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"But not today, my dear fellow, not today!" His boss’s eyes had a friendly twinkle in the with only Kenneth," said Miss de Villiers, puffing the sh her nostrils "One can’t talk to hi but politics Kenneth, please order more tea for us all Where do you cohing slightly
Lucas sighed, resigned "My uncle, Hazel’s father, has a large farm there with a lot of animals"
"Oh, how I love the country life," said Miss de Villiers enthusiastically "And I do so love animals"
"Me too," I said "Particularly cats"
0700h: Novice Cantrell, reportedthe nocturnal Ariadne test, reaches the way out seven hours late, unsteady on his feet and sh he failed the test, he found the lost wine cellar For once, I allow him in on yesterday’s password Otherwise, no unusual incidents
Report: J S shift
1312h: We see a rat I ah with my sword, but Leroy feeds it the rest of his sandwich and christens it Audrey
1515h: Miss Violet Purpleplu a path unknown to us, a shortcut from the Royal Courts of Justice She is word-perfect in the password of the day At her request, Leroy escorts her up to the offices
1524h: Audrey comes back Otherwise, no unusual incidents
Report: P Ward Novice, afternoon shift
1800h to 0000h: no unusual incidents
Report: N Cantrell, Novice, evening shift
0000h to 0600: no unusual incidents
Report: K Elbereth, M Ward, Novices
FROM THE ANNALS OF THE GUARDIANS
"RECORDS OF THE CERBERUS WATCH"
24–25 JULY 1956
"Nam quod in iuventus non discitur, in matura aetate nescitur"
EIGHT
THE GUARD at the foot of the stairs was fast asleep with his head against the banister
"Poor Cantrell," whispered Lucas as we stole past the sleeping oes on drinking like a fish… Still, all the better for us Come on, quick!"
I was already breathless We’d had to run the whole way back from the café Kenneth de Villiers and his sister had kept us there forever, talking for what seeeneral; country life in Gloucestershire in particular (here I’d ed to steer the conversation around to some anecdotes about my cousin Madeleine and a sheep called Clarissa); about the Parker case (all I understood about that was that randfather had won it); about that cute little boy Charles, the heir to the throne (hello?); and about all the Grace Kelly file to the Prince of Monaco Now and then, I coughed and tried to interest theot nowhere When ere finally able to leave the café, it was so late that I didn’t even have tih I had pints of tea in asped Lucas "And there was so much else I wanted to say to you If my wretched boss hadn’t turned up--"
"I didn’t know you worked for the de Villiers family," I said "After all, you’re the future Lord Montrose, you’ll be a member of the Upper House of Parlialoomily, "but until I inherit fro for my family And I was offered this job … never mind that, listen! Before Saint-Ger he left to the Guardians: his secret writings, the letters, the chronicles, the entire lot All the Guardians knohat Saint-Germain saw fit to tell theet later generations putting all their efforts into closing the Circle But the Guardians don’t know the whole secret"
"Then you do?" I cried
"Shh! No, I don’t know it either"
We turned the final corner, and I flung open the door of the old alche on the table just where I’d left it
"But I’m convinced that Lucy and Paul do know the secret The last ti documents" He looked at his watch "Daed hiht At the last ive him back the key The fa me over "Oh, and please shave that mustache off, Grandpa!"
"The count had eneasped Lucas, speaking as fast as he could "In particular, there was an old secret society with close ties to the Church that had its knife into him It was called the Florentine Alliance, and in 1745, the year when the Lodge was founded here in London, the Alliance got its hands on some documents that Count Saint-Germain had inherited-- Don’t you think the mustache suits me, then?"