Melody was only half paying attention as Mrs. Binns spoke of dresses and paintings, far too distracted by the shifting horizon to formulate a proper response. Merlin. Did the captain not believe people would like to leave sooner than later? The party at sea had seemed appealing at first, but now she wished they could have remained at port.

"Oh. No. I didn't look much." Mrs. Bradley was hopeful Melody would win the necklace and was likely deep in a bidding war by now. Something about how beautiful the gems would look with her skintone. "What did the dress look like?"

---