Celia’s second lecture was even more widely attended than the first one. She smiled when she saw Lady Em sitting next to Alvirah and Willy in the first row. Alvirah was chatting away with Lady Em, and Celia was sure that by the time she began speaking Alvirah would be Lady Em’s new friend. As she walked to the lectern, everyone fell silent, but before she spoke, she glanced at Alvirah, who gave her an encouraging smile.
My new best friend, she thought.
After thanking everyone for attending, Celia began. “Emeralds came into usage as jewelry not long after gold. Emerald derives its name from the Ancient Greek word for green. The first known emerald mines were in Egypt. Researchers have dated these mines from 330 B.C. and they were still being worked as late as the 1700s. Cleopatra was reported to have favored emeralds above all other stones.”
She spoke about the emerald’s curative powers and the use of emeralds by early physicians who believed that the best method for restoring the eyes was by looking at an emerald. Its soft green comfort would remove weariness and strain. Truth be told, they were onto something. Even today the color green is recognized to reduce stress and be soothing to the eye.
Wearing an emerald was believed to reveal the truth, or lack of it, in a lover’s oath. It was also purported to make one an eloquent speaker. Placing her hand on her pendant and pushing it forward from her blouse, Celia said, “I don’t own one, so I can’t put that theory to the test today.” Wide laughter from the audience followed.
She then talked about other jewels that had belonged to pharaohs and kings and had been used as ransom, or to pay debts, and other precious stones that were rumored to have curative powers.
When she was finished with the question-and-answer session, one of the guests observed, “Ms. Kilbride, you made us all want to have more jewelry, or wear what we do have every day.”
“Sadly, many people keep lovely jewelry in a safe deposit box and never wear it,” Celia replied. “Of course you have to be careful with it, but why not enjoy it?”
The luncheon with Alvirah and Willy, and the obvious success of the lecture, which was roundly applauded, gave Celia a temporary lift. She returned to her suite. Her long walk on the deck and early morning awakening had left her feeling tired, so she decided to nap before she prepared for the Captain’s cocktail party and the dinner following it.
And that, of course, was another reminder. The expensive gown that she would be wearing she had bought for the honeymoon which, thankfully, never happened.
I might as well take my own advice and enjoy it, she thought. It will be a long, cold day before I spend money like that again.