Lynda Plante - The Talisman

Fascinated, Edward listened as Johnson explained the Central Selling Organization, or CSO. With such an attentive audience he held forth in great detail. ‘Our principles are very straightforward. As we, the CSO, handle the major proportion of world sales, we can best maintain an adequate supply of diamonds to the cutting centres at stable prices... If you look at this map, Edward, it’ll give you some idea just how many mines are producing quality merchandise.’

Johnson pointed to a wall map and picked up a pen, gesturing to each country as he spoke. ‘The Belgian Congo, Tanganyika, Bechuanaland, Basutoland, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Ghana... all from Africa, we here in South Africa are among the many. Co-operative marketing depends not only on the ability of the CSO to sell diamonds, as with your young friend Richard, but also on its financial strength to cover stocks. Whenever production of particular sizes exceeds demand, then these categories can be carried in reserve until the market needs them, therefore keeping some kind of equality... excuse me.’

Edward jumped as Johnson barked on his intercom, then switched it off and checked his watch. ‘Look, you want to have lunch? Show you not only the laboratories but some of the cutting experts of the world are in town today, would you like to meet them...?’

Richard was amazed to see Edward being guided through the canteen by one of the Great White Chiefs, and ushered into one of the private dining rooms. Edward gave Richard a slight smile and followed Johnson.

The food was good, and served by waitresses wearing pretty pink caps. Johnson introduced Edward to the others, and they discussed in detail a programme they were setting up. A white-haired gentleman seated himself opposite Edward, next to Johnson.

‘You the young chap with the glowing degrees from Cambridge? Who was your professor, not Emmott by any chance?’

Edward was ‘in’, and he smiled. They talked for a long time, at the end of which the man shook Edward’s hand and said, ‘Call me Ernest.’ His love of diamonds was obvious, and he kept Edward fascinated with his descriptions of the two main methods used for mining diamonds, ‘pipe’ and ‘alluvial’.

Time and time again Edward tried to interrupt Ernest but, like Johnson, once he got started on his precious diamonds he was unstoppable. Just as he was about to launch into the alluvial mining process, Edward managed to interrupt.

‘It’s quite extraordinary, sir, I was making vast progress in the testing of above-ground materials to avoid the time it takes to pinpoint the exact location of the central mine. Stones, I know, can be carried miles on river beds, and the miners work backwards to trace the source... But what if, by using chemicals on the layers of earth at surface level, one could detect, and be almost one hundred per cent sure, that there would be diamonds or gold seven or eight hundred feet below...?’

Johnson did not like to break in on the conversation, as the chairman was obviously enthralled by the young student. Sir Ernest Lieberson tweaked his moustache as he listened to Edward’s theories, which he found interesting, to say the least — especially when Edward took Emmott’s notes and copies of his final papers from his briefcase.

Sir Ernest had been credited with great ingenuity. He was known to be a resourceful man, and was the one BB had pinpointed for Edward to reach, telling him that it was Lieberson who had steered the diamond industry out of the depression in the thirties. Edward had struck gold on his first introduction to the De Veer company. He had made such an impression on the chairman that he was not only shown all the laboratories but was asked to have lunch with Sir Ernest, whose son was at Oxford, the following day. He wished to discuss Edward’s theories further.

Edward returned home to find a furious row raging between BB and Richard. BB had taken to using a silver-topped cane to help him walk about, and as Edward came into the room he was using it to prod his son in the back. ‘Only way you’ll get those mines is over my dead body. Your brothers were killed in the Fordesburg, and I have personal attachments to the others. Try anything and I’ll cut you off without a bloody rand.’

Furious, Richard turned on his father. ‘From what I can gather from your cronies at the Pretoria Club, you don’t have a rand to your name anyway.’

Purple with rage, BB shouted that if it was true then his bankruptcy was due to his, Richard’s, spendthrift ways. Richard was taken aback. ‘You’re not serious, Pa... Edward, would you mind leaving us alone, this is a private matter?’

Edward gave BB a meaningful look as he left the room, and heard the old man’s puff of breath as he flopped into a chair. ‘You can sell off your mother’s jewels, what’s left of them.’

Afraid that BB might divulge something to Richard, Edward hovered outside the door. The crackling laugh made him smile.

‘Ah, see, that’s brought you to your senses. Those sons of bitches at the club biting against me as usual, are they? And what the hell have you been doing there? Playing the tables again? Haven’t you learnt anything from London?’

At dinner, Richard was quiet, picking at his food. Bad-tempered, he asked when Edward was thinking of leaving.

‘Perhaps tomorrow, depends on my luncheon. I think I will be offered a job at the laboratories.’

Richard had served his purpose in getting Edward into De Veer’s, now Edward wanted him out of the way. ‘When are you due back in London, Richard?’

Shrugging, Richard said they were waiting for a new consignment of roughs to be delivered, he was to carry them back to London.

BB looked at his son and sighed. ‘Come to that, eh? Got you carrying the stones? Well, they must be testing you, so be sure you take care.’

Richard snapped back at his father. ‘I have no intention of continuing as their errand boy. I have been assured of a position within the company as an executive.’

Shortly after dinner Richard left for town. Edward patted BB’s hand and the old man gripped it tight. ‘How am I doing? Not let you down yet, have I? Keeping my old brain ticking you are, makes me feel good.’

‘No, BB, you haven’t let me down. I know I’m going to get into the labs and then we’re home and dry. I’ve arranged for you to buy two more mines.’

Laughing, BB put his arm around Edward. ‘That’s what I like to hear, think big and your dreams will grow, think small and you’ll fall behind... think big, son, think big.’

But Edward was thinking far bigger than BB ever dreamed.

The following day Edward charmed his way into Sir Ernest Lieberson’s office. As he had hoped, he was offered a job in the laboratories, pursuing the theories he had first begun at Cambridge.

Richard returned to London and Edward moved into a cheap hotel. It was imperative that he had no traceable association with BB. But, as promised, he kept in touch. He knew it was necessary, even though at times he could have done without the nightly calls. He worked all day, moving from mine to mine, making careful studies and collecting samples, filling his specimen bottles with soil and rock gradings. He travelled extensively, and his preparations were diligent in the extreme. It was vital now for Edward to have rough diamonds and gold. He needed samples of both in quite large quantities.

BB’s part in the plan began. He employed a group of kaffirs to rewire the fences on all his mines. Every mine they had was to look as if work were in progress. They would work on a turnaround system, in split groups, one day leaving only one boy on a site but with a piece of heavy machinery to make it look as though a lot was going on. It appeared that eight dormant mines were now being worked, which naturally stirred up interest in the local communities. The mines were many miles apart, and the news was left to spread slowly by itself.