A Veil of Green Glass

A warm pool of emerald light drew my steps toward the banker's lamp resting at the corner of the long mahogany reading table. Its thick green glass shade hung slightly askew, letting a harsh, untamed glare spill across the polished wood. Pausing to measure the angle, I rested my golden fan upon an open ledger and reached upward. Placing my hands firmly against the cool brass swivel arm, I applied steady, measured leverage until the brass joint eased with a quiet click. The heavy glass shade tilted back into perfect level, casting an unbroken, velvet-smooth circle of green light across the grain.