The sound of the latch clicking echoed louder in Jessica's ears than it should have. Her fingers hesitated over the smooth wood before she finally opened the box.
A rich fragrance of aged cedar and preserved paper escaped from within.
At the sound of the box opening, their breath hitched.
While Jessica dreaded the contents of the box, Lady Matilda dreaded the result those contents might bring.
Jessica took a deep breath as she calmly glanced into the box. Inside, nestled in deep velvet lining, lay a locket, its surface engraved with delicate lilies—just like the garden outside.
But what caught Jessica's attention wasn't the locket itself, but the photograph beneath it. Her breath hitched.
She reached in, fingers trembling slightly, and lifted the photo. It was aged but well-preserved—a photo of her mother when she was much younger.
