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
upon" 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,

"5 MAY, 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 would have been
so informed. The diamonds were withdrawn from Messrs. Garnett, the
jewellers, by Sir Florian soon after his marriage, and were, no doubt,
intrusted 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