Violet took another step forward, her hand outstretched as if reaching for Vanessa. “And do you love him?” she asked, sounding slightly breathless. “Do you love him as I love Jeremy?”
The question was fueled by more than mere curiosity. Violet’s gaze was lit with regret, but with hope as well. She wanted reassurances, and Vanessa was surprised to find herself willing to give them. Not simply for Violet’s sake, but because she had only just realized it herself, and she wanted to admit it, to say it aloud.
“I do love him,” she said simply. Then she swallowed back the emotion threatening to choke her. Before she could say anything else, Jeremy hurried back into the room, carrying a large book.
“It’s Father’s Bible,” she said, more to herself than anyone else in the room.
“Exactly,” Jeremy said as he placed the large leather-bound volume on the desk. Jeremy opened the book, and there on the front page, surrounding the title, were small hand-drawn illustrations.
“I loved this book as a girl and always wanted to look at the pictures, but Father rarely allowed me the chance,” Violet said.
“I did a bit of research, and it would seem there are less than a hundred of these copies made,” Jeremy said. “It would appear to be quite the treasure.”
“We deduced that this was a code,” Violet said. “If we figure out the corresponding page, then the picture will give us the word on that page.”
“But we don’t know where to start,” Jeremy said.
Vanessa never looked up at them; she kept her gaze on the illustrated Bible. “Kings,” she said. “First and Second Kings.” She flipped the pages until she found what she sought. “So if we start here,” she said, then glanced back at The Magi’s Book of Wisdom, “using this symbol”—she pointed to the illustration at the top of the page, then found its match shadowed behind one word—“we get the word ‘beware.’ ”
She continued in such a fashion, moving from one book to the other and flipping pages within her father’s Bible until she had an entire message scrawled upon a piece of parchment.
Beware any who possess the stones of the Kingmaker, for only the most worthy may hold such a treasure.
The damned code wouldn’t have mattered to Graeme’s original quest to find the Stone of Destiny, but it could certainly matter now. He was trying to retrieve all the stones in an effort to protect the crown from The Raven.
Vanessa’s entire body went alert and rigid with fear. “Oh no, Graeme.”
* * *
The Raven stood at his study window watching the boy approach. What a fool to follow him here all the way from Scotland. What did he think to accomplish? He could easily send the guards after the boy or even release his hounds. The Raven laughed at his own jest. In the end, he made no move to do anything. This would no doubt be entertaining, whatever the boy’s purpose.
“Quite a long journey for a boy your age,” The Raven said as Dougal entered his study.
“I am old enough to travel on my own,” Dougal bit out. Then he took a deep breath, and his features softened. “I came to help you.”
“Help me?” The Raven asked, amused. He relaxed into the large throne-like chair behind his massive mahogany desk and smiled at the boy. “What would give you the impression that I require assistance from anyone, let alone you?” Perhaps the boy could be of use, but it seemed unlikely that he’d come all this way simply for that. He wanted something.
He motioned for Dougal to sit in one of the chairs opposite him. The boy’s eyes wandered over his surroundings, and The Raven allowed him to do so. Allowed him to see what kinds of riches could be his if he made the right choices in life. The boy’s eyes lit on the heavily jeweled crown that sat on the shelf to the left of his desk.
“Ah yes, you have exquisite taste. That I found in Egypt. It is rumored to have belonged to Cleopatra herself,” The Raven said. He clasped his hands together on his desk. “But you did not come here to see my antiquities collection. I believe you were going to tell me how helpful you could be.”
Dougal sat straighter on the edge of the leather chair. “I can tell you that my brother has returned to London,” he said. “He’s already looking for you.”
“Something I already knew. I expected him to follow me. Wanted him to,” The Raven said. “That had been part of my plan from the beginning.” Of course, that wasn’t precisely true. He’d been alive long enough to know that plans had to be fluid or else you risked getting caught or losing sight of your goal.
“And he is with his club right now discussing you,” Dougal said. “They will, no doubt, come for you.”
“Ah yes, Solomon’s. Typical. They can’t ever do anything on their own. I do wonder if Fielding is there.” The Raven felt the contempt rising inside him. He couldn’t afford to think about that. He had a master plan in the works. He shook his head. His dealings with Fielding were water under the proverbial bridge. Or rather water beneath the Tower of London, where they’d had their last confrontation. “I’m still missing the point of how it is you’re supposed to assist me.”
“I can help you get the third stone,” Dougal said.
The Raven paused, not wanting to reveal too much. He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his desk. “He has it? The Loch Ness Treasure? You’re certain?”
Dougal nodded. “Niall found it.”
“And Niall?” he asked, keeping his tone neutral. “What of him?”
“My cousin is dead,” Dougal said, never blinking an eye. “Died in an unfortunate explosion set by his own hand.”