The Property of a Lady Summary

James Bond is having a very uneventful day at the Ministry of Defense headquarters when M, his boss, calls him in to his office to meet a Dr. Fanshawe. M explains that Fanshawe is an expert on antique jewelery and also an advisor to H.M. Customs and the CID on this subject.

Dr. Fanshawe now explains that H.M. Customs recently intercepted a parcel in the registered mail which contained a piece of Fabérgé jewelery with a declared value of £100,000. A Home Office warrant was obtained and the package clandestinely opened. Inside was the famous Emerald Sphere by Fabérgé and papers, in Russian and French, stating the provenance of the piece. The parcel was addressed to a Miss Maria Freudenstein, and according to the provenance, she has inherited the Sphere from her...