Cass had put the good jewellery, the things that were in their original old leather boxes, into one shoebox; the costume jewellery, beads and odds and ends into a second. There were a number of medals, some Greek or Roman coins, two old pocket-watches, one with an inscription on the back. Most of the jewellery in the first box had come from Celia’s own mother: only her engagement ring, wedding ring and a pair of pearl earrings dated from after her marriage.

‘Skye should have Mum’s engagement ring,’ said Georgie, somehow hoping to make up for her tactlessness about the locket and to gain points for good behaviour.

‘I thought you might have wanted it,’ said Cass.

‘I’m OK. I’ve still got the Rock of Gibraltar from Duncan.’ She smiled. ‘I don’t really wear much jewellery anyway.’

‘Same,’ said Cass. ‘I suppose we could flog anything we don’t want?’

‘Shall we see what there is, first?’

Cass took the lid off the shoebox and they began to open each leather case. In one they found a diamond lizard brooch with little ruby eyes; in the next a necklace with matching earrings, prettily set with amethysts and seed pearls. One box, tantalizingly, was empty. Neither of them could recall the piece that it must once have housed. The placid velvet was raised in a circle, where the necklet should have been. There was a tiny gold mesh purse with a gold half-sovereign inside, which they both remembered from childhood as a particularly delightful thing. The clasp was set with tiny turquoises.

‘Granny’s mother got given this, the day she got engaged,’ said Cass.

‘How do you know?’ said Georgie. She realized how childish she sounded.

‘Mum told me.’

Another box contained the mourning locket, still suspended from its thick gold chain.

‘I can’t help sort of loving it, even though it is a bit macabre,’ said Georgie.

‘You have it, then,’ said Cass. ‘I’d sooner keep the purse anyway.’

‘Oh, but I love the purse!’ said Georgie. She felt crestfallen, outplayed; as if her toy had been snatched from her hand, mid-game. ‘I was going to say I’d like the purse. It reminds me of when we were little.’

Cass sighed. ‘Well,’ she said, levelly, ‘you have the purse, then. You have the purse and the locket.’

‘But is that fair? I want it to be fair. If Skye has the engagement ring and you have the amethyst things and the lizard … what do you think?’

‘I think that’s fine. Why don’t you take the earrings, then, and we’ll call it quits?’

Georgie felt aware that her hoard was likely of considerably lower value than Cass’s. Her pieces were made of gold, while Cass would get the precious stones. But she had sounded querulous already and could not think how to mention the discrepancy without appearing more so.