Chapter 16
Esme and Lillian entered the kitchen early on Saturday morning, drawn by the aroma of brown butter and spilt flour. Miranda was transferring breyberry hotcakes from a pan to a blue and white platter. This was a rare treat; Miranda was usually at work at this hour.
The three of them sat in silence for a while, working their way through the mountain of hotcakes. When they were done, Esme leaned forward and showed Miranda the pearl necklace.
‘I found a receipt for it in that sack of clothes you gave me, so I went on a search. The shop still had it.’
Miranda put her hand to her heart. ‘Your mother wore a necklace like that all the time! I remember now … She told me she’d lost it, just before I last saw her. I looked out for it, all around the house, but never found it.’
She sto
