Jeannie turned, a smile already on her face for whoever it was that politely asking for her attention. She had noticed that, in this place. People did not always say please and thank you. She did not know if it was because of living here, or if that was something that modern people did. Either way, she was not at all fond of it.
But this pretty lady with the oddly cat-like eyes had said excuse me, very nicely, and was asking a question that was easy enough to answer. Or it might be if she actually had the time. Jeannie did not currently own a watch. That was easy enough to correct.
“Oh, just a moment,” she answered. Lifting her wrist, she acted as though there was already a watch on it, but there was not. Instead, she gave a little blink, intending to create something elegant and, for the purposes of the lady who asked, accurate.
That was not, however, what happened.
Two steps up from where the women were standing, a large grandfather clock appeared. Standing tall and dark, it chimed once then fell silent. Jeannie looked at the clock for a minute, then turned to the lady beside her. “It is three-thirty.”