," a couple of ladies told him.
    "Oh, really." Trevor immediately looked at Kristen.
    " 'Tis truly a shame," Kristen said, then added, "Wouldn't you agree?'
    "Yes, I would." Trevor took Kristen's elbow without waiting for her to ar gue. "If you'll excuse us, we need to be going."
    Once they were in the carriage, he looked at her but didn't say anything.
    Kristen shifted in her seat, but remained silent as she straightened out her skirts, so she wouldn't sit on the loot.
    "I thought we had an agreement."
    "Aye."
    "Well?"
    "Ye needed yer grandmere's necklace back. I simply found it." She opened her hand and produced the huge emerald.
    Trevor didn't seem to notice. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't take it. You'd just let me know who was wearing the jewel, then I could buy it back." He waited for her to answer.
    She didn't.
    "Kristen!"
    " 'Twas simple."
    Trevor took both her arms.  "I didn't want you stealing