'Please, not yet...' I reached down into the neck of my gown to retrieve the Star vial.

Someone approaches, Albray warned me to refrain. Albray warned me to refrain.

'He's dead, Albray!' I was panicking. I needed time to form a strategy. How could I save any of us now? 'We hesitated too long.'

Our plan is still sound, Albray a.s.sured me. Albray a.s.sured me. Just make sure the maid does not learn of the boy's pa.s.sing. Just make sure the maid does not learn of the boy's pa.s.sing.

To buy us time, I a.s.sumed, but when the door to the room opened and the maidservant entered I was forced to quickly address the situation. 'Put it down over there. Thank you, and leave quietly,' I instructed in a whisper, trying not to sound too desperate.

'My duke requested that I look over the master and report on his condition.' The weighty maid strode toward the bed.

'Your report to the duke shall be far more positive if you give the infusion a half hour to do its work,' I said.

The maid turned back to me. 'I must say I feel much better for having had a cup of your brew, Miss Winston.'

'It is an old gypsy remedy,' I confessed.

The maid stared at me, horrified, but then shrugged and smiled. 'Today has been a most enlightening day, miss.' She curtseyed to me, which she was certainly not required to do. 'I shall speak with you in half an hour.' She waddled to the door. 'Can I fetch you some tea and something to eat?'

'I'd greatly appreciate that.' Despite my panic, I was starving.

'A Last Supper perhaps?' I said to Albray once we were alone. He stood out in the darkness, his spirit glistening like an angel. 'Now what do you suggest we do?'

Give the child the powder, the child the powder, he prompted, as if that went without saying. he prompted, as if that went without saying.

'Surely it can do no good now...' but I fished out the vial, eager to try anything at this point.

Just a small amount will do the trick, washed down with some of Chiara's brew.

'All right.' I was doubtful, but I fetched a cup of broth.

I sprinkled about a tenth of the vial's contents on the boy's tongue and closed his mouth. I replaced my vial for safekeeping, and then raised the head of the deceased lad to trickle Chiara's brew into his mouth. The next thing I knew the child was coughing and spluttering all over me.

'Mademoiselle?' The blue-eyed boy with dark angelic curls looked at me, wide-eyed and energetic, like he'd just woken from a sleep, rather than a fatal illness. The child looked over my shoulder. 'Monsieur?' 'Monsieur?' Albray was the only other being present. 'Is the sickness gone?' He was amazed to feel so well after days of torture. Albray was the only other being present. 'Is the sickness gone?' He was amazed to feel so well after days of torture.

'Oui, the sickness is gone.' I placed the broth in his hands. 'But I think you had best choose another colour for your chambers, or better still, choose new chambers altogether.' the sickness is gone.' I placed the broth in his hands. 'But I think you had best choose another colour for your chambers, or better still, choose new chambers altogether.'

'Oui,' the lad agreed, 'the new paint smelt rather bad.' the lad agreed, 'the new paint smelt rather bad.'

Albray and I got a chuckle out of that observation.

Even having achieved a miracle, my problems in Orleans were far from over.

Gasgon de Guise was, of course, extremely grateful for his son's return to health. He proclaimed, with his d.u.c.h.ess in attendance, that I had undone the curse of the gypsies and he would set them free.

At this stage I wanted to point out that I had also proved that the illness was not the work of a gypsy curse. I refrained, however. The duke had been informed of my findings and if I made him out to be the fool, I would lose what favour I had gained by my service to his house. Instead, I decided it wiser to focus on and clarify our arrangement. I felt there was some sort of catch to what was being said by the duke. 'So all the gypsies, including Cingar and Rumer Choron, are now free to leave with me.'

The duke's gaze of approval turned chilly.

'The girl may go, but the fiddle player stays,' he informed me. 'I have plans for him on my plantation in Louisiana.'

'No, my lord, please. There is nothing to punish this man for,' his d.u.c.h.ess appealed. 'His music invoked my pa.s.sion,' she admitted willingly, 'my pa.s.sion for you, my love...why won't you believe me?'

The duke would not look at his wife; clearly he felt her words stemmed from love and not justice.

'The only curse on this house is your jealousy!' said the d.u.c.h.ess bitterly.

'Perhaps I shall hang the gypsy instead,' the duke replied coldly, whereby his wife reached her wit's end and stood. 'I love you, Gasgon de Guise, but I shall never forgive you if you condemn this man's genius simply because you envy his talent.' The d.u.c.h.ess stormed toward me on her way out of the room. 'I would grant you anything for the service you have done this house today, Mademoiselle Winston, but I fear my husband is a stubborn fool.'

'You shall not speak ill of me in front of a guest.' The duke attempted to reprimand his feisty lady.

'You have no honour,' she spat back at him as she left the room.

