A Diamond in the Rough

by Marilyn Land

  “This pouch was among Ben’s personal items. There was a note from his friend Franz Schiller gifting them to him. It seems as though Ben planned to move to England when I returned from the War and Franz gave them to him as a token of their friendship. They were uncut when I received them. It took many years and a lot of practice, for me to attempt to cut and polish such large and valuable stones. But cut and polish I did, and I named each finished stone in honor of my family—your mother, Harry, Adam, and you.

  “Your mother loved them. She considered them too big to wear as a piece of jewelry—they were simply too ostentatious for her taste. She approved of my naming each stone, and was pleased that although I had left the world of diamonds behind many years before, I put all that my Papa taught me to good use.

  “You said they were in the pouch with a note to Ben from Franz, and there was no note leaving them specifically to you. Why did you feel they were rightfully yours and the cache of diamonds was not? If you were Ben’s sole heir, his entire estate would legally pass on to you, would it not?”

  Jake collected his thoughts. “The note stated the five uncut stones were a gift to Ben from Franz. There was nothing that indicated who the cache belonged to. Timing was a big factor; I was so young. I had lived through losses that people two and three times my age had never endured, and when I returned from Guernsey and thought I had lost your mother too, I chose to move on. I accepted the job with De Beers that Marcus offered me.”

  Zoe picked up the envelope stuffed with papers. “Are any of these papers significant?”

  “Ben saved all the wires sent by Marcus and my wires and letters too. I think he was desperately hanging on to the only family he had left. I truly regret for not having kept my promise to visit him in South Africa after I was discharged. Again, I was trying to get my life in order, and in doing so I lost him before I could make good on that promise.

  “The majority of papers are appraisals on Annex letterhead and from what I can tell, they are for the diamonds that were in the chest. It would be more cumbersome to match up each diamond with its description on any given appraisal, than it would be to start over and have each stone appraised individually on a single sheet. The appraisals, however, do indicate that the stones were cut in batches.”

  Zoe pushed her chair back and stood. “Can I get anyone a drink? Should I put some coffee on or start the kettle for tea?”

  “I think we’ve done a lot today. I’m hoping you’ll take some time digesting all of this. Although I have had this on my plate for quite some time, it’s new to you. I’m going to return everything to the safe. You both know the combination and you’re free to go through any of the items and/or papers to help in your Internet search.”

  “You’re right Daddy, as always. I know I’ve been relentless with my over-the-top questions. Actually, I think you have uncovered more insight than you realize, but the diamonds will take more time and effort than the history of the Lyons. I think your idea to treat the family version personally is a good one and the right one. Down the road if you should decide to go public, we can start with what we have, add to it, and edit it as you see fit.

  “I’ve read and reread what you’ve done, and I think it’s good, very good. By telling the story in your own words, your feelings come through genuinely, and I think the family will love it. Why don’t we read through it one more time together, make any changes or additions, and see about getting it bound and printed. I suggest a note from you at the beginning would be the perfect touch. When we’ve finished, we can move on to the diamonds.

  “In the meantime, while we are working at the cottage, David can get started on the Internet. He’s quite good at it, and if there’s something out there to find, I have no doubt he will find it.”

  With everything returned to the safe, they went to bed. Zoe was up most of the night; she couldn’t sleep thinking about the diamonds. There were so many questions, and no answers. She hoped that she and David could help.

  Sleep eluded Jake as well. His thoughts were of Lexi. He had put her first; a decision he never regretted. When he had revealed the diamonds to her, she couldn’t imagine why he felt they did not belong to him. She viewed it as Zoe did.

  They were considered a part of Ben’s personal effects, and since he was Ben’s sole heir, they were rightfully his.

  Maybe, just maybe he couldn’t find the one to whom it belongs because the one to whom it belongs had them.

  On the first anniversary of Lexi’s passing, Jake and the children gathered for a memorial service at the cottage. At dinner that evening, Jake handed each of them a copy of the Lyons story; he had taken Zoe’s suggestion and included a note at the beginning. It was a heartfelt note intended solely for his children.

  To Zoe, Harry and Adam,

  The cornerstone of my life has been Love and Family

  No two words proved more profound than when I lost everyone.

  No matter how bad times are, they can always be worse;

  Believe they can always be better.

  Believe that family is God’s ultimate Blessing.

  Believe when love is given, it is returned tenfold.

  Dare to dream the best; dare to soar above the rest!

  Success in not an accident.

  Learn, work hard, persevere and don’t settle.

  Love what you do and your happiness will be assured.

  Of all the titles that we seek in life,

  Father is the grandest of all!

  Zoe was surprised he had addressed the note solely to her, Harry, and Adam; and she had no idea he had received the copies from the printer. Jake clinked his glass as he usually did to get their attention, and they grew quiet.

  “Your mother encouraged me to document my story for our family, present and future, and I have done that. However, I decided that presenting the Lyons story to my children would allow you to add your stories and pass them on to your children, and so on into perpetuity. Much of what you will read you already know but there are parts that I never told anyone.

