First he saw roof tiles, like brown winter leaves scattered wide, protecting the rubble which had once been their home. He started to shift the mess frantically, as though he would find the housekeeper, or Li's nanny, or even Mei Lin and Li under there. But they'd be all gone, wouldn't they?
Still weak from his captivity, he sat. The wide lawns and tall shade trees of their garden were black now. The fish pond was brown sludge. The protective outer walls were just a few bricks high.
He stood and faced the entrance to the lovely house, then clamored over the debris. Underneath, the wide central corridor, cool and dark with fans whirling high above. His office had been here, at the east corner so he could work into the evening without the beating sun. There he dug.
Looters had long since carried off his glass-fronted bookcases and mahogany desk. The woven silk rug was gone. But they hadn't found the compartment under the floorboards. The aluminum box, stained with water and age but the contents were dry. The family photos. He could feel nothing when he looked at them. Perhaps later, when he had his beloveds in his arms again, then he could cry.
At the bottom, a jeweler's faded box. The jade brooch.
He'd bought this pretty thing on a whim; to make his wife smile when he'd present it for no reason except that he adored her. But when he found her in the garden, Derek was there first, and she'd rushed to show him the pearl-studded babble that his best friend had bought, also on a whim. Hed' laughed and put his gift away for another time.
He'd send it home to Ballarat with the other mementos. His wife would wear it with pride someday.