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Then they would take to their beds Some died in those beds, too weak to open their eyes And then there were others who "

"Who?"

"Who sie e murders?"

"People were someti people since the beginning of time, sadly," Tara rerotesque manner"

"And that was?"

"They were all beheaded"

Tara felt a strange chill sweep through her again Her grandfather was talking about history

The worker in the crypt had been decapitated A brutal manner of murder, no matter what the year, or century, in which it had taken place

"France is fauillotine, reh narrowed eyes Jacques had loved his years in America Few people were so ardently in love with the country, and so determined to speak up for her, no matter what the politics of the moment

But he had been born a Frenchman, and he could defend his native land with a passion equaled by few

"The guillotine," he repeated, shaking his head, "was invented to be a merciful device Unfortunately, it made execution so quick that a rebellious people found it far too easy to use However, that is a different piece of history You are not paying attention to the point"

"Just what is the point, Grandpapa?"

"A case was finally proven against the evil of the Countess de Montcrasset that was so strong, the king had no choice but to recognize the fact that hisin the blood of her victi; church officials who had long been very wary of the wo, armed with crosses, with holy water She was taken into custody-- with the screa chamber, and sent to prison to await execution Certain ht one of the churchmen with them and broke into the prison They arrived in ti her--he was dead on the floor They subdued her, throttled her, and then, when they believed that she was dead, they sealed her into a coffin with all the proper rites and symbols to keep her buried forever"

Tara shifted unco her conversation with Professor Dubois at the dig He had told her that the history to be found in the crypt was invaluable, thatthose buried deep in the earth He had told her that he was seeking a certain noblewoman, who had surely been buried with untold riches Her coffin would have been sealed in a way that would have kept her dress, shoes, and jewels, and every iteive historians incredible information He had raved on about the historical iiven her na, and buried in all her finery, itto kill to steal the body Shean entire fortune in jewels It’s horrible, yet easy to see how a greedy cutthroat ht have studied the excavation and broken in when the work should have been shut down for the day But Jean-Luc was there And so he was killed so that Louisa de Montcrasset could be stolen The police will, though, I am certain, find out who theback in his chair "No, they will not"

"And why not?"

"Because the ht," Brent said wearily "I searched out every alley, every cafe, bar, restaurant, and whorehouse in the area I atte at Lucian "I’uards Anyway, I searched the streets of Paris until thisThen I showered, and returned the purse to the Airl"

"The one with you at the table," Lucian said, his words more of a statement than a query

"Yes"

"You kept her away from the police, and out of the papers?"

"Yes Yes, well I have done so this far She is as suspicious as a CIA agent"

"Quite a nice-looking agent," Jade said, a s at her lips

Brent arched a brow at her "Yes," he agreed softly "And I think she knowssoh she is in complete denial I’ at Chateau DeVant"

"Strange coincidence," Lucian said, his brows knit in a frown

"Yes, that’s what I thought," Brent said "She is the old hter"

"We may have irl is related to Jacques DeVant?" Jade said She looked at Lucian "I still find a great deal of this very confusing I don’t really understand what is happening here"