The Eustace Diamonds by Anthony Trollope

Lord Fawn had promised, as he put Lizzie into her carriage, that he would come to her soon -- but he did not come soon. A fortnight passed and he did not show himself. Nothing further had been done in the matter of the diamonds, except that Mr. Camperdown had written to Frank Greystock, explaining how impossible it was that the question of their possession should be referred to arbitration. According to him they belonged to the heir, as did the estate; and no one would have the power of accepting an arbitration respecting them -- an arbitration which might separate them from the estate of which an infant was the owner for his life -- any more than such arbitration could be accepted as to the property of the estate itself. "Possession is nine points of the law," said Frank to himself, as he put the letter aside -- thinking at the same time that possession in the hands of Lizzie Eustace included certainly every one of those nine points. Lizzie wore her diamonds again and then again.

There may be a question whether the possession of the necklace and the publicity of their history -- which, however, like many other histories, was most inaccurately told -- did not add something to her reputation as a lady of fashion. In the meantime, Lord Fawn did not come to see her. So she wrote to him. "My dear Frederic, had you not better come to me? Yours affectionately -- L. I go to the North at the end of this month. "