Esther paced the room then tried to read something. But she was too restless to settle and her fingers kept brushing across the mark on her chest as she tried not to think about it or anything else for that matter. It was almost a relief to join Elvera at the table for breakfast.
Elvera gestured towards a fine gold chain with a small, red stone in a decorative setting hanging from it. “The leather cord of your necklace does not suit your clothes. It’s tacky. You can wear this old necklace of mine.”
“Thank you.” She sat at the table and began to eat her breakfast.
Elvera continued to watch her. “Did you hear what I said?”
Looking up from her plate, Esther nodded, hurriedly swallowing her mouthful. “Yes.”
“Then why have you not removed that tacky necklace?”
“I was going to change it af
