The Girl Before

Chapter 12 opens on Jane appreciating her new pregnancy, wondering how she could have ever “considered aborting this child” (267). In the shower, the water goes cold, and she wonders if the house isn’t able to recognize her because she’s pregnant. She is nauseous and throws up in the shower. When she cleans up the vomit, she finds a pearl. Jane compares the pearl to those on her necklace, but there are no pearls missing.

Jane takes the pearl to a jeweler, who implies that the pearl might have come off of a necklace that was then restrung. Jane wonders if Edward gave her a necklace “he’d previously given to someone else” (270) and calls Simon to investigate further. As Jane talks to Simon about where the pearl could have come from, Simon declares that Edward “must have been there when it got broken” and that it’s possible he then dragged Emma to the stairs and “pushed her down” (273). Jane isn’t convinced. Simon offers to come stay at One Folgate Street.

Simon and Jane go see DI Clarke, and they discuss the possibility that the necklace was on Emma’s neck when she died. Jane puts the necklace on, and Simon helps her with the clasp.