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ABBEY DES FONTAINES

2:05 PM

DE ROQUEFORT OPENED HIS EYES THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD pounded and he swore that brother Geoffrey would pay for his assault He pushed hi He heard frantic cries from outside the door He dabbed the side of his head with his sleeve and the cassock came away stained with blood He stepped into the bathroo the wound

He steeled hie He sloalked across the bedchamber and opened the door

"Master, are you all right?" his new marshal asked

"Come inside," he said

The four other brothers waited in the hall They knew better than to step into the master’s chamber without permission

"Close the door"

His lieutenant co have they been gone?"

"It’s been quiet in here for twenty minutes That’s what raised our fears"

"What do you mean?"

A puzzled look ca"

"Where did the seneschal and brother Geoffrey go?"

"Master, they were in here, with you We were outside"

"Look around They’re gone When did they leave?"

More bewilderment "They didn’t co me those two did not walk out that door?"

"We would have shot them if they had, as you ordered"

His head started to hurt again He lifted the wet rag to his scalp andknot He’d wondered why Geoffrey had coht here

"There’s news from Rennes-le-Chateau," the marshal said

That revelation piqued his interest

"Our two brothers made their presence known and Malone, as you predicted, eluded thehway"

He’d correctly deduced that the best way to pursue Stephanie Nelle and Cotton Malone was to let them think they were free of pursuit

"And the shooter in the churchyard last night?"

"The person fled on a ave chase That incident, and the attack on our brothers in Copenhagen, are clearly related"

He agreed "Any idea who?"

"Not yet"

He didn’t want to hear that "What of today? Where did Malone and Nelle go?"