The pawner's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He picked up a jeweler's loupe and examined the bracelet. "These... these are Royal diamonds. The cut is unmistakable."
He looked at me, suspicion clouding his dinner-plate eyes. "A lady of your... stature... usually doesn't come to an alleyway exchange for 'diversification.' Usually, these pieces are handled by the Royal treasury."
"My husband is a very private man. And I am a very impulsive woman. If you don't want the business, I'm sure Valerius's competitor down the street would be happy to have pieces from the Prince's private collection." I said, shrugging.
Oh, hell nah. The nonchalance was an act, of course but the threat worked. Greed is the ultimate equalizer.
"No, no! My apologies, Madame. It is just... a high volume of wealth for a morning transaction."
He spent the next thirty minutes counting out stacks of bills. It was a lot. A lot lot. Enough to buy a small house and a new identity in a different province.
