Part 4 (1/2)

This is what is known as a _crux ansata_. The ancient Egyptians called it an _ankh_. Notice the loop at the top instead of the straight piece your true cross has. Now, your true cross--if it were properly energized, blessed, d'ye see--your true cross would tend to dissipate the evil. The _ankh_ merely vibrates to evil because of the closed loop at the top, which makes a return circuit. And it's not energized by blessing, but by another ... um ... spell.”

”Master Sean, we have a murder to investigate,” said Lord Darcy.

The sorcerer caught the tone of his voice and nodded quickly. ”Yes, my lord.” And he walked rollingly away.

”Now where's that secret stairway you mentioned, Sir Pierre?” Lord Darcy asked.

”This way, your lords.h.i.+p.”

He led Lord Dacy to a wall at right angles to the outer wall and slid back another tapestry.

”Good Heavens,” Darcy muttered, ”does he have something concealed behind every arras in the place?” But he didn't say it loud enough for the Privy Secretary to hear.

This time, what greeted them was a solid-seeming stone wall. But Sir Pierre pressed in on one small stone, and a section of the wall swung back, exposing a stairway.

”Oh, yes,” Darcy said. ”I see what he did. This is the old spiral stairway that goes round the inside of the Keep. There are two doorways at the bottom. One opens into the courtyard, the other is a postern gate through the curtain wall to the outside--but that was closed up in the sixteenth century, so the only way out is into the courtyard.”

”Your lords.h.i.+p knows Castle D'Evreux, then?” Sir Pierre said. The knight himself was nearly fifty, while Darcy was only in his thirties, and Sir Pierre had no recollection of Darcy's having been in the castle before.

”Only by the plans in the Royal Archives. But I have made it a point to--” He stopped. ”Dear me,” he interrupted himself mildly, ”what is that?”

”That” was something that had been hidden by the arras until Sir Pierre had slid it aside, and was still showing only a part of itself.

It lay on the floor a foot or so from the secret door.

Darcy knelt down and pulled the tapestry back from the object. ”Well, well. A .28 two-shot pocket gun. Gold-chased, beautifully engraved, mother-of-pearl handle. A regular gem.” He picked it up and examined it closely. ”One shot fired.”

He stood up and showed it to Sir Pierre. ”Ever see it before?”

The Privy Secretary looked at the weapon closely. Then he shook his head. ”Not that I recall, your lords.h.i.+p. It certainly isn't one of the Count's guns.”

”You're certain?”

”Quite certain, your lords.h.i.+p. I'll show you the gun collection if you want. My lord the Count didn't like tiny guns like that; he preferred a larger caliber. He would never have owned what he considered a toy.”

”Well, we'll have to look into it.” He called over Master Sean again and gave the gun into his keeping. ”And keep your eyes open for anything else of interest, Master Sean. So far, everything of interest besides the late Count himself has been hiding under beds or behind arrases. Check everything. Sir Pierre and I are going for a look down this stairway.”

The stairway was gloomy, but enough light came in through the arrow slits s.p.a.ced at intervals along the outer way to illuminate the interior. It spiraled down between the inner and outer walls of the Great Keep, making four complete circuits before it reached ground level. Lord Darcy looked carefully at the steps, the walls, and even the low, arched overhead as he and Sir Pierre went down.

After the first circuit, on the floor beneath the Count's suite, he stopped. ”There was a door here,” he said, pointing to a rectangular area in the inner wall.

”Yes, your lords.h.i.+p. There used to be an opening at every floor, but they were all sealed off. It's quite solid, as you can see.”

”Where would they lead if they were open?”

”The county offices. My own office, the clerk's offices, the constabulary on the first floor. Below are the dungeons. My lord the Count was the only one who lived in the Keep itself. The rest of the household live above the Great Hall.”

”What about guests?”

”They're usually housed in the east wing. We only have two house guests at the moment. Laird and Lady Duncan have been with us for four days.”