The second idea she proposed was that they not do anything with the gold – and that over time, as they aged, they should each identify someone they trusted, one that they could turn their copies of the codex over to. The instructions to each would be the same as Edward had advised them: keep moving the gold and work in pairs to keep each other company, even if working remotely, and perhaps help each one from using the gold for themselves.

Beatrice also suggested that the one she chose would be the one to give the instructions on where and when to move the gold; the one John chose would wait for the instructions, and be responsible for moving the gold.

The other advice Edward hinted at was to find someone who would do the right thing. For Lady Beatrice and Sir John, the right thing was to keep the gold hidden.

With war raging all around Europe, the Treaty of Vienna struck between Prussia, Austria, France, Britain, and Russia having collapsed, and ill winds blowing in America over a possible war between states there, they decided this gold should wait for such a time when peace prevailed in the world. And then it could be used for good. By someone who would do the right thing.

Later on, the lawyer Beatrice chose agreed with the naval officer John chose that an additional instruction should be added to the instructions they’d pass on to future custodians: the gold would keep moving, and the person handing “the torch” over, so to speak, on Beatrice’s “line” would determine where and when to move the gold, before handing “the torch” to the next custodian. However the next custodian also had the option of a “plan B,” in case extraordinary circumstances demanded such an adjustment.

As generations passed, the chain of pairs of custodians determined that the gold needed to keep moving, as the time to use it had not, as yet, surfaced. However, as instructed, the generations of custodians stayed on the lookout for the moment when it could be used by an extraordinary person, someone befitting Edward Harranby’s memory, who would honor the spirit of his sacrifice, and enable the gold to surface, for the right reasons, or for the public good.