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Catherine and Isabella walked along looking into the shop windows on their way to the circulating library. One window held a display of several fine pocket watches, and Isabella stopped and directed her friend’s attention to them.
“Do you see that?” she asked.
“They are very fine, indeed,” Catherine replied, unsure of which watch she was to direct her attention to.
“That one, in the center, is it not exactly like your brother’s pocket watch?”
Catherine studied it closely, trying to see anything she recognized about it, but she could not recall having seen her brother’s pocket watch recently.
“I’m afraid I do not know,” Catherine admitted. “My brother has been away at school so often, and he is not inclined to take out his pocket watch when visiting home.
“Ah, well, he has a very fine one, I must say. And quite expensive if this shop is any indication.”
Catherine nodded, less out of agreement with her friend’s assessment, than the desire not to argue the point. If her brother did possess an expensive pocket watch, whether his own purchase or a gift from someone, he would certainly not tell her that.
Upon Isabella’s certainty that her friend agreed, she encouraged her to continue on. She began speaking of her brother John’s watch, comparing the features with the one she claimed for James. Catherine had nothing to add to this line of conversation, and gave occasional noises of assent at proper points along the way.
“Oh, here we are!” Isabella exclaimed in front of the lending library. “And, look! I’ve not seen this novel before!”
Catherine readily agreed on that point, and was happy for the change in conversation.