The Ruby Locket by Anita Higman, Hillary McMullen

Maybe hundreds of antique roses with loads of baby’s breath. Yes, sounded lovely.
    With that promise encouraging me on and my spirit brightening with every step, I made my way along a brick pathway to a large garage on the estate where all the cars were housed.
                  Out of the blue, an older man barreled out of the garage dressed in plaid lumberjack clothes and approached me with enough spit and bluster to put the storm to shame. I pulled to the side on the path, thinking he would collide right into me. “Hi.”
                  “You must be the new mistress of Belrose.”
                  “Well, not yet. I’m Dauphine…Ivan’s fiancée.” I stuck out my hand to try to get started on the right foot with the man.
                  “I’m Marley. Just Marley.” He spit a wad of something brown and slimy on the ground, and it landed a smidgen too close to my shoe.
                  That gesture was truly disgusting, not to mention rude. I wanted to recoil, but I held my ground and then lifted my chin—a bit of body language I’d recently borrowed from my daughter.
                  A flicker of something passed over his countenance. Was it a pang of guilt? I hoped so.
                  “Sorry,” he said. “I live out here in the shed, and I’m not very used to the dainty manners of the female species.” He chuckled, revealing a mouthful of stained teeth.
                  I tried to laugh, but it sputtered out too soon. “You’re fine,” was all I could think to say. I wanted to tell him I hoped we could be friends, but realistically, that didn’t seem likely. “By the way, I would love to go into town and order some flowers for the wedding. So, I’d like to use my car.”
                  “Your car.” The man made a snuffing noise. “Didn’t Mr. Ivan tell you?”
                  “Tell me what?”
                  “I was told to sell your car. Got a pretty good price for it too.” He scratched his balding head and then returned his cap.
                  “But why would you do that?” And how did he do it so quickly? I’d only just arrived!
                  “I do whatever Master Ivan tells me to do. Always have. Always will.”
                  “Oh.” I wilted. Ivan’s employees certainly were a loyal lot. “I loved that old car. We had a lot of good years together.” Why had Ivan not even asked me? “Well, maybe I could borrow one of the other cars. I’m determined to go into town…right now.” My voice shimmied.
                  Marley looked up at the sky. “You shouldn’t be going anywhere with a storm like that coming. If my mother’s name ain’t Geraldine Skelton that cloud up there is packed with hail. Master Ivan wouldn’t take kindly to me letting you go when some harm might come to you.”
                  As if on cue, a bolt of lightning sliced through the charged air. Feeling defiant, I held out my hand, catching tiny droplets on my palm, and said, “But it’s just rain.”
                  “When we get a heavy rain it means that Old Worry Road Bridge might get washed out. Two people died last year, trying to make it across that old rickety thing.”
                  Considering Ivan’s wealth, I had to wonder why he couldn’t pay someone to install a safe bridge. “I’m touched that you’re concerned about my well-being, but…” I let my voice trail off in the wind, since I could tell from the man’s pigheaded demeanor that he wasn’t about to budge on his stance. “Thank you. I’ll find another way to get into town.” How, I had no idea. I could always hitchhike I guess. I chuckled.
                  “Something funny?” he asked.
                  “No, not at all. I was just thinking.” Something I actually did from