  “In addition, there is an envelope in each copy that contains a letter from your mother. The contents are unknown to me; they were individually written to each of you, and although she offered to let me read them, I saw no reason to. I’m well aware of how much she loved you.

  “You will note that I made no mention of how proud we both were, and I continue to be, of each and every member of the Lyons Family. I ask only that you remain true to yourselves, to your ideals, to your beliefs, never losing sight of the parts that love and family play in your lives.”

  When Jake finished speaking, they all stood, clapping and cheering. Zoe who thought she had the upper hand in bringing their project to completion was not surprised in the least that her Daddy never ceased to amaze. There were hugs, kisses, and teary eyes all around.

  Harry and Adam were anxious to read what their father and sister had put together; Zoe was anxious to see if there were any more surprises.

  “Dad, have you given any further thought to publishing your work?’”

  Jake put his arm around Harry’s shoulders. “I was going to mention that fact but decided against it. Tonight was all about the promise I made your mother. This version is what I call the family version meant for Lyons family members only. There are parts that are too personal for me to share with the world. When you’re finished reading it, you will have a better understanding of how I feel.

  “However, I am not adverse to editing and adding to this version in an effort to turn it into a manuscript that I would consider publishing. Zoe has agreed to continue working with me, and David has offered to help as well.”

  “I’m glad to hear that you’re considering it. I think your story is amazing, and I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who will agree with me.

  Although it’s months away, I do want to give you a heads up for the end
of the year. Our Matt will be a Bar Mitzvah in December and his parents are considering having the celebration in Israel. Do you think our annual holiday could be worked around their plans?”

  “Absolutely. This is great news; I won’t have to plan anything; and I’m certain Zoe will be relieved too. We’ll talk soon; just keep me apprised of their plans, and I’ll take care of all the travel arrangements.”

  He made all the arrangements in 1975 when he and Lexi visited Israel.

  It was his first visit, and her first time back. They had returned one additional time when Zoe planned their annual end of the year holiday in Israel, but that had been years ago. He was ready to visit again, and celebrating his great grandson’s Bar Mitzvah made it all the better.

  To Lexi returning to Israel where she had lived for four years and given birth to Zoe was bittersweet. She had both good memories and sad memories of the time she spent there. The country she left in 1948 was not the same country she had come to visit.

  In the almost three decades since declaring its independence, the State made great strides in creating a modern industrialized nation. Improvements and modernization were achieved in every sector from housing to agriculture to road systems to telecommunications to electrical networks. Israel had established a growing shipping fleet and a national airline (El-Al).

  The land began to flourish and Israel became self-sufficient in almost every area of food production. Trees were planted on once barren land, and as industry grew and natural resources were developed, employment rose.

  The educational system grew as well, and the government offered free schooling until the age of eighteen. Israel flourished culturally, as each immigrant group brought with them a unique set of customs and traditions.

  The one problem that remained was security.

  As a result of the 1948 War, Mount Scopus and the Hadassah Hospital were left as an Israeli exclave guarded by a small number of armed personnel, and all activities at the medical campus were abandoned. Alternative locations in West Jerusalem were selected for the evacuated medical staff to continue their activities. In 1961, a new medical complex was built in Ein Karem on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

  During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel conquered the entire area around Mount Scopus and the old medical campus was eventually reactivated after undergoing extensive renovations, reopening in 1975 coinciding with Jake and Lexi’s visit.

  She was relentless in showing Jake around Jerusalem where they had lived, where she took classes, and the newly renovated hospital where she worked and Zoe was born. They learned where her father was buried and visited his gravesite.

  They spent two weeks In Jerusalem overwhelmed with emotions by a city that promised and delivered a religious and spiritual experience like no place else.

  They had several stops scheduled along the way including an overnight stay at a Kibbutz, and a visit to the Dead Sea before continuing on to their final destination—Tel Aviv. They flew from Ben Gurion Airport home to Heathrow ending their month-long holiday.

  Prior to leaving Jerusalem, Jake made arrangements to have the new Pediatric Wing of the hospital dedicated to Dr. Emanuel Portman.

  Lexi was surprised but quite pleased; they hadn’t parted under the best of circumstances, but she loved her Pops, and she loved Jake for honoring him.

  While Zoe and Jake were busy at the cottage tying up loose ends before sending their work to the printer, David explored the Internet. He began his research in Cape Town. He made a list of all the names and places mentioned in the papers, and immediately, his search reverted back years before Ben had arrived from Russia.

  He learned that Paul and Phil Zeller left London in 1905, opening a store in Cape Town; their father was the proprietor of Zeller Jewelers in London located in Hatton Garden. After 20 years, they were well established as a high-end jewelry emporium when they ventured into gem cutting by opening the Annex in 1925.

  The article went on to describe the Annex and its success due in part to the Nazis’ dismantling of the world’s diamond-cutting center in Antwerp. Both the original store and the Annex were sold in 1948. He googled Zeller Jewelers in London and learned an air raid had completely demolished the store during the War. It was never rebuilt.

