Lavender Fragment

I set the brass sounding weight upon the low chart table, where the dark sea surged in slow murmurs beneath the floorboards. Using the flat edge of an old bone folder, I gently eased the sliver of lavender shell free from the pale tallow in the base. It lifted away cleanly, carrying tiny flecks of black mineral sand wedged within its curved ridges. I placed the fragile chip onto the upturned lid of an antique brass snuff box. In the warm glow of the oil lamp, the pearly surface caught a faint, iridescent sheen against the weathered wood.