Jemima studied it as Ford held it out – it being perhaps more of an amulet or a charm than a locket. In fact, she was more intrigued by the explanation than the object itself: a gift from a friend. An exotic gift from a friend. “Is it charmed?” Jemima asked, in an attempt to be only casually curious about it, but she couldn’t help herself – something in his face or his voice had led her imagination somewhere else, to something she had been pondering.
Maybe it was better to address it now, even if it ruined the mood? Jemima screwed up her courage, chewed on the question she dreaded the answer to for a moment more and then, very tentatively, asked it. “Was it... from Miss Chang?” Miss Chang was – perhaps more than a friend to him, since word was they had been all but courting before Jemima had obviously ruined that for them. For him. (And she didn’t remember much of Miss Chang from school, but she knew her family was in trade of some kind, and that Miss Chang had always been a dedicated scholar, too. So – this did seem the sort of unique, clever, fascinating gift she might have given him. As a good luck charm. Or a token of affection.)
Maybe it was better to address it now, even if it ruined the mood? Jemima screwed up her courage, chewed on the question she dreaded the answer to for a moment more and then, very tentatively, asked it. “Was it... from Miss Chang?” Miss Chang was – perhaps more than a friend to him, since word was they had been all but courting before Jemima had obviously ruined that for them. For him. (And she didn’t remember much of Miss Chang from school, but she knew her family was in trade of some kind, and that Miss Chang had always been a dedicated scholar, too. So – this did seem the sort of unique, clever, fascinating gift she might have given him. As a good luck charm. Or a token of affection.)
