Lawyers such as Mr. Camperdown are slow, and it was three or four months after that when he wrote a letter in his own name to Lady Eustace, explaining to her, still courteously, that it was his business to see that the property of the Eustace family was placed in fit hands, and that a certain valuable necklace of diamonds, which was an heirloom of the family, and which was undeniably the property of the heir, was believed to be in her custody. As such property was peculiarly subject to risks, would she have the kindness to make arrangements for handing over the necklace to the custody of the Messrs. Garnett? To this letter Lizzie made no answer whatever, nor did she to a second note, calling attention to the first. When John Eustace told Greystock that Camperdown intended to “jump on” Lady Eustace, the following further letter had been written by the firm;—but up to that time Lizzie had not replied to it:
62, New Square, Lincoln’s Inn,
May 5, 186‒.Madam,
It is our duty as attorneys acting on behalf of the estate of your late husband Sir Florian Eustace, and in the interest of your son, his heir, to ask for restitution of a certain valuable diamond necklace which is believed to be now in the possession of your ladyship. Our senior partner, Mr. Camperdown, has written to your ladyship more than once on the subject, but has not been honoured with any reply. Doubtless had there been any mistake as to the necklace being in your hands we should have been so informed. The diamonds were withdrawn from Messrs. Garnett’s, the jewellers, by Sir Florian soon after his marriage, and were, no doubt, entrusted to your keeping. They are appanages of the family which should not be in your hands as the widow of the late baronet, and they constitute an amount of property which certainly cannot be alienated from the family without inquiry or right, as might any trifling article either of use or ornament. The jewels are valued at over £10,000.
We are reluctantly compelled, by the fact of your having left unanswered three letters from Mr. Camperdown, Senior, on the subject, to explain to you that if attention be not paid to this letter, we shall be obliged, in the performance of our duty, to take legal steps for the restitution of the property.
A few days after it was sent old Mr. Camperdown got the letter-book of the office and read the letter to John Eustace.
“I don’t see how you’re to get them,” said Eustace.
“We’ll throw upon her the burden of showing that they have become legally her property. She can’t do it.”
“Suppose she sold them?”
“We’ll follow them up. £10,000, my dear John! God bless my soul! it’s a magnificent dowry for a daughter—an ample provision for a younger son. And she is to be allowed to filch it, as other widows filch china cups, and a silver teaspoon or two! It’s quite a common thing, but I never heard of such a haul as this.”
“It will be very unpleasant,” said Eustace.
“And then she still goes about everywhere declaring that the Portray property is her own. She’s a bad lot. I knew it from the first. Of course we shall have trouble.” Then Mr. Eustace explained to the lawyer that their best way out of it all would be to get the widow married to some respectable husband. She was sure to marry sooner or later—so John Eustace said—and any “decently decent” fellow would be easier to deal with than she herself. “He must be very indecently indecent if he is not,” said Mr. Camperdown. But Mr. Eustace did not name Frank Greystock the barrister as the probable future decent husband.
When Lizzie first got the letter, which she did on the day after the visit at Fawn Court of which mention has been made, she put it by unread for a couple of days. She opened it, not knowing the clerk’s handwriting, but read only the first line and the signature. For two days she went on with the ordinary affairs and amusements of her life, as though no such letter had reached her; but she was thinking of it all the time. The diamonds were in her possession, and she had had them valued by her old friend Mr. Benjamin—of the firm of Harter and Benjamin. Mr. Benjamin had suggested that stones of such a value should not be left to the risk of an ordinary London house; but Lizzie had felt that if Mr. Benjamin got them into his hands, Mr. Benjamin might perhaps not return them. Messrs. Camperdown and Garnett between them might form a league with Mr. Benjamin. Where would she be, should Mr. Benjamin tell her that under some legal sanction he had given the jewels up to Mr. Camperdown? She hinted to Mr. Benjamin that she would perhaps sell them if she got a good offer. Mr. Benjamin, who was very familiar with her, hinted that there might be a little family difficulty. “Oh, none in the least,” said Lizzie;—“but I don’t think I shall part with them.” Then she gave Mr. Benjamin an order for a strong box, which was supplied to her. The strong box, which was so heavy