Any angles on this negotiation would be very welcome right now, I said to my knight on the quiet. I said to my knight on the quiet.

Just say exactly what I tell you to say and we ought to fare well, Albray told me and I opened myself to his suggestion. Albray told me and I opened myself to his suggestion.

'If I release Cingar, what compensation have I for the upheaval he has caused in this house?' The duke was sounding a little emotionally unstable. He could easily snap and decide to have me beheaded for defending his purported heretic.

'If I might suggest a different perspective, your grace,' I ventured humbly and he gave me his attention. 'If you had never invited Cingar to play in your house, he would never have offended you, that is true. However However...he would not have been arrested and I would have had no reason to come to Orleans. Your son would have fallen sick to the poison on his walls in any case, and the entire household, including your grace, may have perished before the true cause of the illness was ascertained.'

The duke was grave as he mulled over my words, but to my great relief he eventually smiled. 'You are a very clever young woman, Mademoiselle Winston. And as you are so clever, I shall allow you to give me one good reason why I should release this gypsy. Are you in love with him?' The duke was clearly intrigued as to why I would risk my neck for such a man as Cingar.

'I am sorry to disappoint, your grace,' I blushed at his implication, for it was very romantic, 'but in truth I have never met the man.'

Tell the duke that you have a very good reason to release Cingar, but that it is for his ears alone. His guards must leave.

I'm not too sure that I want to be alone with his man, Albray, I inwardly protested as I repeated Albray's instruction to de Guise. I inwardly protested as I repeated Albray's instruction to de Guise.

The duke appeared wary of my request, but curiosity got the better of him and he dismissed his guards.

Excellent, Albray confirmed. Albray confirmed. Now undo your gown at the back. Now undo your gown at the back.

Forget it! I wasn't going to seduce a duke to get Cingar out of prison. I wasn't going to seduce a duke to get Cingar out of prison.

Show the duke your birthmark. Albray insisted I stop protesting and trust him. Albray insisted I stop protesting and trust him. The House of Guise is allied to the Grail kings. The House of Guise is allied to the Grail kings. Do Do it, please. it, please.

'Your grace, I must beg your leave one moment. This is not what it seems.'

The duke appeared pleasantly surprised as he watched me unb.u.t.ton my heavy velvet frock. 'Perfect timing, mademoiselle,' he commented, well disposed toward such a bargaining strategy. 'My wife is lost to me for the present, so I...'

When I approached him and turned, the sight of my birthmark brought his banter to a stop. I began refastening my dress as I turned back to face the duke.

He was too awed to speak for a moment. 'The mark of the House of du Lac,' he uttered aghast. 'Who are you really, Mademoiselle Winston?'

There was a knock at the door and the house steward entered. Thankfully I had reb.u.t.toned my gown by the time he did. 'There is a Monsieur Devere requesting an audience with your grace.'

My gasp just slipped out; that man had to be part bloodhound.

The duke clearly saw my distress. 'Tell him to come back tomorrow.'

'Beg your pardon, your grace, but Monsieur Devere is somewhat distressed. It seems he has lost a very pretty wife...an English woman,' the steward looked at me, 'of about twenty years, fair complexion, long auburn ringlets and green eyes.' He looked back at the duke. 'Have we seen anyone that fits that description, your grace?'

The duke raised his eyebrows in question at me.

'No.' I stated my preference. 'I can explain everything,' I added at Albray's prompting.

'No,' the duke advised the steward, who seemed unimpressed by the lie he had to tell.

'Very good.' The steward took his leave.

'Well, Mademoiselle Winston, or is it Madame Devere? It seems you suddenly have a whole lot more explaining to do.'

I could hardly believe the tale Albray had me spinning, and yet there was enough truth in it for me to sound convincing-all those years of telling stories to Susan suddenly came in very handy.

Because of my birthmark and my aforementioned occult connections, de Guise didn't have too much trouble believing that I was on a secret mission to the Holy Land for the Order de Sion. Or, rather, Albray had me telling the duke I had been sent by the Scottish chapter of the order-the Sangreal knighthood. I had no idea what I was talking about, but it seemed I knew the name of the secret brotherhood to which Mr Devere belonged, and Albray managed to work this little fact into our story. We said that I had been posing as Devere's wife for the mission, but that I suspected treachery-which was not entirely untrue. I told the duke I fled Devere's company upon reaching France to pursue my mission on my own.

'And what is your purpose in the Holy Land?' The duke was clearly dying to be made privy to my secret mission, for he was most intrigued by my yarn spinning.

Tell him you'll die before you disclose your mission.

I think that would be tempting fate, I argued. I argued.

He'll expect nothing less from one of the blood.

'I could tell you, your grace,' my determination hardened, 'but then I'd have to kill you...as I am sure you are well aware.'

