As I entered the breakfast room, Emma held out her hand in a falsely welcoming gesture. 

 'Here you are at last, Lady Hardley! I declare we were just about to mount a search party!' 

 About to reply  my eye was distracted by a gleam of green on her wrist. Now I realised the whole point of the outstretched hand. 

 'Are you looking at my bracelet?' she asked, fingering it lovingly. 'Its beautiful, isn't it?'

 'If you like jade then I imagine it must afford great satisfaction.'

 'Oh! Indeed. I am so grateful to Hardley. So very kind of him to give it to me just because he heard me saying I liked jade.'

 'Yes.' I stole a look at the other ladies. Elizabeth looked smug, Cecily sca...

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