  Most of what he learned from the article was not new information. He surmised that Ben had arrived from Russia shortly after the Annex opened. Jake’s notes had accurately pieced together the history of Zeller Jewelers from what he learned on his first visit to Cape Town and from his meeting years later with Phil Zeller.

  Next he tackled Franz Schiller. Several attempts were futile; the name was not found. He entered Cape Town General Store, and it was a hit. One Simon Abel opened The General Store in the late 1860s at the very beginning of the diamond rush. It was the town’s sole general store and was one of its earliest business establishments. After his death in 1883, a young clerk who had worked for him took over the business.

  It was converted to The Smoker’s Shop in 1935. In later years, it became a clothing store.

  David searched through Jake’s notes. There it was; he found it. Franz Schiller must have been the clerk who worked for Simon Abel. He ran it as The General Store until he converted it to The Smoker’s Shop some time before Ben and Sidney’s visit to London when they brought a carved wooden box filled with cigars as a gift to their brother Harry.

  Jake had noted that he vaguely remembered a lion carved on the top of the box. David went down to the cellar and retrieved the wooden box that had come in the crate. It too had a lion carved on its lid. Perhaps the lion carvings equated to the Lyons name.

  Once again, nothing he learned was new or indicated any significance. Yet somehow a gut feeling began to kick in. Jake had dismissed Franz Schiller’s involvement with the diamonds at the onset. He had predeceased Ben, and nothing indicated that he had ever been a prospector himself, although he was living in South Africa during the years of the diamond rush.

  Perhaps there were prospectors who paid him with rough stones for the equipment they needed to work their claims. If this were the case, why would they have paid him with sizeable stones possibly worth a fortune as opposed to insignificant smaller pebbles? If not from prospectors, from where could Franz have acquired the five diamonds he had gifted to Ben?

  David decided to take a break. He thought about Jake’s statement that altitude had a way of clearing one’s thoughts. Logging off the computer, he grabbed a jacket, and set out for the aerodrome.

  He popped in to say Hello to Adam and was soon high above the clouds deep in thought. The one fault he found with his theory was the size of the cache. But try as he may, his gut feeling held steady—Franz Schiller was key to the diamonds.

  He would have to continue to search for anything and everything he could learn about one Franz Schiller.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  Following the memorial service for Lexi, Jake suggested they take a brief respite. Zoe, after spending the better part of the past year at his side working on the project, wholeheartedly agreed. Stepping back would allow them time to collect their individual thoughts and then come together to determine the best way to proceed.

  David, on the other hand, wanted to maintain his momentum. He felt he was on to something with regard to Franz Schiller. They were having a quiet dinner at home alone when Zoe asked, “I’ve been so busy wrapping up things with Daddy, I haven’t asked how your Internet search is coming along. Have you uncovered anything we don’t already know?”

  “As a matter of fact, I have and I haven’t.”

  “What on earth does that mean?”

  He filled her in on what he had learned, acknowledging that there was really nothing new, but the facts revisited had led him to draw different conclusions. He further went on to say, “The diamonds came from South Africa; a fact that remains undisputed. This leads me to believe that the answers to all of our questions regar
ding them lie in Cape Town. Everyone involved worked and lived there.

  “We know pretty much everything there is to know about the uncles, about the Zellers, about various other people that touched their lives, but the biggest unknown is Franz Schiller. I believe he is key to unlocking the mystery of the diamonds. Unfortunately, none of my searches unearthed one iota of information about him. It’s almost as if he never existed.”

  “What do you propose we do? What can we do?”

  Two days later, their plane left Heathrow Airport—destination Cape Town, South Africa. So much for a respite, Jake thought, as he settled back in his seat for the long flight.

  David had done his homework. He organized his notes and made a list of places to visit in search of the information they hoped to uncover. Although they spoke of his first trip to Cape Town after Ben’s death, Jake hadn’t disclosed much if anything about the time he had taken Lexi to South Africa on holiday.

  Their 1976 trip to Cape Town was as enlightening to Jake as it was to Lexi. The Central Business District that had been the center of his uncles’ lives had prospered and grown into a popular tourist attraction with little resemblance to the Town he had come to in search of learning about the diamonds.

  His visit to the synagogue was equally surprising. In 1905 the fittings were dismantled and moved to the newly constructed Great Synagogue, leaving the historic Old Synagogue standing empty alongside the new building for years.

  In 1941, the centenary year of the Great Synagogue, a society to establish a Jewish Museum and Archives was founded in Cape Town. Its object was to collect and preserve articles and documents, illustrating the history of the Jewish community in South Africa, but the project made little progress, and it was not until August 1958 that the museum was officially opened to the public.

  They arrived early in the week and began their holiday on the Atlantic seaboard, regarded as one of the most scenic routes in South Africa and known as Cape Town’s Riviera. From Clifton Beach to the beach at Camps Bay to the unspoiled beaches of Llandudno, they stopped at the many restaurants, cafes, and bars along the way acting as honeymooners.