11 I promise on my honor

"Kathleen! you can't move about recklessly. You know you are pregnant so you need to be extremely careful."

"Moreover, I've told you to leave those things to the maids to handle." Elizabeth scolded lovingly.

"Come over here and take a rest!" She ordered, parting the space beside her.

"Yes Aunt," Kathleen replied, holding onto her large baby bump as she dragged her feet to sit beside her on the exquisite couch

She was already thirty eight weeks gone and preparing for delivery any moment from now.

Yes! You heard it right, she decided to keep the pregnancy and carry it to full term.

"But Aunt, it's not also healthy for me to just sit down and do nothing. I need to do a little exercise every now and then, that is why I thought of doing some things myself," Kathleen said pouting like a spoilt child.

"Little exercise you say, but not to the extent that it will wear you out," Elizabeth pointed out with a little bit of concern.

"Ok, I get it. I know you love me the most." Gratitude welled up within Kathleen and she started fondling with Elizabeth's slender hands. They were soft, smooth, well manicured and appeared to have never done any hard work all her life.

Kathleen stole a look at the angel who has been so kind to her. She was graceful and gentle with a noble aura. Her beauty could best be described as sublime and her charm seems to be reinforced by age. She was beautiful in and out.

"Aunt," Kathleen called out.

"Can I ask you something?"

'"Of course dear, you can ask anything as long as it is within my power I'll satisfy you."

"Well," Kathleen started hesitantly,

"Go ahead," Elizabeth encouraged. "What's there to be scared about?"

"Please don't get mad at me, but I'm just curious and need to get it off my chest,"

"I've noticed these past few months that each time Prof Gaius comes around to give me acupuncture treatment, you've always been having some private chat with him after he's done with me and I've been wondering…"

"Hold it there…" Elizabeth broke in, giving Kathleen a "I know where you are going with that question" smile.

"There's nothing going on between Professor Gaius and I, so you'd better stop the castle you're already building in your mind."

"But Aunt, Professor Gaius is a handsome and kind gentleman and as far as I know both of you are single, I'd really love… I mean, I don't mind…."

"Who cares about what you mind or love?" Elizabeth cruelly interrupted before Kathleen could finish.

Elizabeth's ears were already turning red and a rare but lovely blush spreading up her cheeks. Kathleen was trying hard not to laugh out loud but it wasn't easy- not when she could clearly see the silly expression on Elizabeth's face as she tried to pretend to be serious.

"Like I said before, we only meet to discuss business, nothing else."

"Yes. Yes. Aunt. I know is purely business and nothing else," Kathleen said, not willing to tease her any further.

"I also wanted to ask you something else, Aunt."

"Hope it's not part of those your silly excuse of a question again?" Elizabeth warned.

"Of course not, you've already denied having anything to do with Prof Gaius and I've given up inasmuch as I'd have loved something to happen between you two, but I trust your judgement."

"If actually you do, then don't refer to it again." Elizabeth took a relaxed posture on the couch.

"I promise on my honour," Kathleen said with a serious expression, her hand raised in a mock salute beside her forehead.

Elizabeth burst out in laughter. "On your honour indeed! Now tell me, what else do you want to know?"

"I've been looking for my pendant for sometime now. I've not seen it since I got back from my checkup at the hospital. Sometimes I think I misplaced it there, but I can't remember taking it off at the hospital. I only take it off when I want to have my bath.So I was wondering if you happen to have seen it anywhere."

"Mrs Carr," Elizabeth called out to the Nanny assigned to take care of Kathleen, please get me the bag on my dressing table."

"Yes Ma'am," came Mrs Carr's response.

Shortly afterwards Mrs Carr brought the bag.

From inside her handbag, Elizabeth pulled out something and placed it in Kathleen's hand.

She was stunned when she opened her hands, it was the Jade pendant. "Where did you find it Aunt?"

"The first time I saw it was on that Island. It fell from your neck when you we're being carried into the air ambulance. But on a closer look, I noticed something about it which I needed to confirm but before I could do that, you asked for it and I had to give it back to you in order not to raise any suspicions."

"So when I saw it again on the terrace last week, I was reminded about it again and decided to check it for the confirmation I needed."

"I'm sorry I took so long in returning it back to you. How did you come about this particular pendant?" she asked.

"Hmmmmm…" Kathleen sighed deeply before explaining.

"My adoptive mother said I had it on when she saw me at the gate of the orphanage. According to her, it might have been given to me by my real parents. Ever since then I hardly take it off except when I take my bath."

"Although it is an ordinary pendant, I've grown attached to it and have always seen it is a link between me and my lost family," she said forlornly, fighting the overwhelming emotions surging from within.

Elizabeth drew closer to Kathleen and wrapped her hands around hers. "This is no ordinary pendant, Kathleen."

Kathleen's brows arched slightly.

"There is something special about it. If you look closely, you'll discover there is a very thin line at the base with a little indent to the left."