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“I hope you still intend to look for theive up now”

“Have you any idea where wehis voice scrupulously even “If I recall correctly, we seem to have hit a bit of a brick wall”

She reached into her reticule and pulled out the latest clue from Isabella, which she’d had in her possession ever since they had parted a few days earlier With careful, steady fingers she unfolded it and s this to my brother Colin,” she said She looked up and reiven me your permission to do so”

He gave her a brief nod of agreement

“As I mentioned, he has traveled extensively on the Continent, and he seee After consulting a uessed that it is Slovene” At his blank stare, she added, “It is what they speak in Slovenia”

Gareth blinked “Is there such a country?”

For the first time in the interview, Hyacinth smiled “There is I must confess, I was unaware of its existence as well It’s ion, really To the north and east of Italy”

“Part of Austria-Hungary, then?”

Hyacinth nodded “And the Holy Rorandmother from the north of Italy?”

Gareth suddenly realized that he had no idea Grandmother Isabella had loved to tell him stories of her childhood in Italy, but they had been tales of food and holidays—the sorts of things a very young boyIf she’dto take note “I don’t know,” he said, feeling rather foolish—and in truth, sonorance “I suppose shewas a bit like mine, actually”

Hyacinth nodded “I had wondered about that Neither you nor your father has much of a Mediterranean look about you”

Gareth shtly He could not speak for the baron, but there was a very good reason why he did not look as if he carried any Italian blood

“Well,” Hyacinth said, looking back down at the sheet of paper she had laid on his desk “If she was froht have lived near the Slovene border and thus been fah to pen two sentences in it”

“I can’t iht be able to translate it, though”

“Exactly,” she said, reement When it beca about, she continued with, “If you wanted to make a clue particularly difficult, wouldn’t you write it in the e possible?”