The remarkably forgiving Mrs. Charlton wasn’t satisfied with mere flowers, however.

Instead, she acquired diamond jewelry whenever her wealthy husband strayed – and it seems they both notched up quite a collection in their 26 years together.

While Mr. Charlton enjoyed the opportunities offered to a businessman running two nightclubs and an underwear packing business, his wife is said to have equally cherished the necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings the errant entrepreneur bought her.

The collection of 43 jewelry items in Mrs. Charlton’s jewelry box was passed on to their only daughter and has now sold for nearly £300,000.

The most expensive item was a necklace made up of 54 diamonds, thought to have been bought from Carrington and Co of Regent Street, which was auctioned for £60,000.

A large pendant in the shape of a diamond and a brooch each went for £53,000 and a chunky diamond solitaire ring sold for £23,000.

A pair of drop earrings went for £22,000 while a gold bangle with nine diamonds fetched £25,000, including the auctioneer’s cut.

According to the family the couple’s arrangement meant their marriage thrived from when they wed in 1948 until Mr. Charlton died, aged 63, in 1974.

Clare Durham, of auctioneers Woolley and Wallis of Salisbury, Wiltshire, said: ‘It would seem that any time Mr. Charlton was naughty and played away he bought his wife a nice bit of jewelry to keep her sweet.

‘She was well aware of what was going on – he cheated on her a lot. It may have been more than 43 times, because the families have kept some of the pieces, or it may have been less.

‘Certainly the best, most expensive pieces were bought when he played away. His daughter was fully aware of what was going on at the time and the family has told us the story – it was no secret to anyone.

It is not clear if Mr. Charlton had been married before but he had an 11-year-old daughter, Marie, when he wed Elizabeth and she took the girl as her own. When Mrs. Charlton died in 2006, aged 90, she left the collection of jewelry to Marie.

The seller has not commented on her decision to sell the heirlooms, but did provide the auctioneers with plenty of her parents’ life history.

Of the jewelry sold by her firm, she said: ‘It is a beautiful collection of fine diamond jewelry. There were 43 items in total and most of it dates back to the late Victorian and early Edwardian period.

‘It would have been antique when it was bought in the 1950s and 1960s. The standout piece is definitely the necklace which is just beautiful.’ (mailonline)