The Secret in the Panel

The Secret in the Panel

“Mary, take my necklace quickly, give it to Elizabeth. Hurry before they take me from this chamber to the scaffold. Please keep Elizabeth safe until she comes of age.” Anne removed the necklace, her hands shaking. Mary stared at the necklace Anne placed in her hand; it was a thing of beauty. White pearls, a gold “B” with three teardrop pearls. “Mary, please do not let it fall into Henry’s hands, whatever you do. The knock on the door was a bang: “Your Majesty, it is time.” Mary quickly slipped the necklace into a pocket in her gown and left Anne. She could not bear the thought that Anne was to be beheaded on the scaffold; worse, Henry showed no mercy. Mary strode hurriedly toward her home; she promptly hid the necklace in a small space behind her looking glass. Before Mary could return, Anne was beheaded. Mary married a soldier of good family: William Stafford. Mary became pregnant with Anne, her daughter. Mary thought of giving the necklace to her, then decided it was proper to do as her sister Anne asked, the words echoing in her ears: “Give it to Elizabeth when she comes of age.” When Elizabeth came of age, Mary was dead, and the pearl necklace remained hidden in the panel behind the looking glass. Mary’s daughter Elizabeth, upon her mother’s death, sold the Stafford Estate to the Harvey Family. Sir Lord John Harvey was pleased with the purchase, as was his wife Adeline; the pearl necklace remained hidden. Once again the estate was sold to Sir Lord Mark Lawrence. Mark married Lady Anne Buford. “Father, I must leave the country; if I stay, I will be executed.” Sir Mark blanched: “Thomas, what have you done?” Fear entered Thomas’ voice: “Father, I..I became a priest; I am catholic. If I stay, I put you and Mother at risk. Elizabeth is a very unforgiving person.” Sir Mark grumbled into his beard: “Thomas, where are you going to flee to?” The Mayflower is taking passengers. I have no money, Father; I need your help.” Lady Anne quickly came down the winding staircase, a pearl necklace with the B and teardrop pearls: “Thomas, take this; I found it while cleaning, a panel behind my looking glass. It will purchase your way to the new world.” Thomas held the necklace in his sweating palm: “It is lovely, Mother, but I can not take this.” Lady Anne smiled as she enclosed the necklace in his hand: “If you don’t take it, we could be accused of stealing it. Take it and keep it safe, Thomas, and here are a few gold coins. Now go before you lose this chance. Thomas booked passage on the Mayflower; he was seasick most of the voyage. The Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in the year 1602. The colony was named Massachusetts. Thomas built a hut just as the other pilgrims did. He was safe, and sorry he lied to his parents about being a priest. He planned to hide the necklace; he wondered if his mother found it why the “B”? He buried it in a corner, hoping someday to find a wife and settle down. Thomas worked the land and became very prosperous. He met a lovely blue-eyed blond girl, who intrigued him. The day he met her, he dug up the necklace and moved to his spacious home. He hid the necklace in a panel hidden behind his desk. His beautiful Ann was blond and blue-eyed, with a lilting laugh. They were married; two years later she died in childbirth. Thomas married again, a plain young woman with dark hair and brown eyes; her name was Pamela Matthews. She presented him with a son, John. When John came of age, Thomas showed the necklace to him: “John, keep this safe; this necklace was from your grandmother, Lady Anne. Once a year, until his death, Thomas checked on the necklace to make sure it was safe and snug behind his desk. John grew into the man his father wanted him to be; their wealth excelled and became the start of a Boston dynasty. John fought at Bunker Hill and returned home. He married a young lady named Anne. She gave him five sons and four daughters. His firstborn son, Samuel, and following tradition, he showed Sam the necklace, which was still hidden behind the large oak desk, in a small snug panel. Sam asked John who the necklace belonged to: “My great-grandmother gave it to her son Thomas to purchase his fare on the Mayflower. Thomas could not bring himself to use it, but kept it to remind him of his mother’s sacrifice.” Sam held the necklace for a moment before asking: “Father, who was Anne?” John turned to face him: “Son, I don’t know; your great-grandmother found it when she was cleaning behind a looking glass, where it came from or who it actually belonged to. Maybe someday that mystery will be solved.

Eventually, the family home was sold in Boston. The necklace, still safe in the panel, found its way to a jeweler in Boston. Joseph Harvey hoped it was worth something to someone, somewhere. The jeweler took out his loop and examined it closely: “Joe, where did you get this?” Joe averted his eyes as he replied: “it has been in the Harvey family; no one knows where he actually came from.” The jeweler thought for several moments: “I have a friend who is a historian; I would love to show it to him.” Joe promptly told the jeweler to take it. A week later the phone rang: “Joe, this is Max. Can you come to the jewelry store now?” Joe hoped it was worth something to someone. He had no use for it. Joe rode the bus to the jewelers. Max stood smiling: “Joe, this is my friend, the historian I told you about.” Joe extended his hand to Jack Sutherland. Jack took a breath as he began: “The necklace belonged to Queen Anne Boleyn. For years, the monarchs have attempted to find it. Joe would you consider returning it to its proper owners?”

June 30th, 1990

Joe flew from Boston to Great Britain; he was met by Prime Minister John Major. The limousine arrived at Buckingham Palace where Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II awaited his arrival. Joseph Harvey held the necklace in his hand. He was presented to Her Majesty, who smiled: “Mister Harvey, I wish to thank you for returning this necklace. The final chapter of King Henry the Eighth is closed. When I was a child, my parents discussed the possibility that Anne, before she was beheaded, gave the necklace to her sister Mary for safe keeping, They thought Mary was to give it to Elizabeth when she was of age, however Mary died before Elizabeth reached the throne.” Joseph bowed to Queen Elizabeth II, then smiled to himself as he thought: ‘I am glad I was able to return it.’ Father Joseph Harvey returned home to serve a small parish just outside of Boston: Saint Anne of Hope Church.