The Messrs. Garnett were able to say that the necklace had been in
their keeping, with various other jewels still in their possession, from
the time of the death of the late Lady Eustace, up to the marriage of the
late Sir Florian, her son. They stated the date on which the jewels were
given up to be the 24th of September, which was the day after Sir
Florian's return from Scotland with his bride. Lizzie's first statement
had coincided with this entry in the Messrs. Garnett's books; but latterly
she had asserted that the necklace had been given to her in Scotland. When
Mr. Camperdown examined the entry himself in the jeweller's book, he found
the figures to be so blotted that they might represent either the 4th or
24th September. Now, the 4th September had been the day preceding Sir
Florian's marriage. John Eustace only knew that he had seen the necklace
worn in Scotland by his mother. The bishop only knew that he had often
seen them on the neck of his sister-in-law when, as was very often the
case, she appeared in full-blown society. Mr. Camperdown believed that he
had traced two stories to Lizzie--one, repeated more than once, that the
diamonds had been given to her in London, and a second, made to himself,
that they had been given to her at Portray.
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