Very nicely delivered, Albray commended me. Albray commended me. I'll make a knight of you yet. I'll make a knight of you yet.

When the duke grinned broadly, I didn't show how unnerving it was for me. Was he going to commend or kill me?

'If you are on a secret mission for the said Brotherhood Brotherhood-' he stressed the word '-and suspect you have been betrayed by your protector, Mr Devere, I can hardly allow you to leave my house without a.s.signing you some protection of my own.'

That would not be desirable, Albray stated the obvious. Albray stated the obvious. Tell him you've been trained to protect yourself. Tell him you've been trained to protect yourself.

'Your grace is very generous,' I moved to courteously decline, 'but I have been well trained to protect myself, and if the gypsies are freed-'

'Really!' the duke interrupted, intrigued by my claim and eager to avoid the subject of his prisoners. 'You are a trained killer, Lady du Lac?' The very idea brought a smile to his face, or perhaps it was his new name for me that tickled his fancy.

Christ, I do believe he is going to call our bluff! I panicked, and felt the heat of fear rising in my cheeks. I panicked, and felt the heat of fear rising in my cheeks.

Not to worry, we can sustain our fabrication.

'I am a swordsman myself,' de Guise announced. 'As are all the brothers.'

Yes! Albray cheered. Albray cheered.

'And a very good one, I am sure, your grace.' I turned to my own tactics before this got out of hand. 'However, I could not fight one of royal blood, especially one I have worked so hard this day to protect.'

'Come, come, my dear...just a little fun, nothing too serious.' De Guise stood, stubbornly resolved to a challenge. 'You can fight my best swordsman if it makes you feel more comfortable. After all, how am I to be sure that you are not spinning me tall tales, and it is, in fact, Mr Devere who is telling me the truth?'

Fine with us. Albray was keen. Albray was keen.

How on earth do I get myself into these things? As life was just one big entertainment to the aristocracy, I thought I'd better make sure I was going to achieve my objective if I was to meet this challenge. I certainly didn't want it evolving into an extended game of cat and mouse. 'If I prove I am competent enough to accomplish my own quest, your grace, will you then release Cingar?' As life was just one big entertainment to the aristocracy, I thought I'd better make sure I was going to achieve my objective if I was to meet this challenge. I certainly didn't want it evolving into an extended game of cat and mouse. 'If I prove I am competent enough to accomplish my own quest, your grace, will you then release Cingar?'

The duke frowned, perturbed at the mention of him, but not displeased with me. 'Why is the gypsy so important to you?'

'He is my guide to the Mediterranean,' I explained. 'He is vital to me achieving my objective.'

'But I can supply an army to accompany you. I have boats-'

'Your grace...' I interrupted politely, 'this is a secret secret mission. The gypsy band is the perfect cover. I must free their captain. I must have Cingar.' mission. The gypsy band is the perfect cover. I must free their captain. I must have Cingar.'

The duke drew a deep breath, reluctant to acquiesce. 'Such persuasion as you have must stem from otherworldly means.'

Although he said this in a complimentary fashion, I thought it best to refute his suggestion. 'I am a woman of science, your grace. My skills in negotiation stem purely from training and education, I a.s.sure you.' I wasn't going to end up on a heresy charge. Albray had been right to insist that I avoid working any miracles here. De Guise may have been allied to the bloodline, but I knew his family was careful to preserve ties to the church as well.

'Convince me with your skill and, by my vows to the bloodline, I could not deny you anything,' he a.s.sured me.

I told you there was nothing to worry about. Albray moved with us, as the duke led me to a suitable arena. Albray moved with us, as the duke led me to a suitable arena.

'I must leave Orleans today,' I added, to be perfectly clear on this point.

'On my finest horse,' the duke promised generously and I was satisfied. If Albray was as fine a swordsman as he claimed to be-and my knight had not failed me to date-there was no reason to believe that we would not make a fine showing for the duke.

LESSON 13.

COOPERATIVES.

FROM THE HONEYMOON JOURNAL OF LADY SUSAN DEVERE.

On the second morning of our journey to Orleans, Lord Devere and I were awoken in the early hours by the head maidservant at the hotel. She had heard from the coachman that Mr Devere had left our accommodation late last night, having purchased a saddled horse from a man in the salon downstairs.

It was my worst fear come to pa.s.s.

'Did he leave an address of where he was headed?' My Lord Devere was out of bed and ringing the bell for the servants to attend us.

'He left this for you at the desk, my lord.' The head maid handed the note to my husband, whereby she curtseyed and departed as the house staff entered to dress us. 'He has gone to visit Gasgon de Guise, Duke of Orleans.' Lord Devere raised both brows, intrigued. 'He does not mention why, however.'