Black River

TWENTY-SEVEN

She was gone almost five minutes. When she returned, Laura Jordan was wearing white cotton gloves and she carried a file folder in her arms. She sat on the edge of the couch and opened the folder, gently removing two papers, both aged the color of light brown mustard. “Sorry I took so long. For a minute I couldn’t remember the combination to the safe. Jack was the one who usually opened it. He and I found these in the magazine. My hands perspire each time I read them.”

“What are they?

“One is a letter, signed by a man named Henry. He might be the Henry related to your client. The other paper is a document — it’s an agreement between the Confederate States of America and Great Britain.”

O’Brien leaned forward. “Are you saying this is a wartime contract between the Confederacy and England?”

“Exactly. This is amazing when you read what it says.”

“I’m almost hesitant to ask what’s written on that page.”

“Well, for certain this is something no one ever studied in American history or British history classes because I doubt whether anyone alive knew about it until Jack and I found this stuff. The agreement is signed by Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America and Lord Palmertson, who was the British prime minister during the time of the American Civil War. You can read it, but what it says is that England agreed to partial backing, at least financially, of the Confederacy as long as the CSA was winning the war. Here’s some of what it says.” She looked down and read from the document. “It is agreed upon, on this date, August 14, 1861, that Great Britain will forgive remaining debt owed on seven warships commissioned by the Confederate States of America, built in Liverpool shipyards, and delivered to the CSA in Charleston, South Carolina. It is further understood and mutually agreed, that Great Britain will not seek repayment or restitution for monies lent to enable the CSA to purchase the yacht known as America, a vessel to be fitted with British weaponry by the CSA, and used at its option in its succession effort. The bullion, more than one million pounds of gold, provided to the CSA treasury by special arrangement with Great Britain, shall remain in the CSA treasury, to be used at the sole discretion of the CSA. Whilst, it is mutually understood and agreed that the diamond on loan from Her Majesty’s Crown Jewels, shall be used only in a capacity of collective collateral assets, although never to be sold jointly or individually, bartered or traded. It is conclusively understood, agreed and guaranteed that this diamond, sometimes referred to as the Koh-i-Noor, will be returned to Great Britain from the CSA by special emissary within seventy-two hours of CSA’s war effort diminishing to the point of no probable restoration or victory. This decision is to be made solely by the Honorable Jefferson Davis, President of the CSA, after consultation with General Robert E. Lee and British Prime Minister Lord Palmertson. At which point the diamond will be returned to Lord Palmertson to be reinstated in its proper place within the Crown Jewels. All parties to this pact shall be sworn to absolute secrecy and confidentially, bonded by the signatures affixed to this covenant.” Laura sat straight back on the couch, her eyes lifting from the paper to O’Brien. “What do you think?”

“If that contract is authentic, this would be huge international news and rewrite British and American history books. Overtly, England was said to have been neutral in the American Civil War, never taking sides with the Union or the Confederacy. But that contract suggests that the Queen of England may have partially financed the Confederate war machine. If nothing else, did she know her diamond was on loan from the Crown Jewels? And since the South lost, was it ever returned? Is this the diamond your husband found?”

“This next paper, written by a man named Henry, may answer that. Let me check on Paula, and I’ll tell you what it says.”