ordinary, but he promised to be on guard. So. What do we do now?” “We?” Baldwin said, brows arched.
“Benjamin is my responsibility,” Matthew said grimly.
“Yes, he is,” Baldwin agreed. “It’s high time you acknowledged that and dealt with the chaos you’ve caused, instead of hiding behind Ysabeau’s skirts and indulging in these intellectual fantasies about curing blood rage and discovering the secret of life.”
“You may have waited too long, Matthew,” Verin added. “It would have been easy to destroy Benjamin in Jerusalem after he was first reborn, but it won’t be now. Benjamin couldn’t have remained hidden for so long without having children and allies around him.”
“Matthew will manage somehow. He is the family assassin, isn’t he?” Baldwin said mockingly.
“I’ll help,” Marcus said to Matthew.
“You aren’t going anywhere, Marcus. You’ll stay here, at my side, and welcome the Congregation’s delegation. So will Gallowglass and Verin. We need a show of family solidarity.” Baldwin studied Phoebe closely. She returned his look with an indignant one of her own.
“I’ve considered your wish to become a vampire, Phoebe,” Baldwin reported when his inspection of her was complete, “and I’m prepared to support it, irrespective of Matthew’s feelings. Marcus’s desire for a traditional mate will demonstrate that the de Clermonts still honor the old ways. You will stay here, too.”
“If Marcus wishes me to do so, I would be delighted to remain here in Ysabeau’s house. Would that be all right, Ysabeau?” Phoebe used courtesy as both a weapon and a crutch, as only the British could.
“Of course,” Ysabeau said, sitting down at last. She gathered her composure and smiled weakly at her grandson’s fiancée. “You are always welcome, Phoebe.”
“Thank you, Ysabeau,” Phoebe replied, giving Baldwin a pointed look.
Baldwin turned his attention to me. “All that’s left to decide is what to do with Diana.”
“My wife—like my son—is my concern,” said Matthew.
“You cannot return to Oxford now.” Baldwin ignored his brother’s interruption. “Benjamin might still be there.”
“We’ll go to Amsterdam,” Matthew said promptly.
“Also out of the question,” Baldwin said. “The house is indefensible. If you cannot ensure her safety, Matthew, Diana will stay with my daughter Miyako.”
“Diana would hate Hachiōji,” Gallowglass stated with conviction.
“Not to mention Miyako,” Verin murmured.
“Then Matthew had better do his duty.” Baldwin stood. “Quickly.” Matthew’s brother left the room so fast he seemed to vanish. Verin and Ernst quickly said their good-nights and followed. Once they’d gone, Ysabeau suggested we adjourn to the salon. There was an ancient stereo there and enough Brahms to muffle the lengthiest of conversations.
“What will you do, Matthew?” Ysabeau still looked shattered. “You cannot let Diana go to Japan.
Miyako would eat her alive.”
“We’re going to the Bishop house in Madison,” I said. It was hard to know who was most surprised by this revelation we were going to New York: Ysabeau, Matthew, or Sarah.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Matthew said cautiously.
“Em discovered something important here at Sept-Tours—something she’d rather die than reveal.”
I marveled at how calm I sounded.
“What makes you think so?” Matthew asked.
“Sarah said Em had been poking through things in the Round Tower, where all the de Clermont family records are kept. If she knew about the witch’s baby in Jerusalem, she would have wanted to know more,” I replied.
“Ysabeau told both of us about the baby,” Sarah said, looking at Ysabeau for confirmation. “Then we told Marcus. I still don’t see why this means we should go to Madison.”
“Because whatever it was that Emily discovered drove her to summon up spirits,” I said. “Sarah thinks Emily was trying to reach Mom. Maybe Mom knew something, too. If that’s true, we might be able to find out more about it in Madison.”
“That’s a lot of thinks, mights, and maybes, Auntie,” Gallowglass said with a frown.
I looked at my husband, who had not responded to my suggestion but was instead staring absently into his wineglass. “What do you think, Matthew?”
“We can go to Madison,” he said. “For now.”
“I’ll go with you,” Fernando murmured. “Keep Sarah company.” She smiled at him gratefully.
“There’s more going on here than meets the eye—and it involves Knox and Gerbert. Knox came to Sept-Tours because of a letter he’d found in Prague that mentioned Ashmole 782.” Matthew looked somber. “It can’t be a coincidence that Knox’s discovery of that letter coincides with Emily’s death and Benjamin’s reappearance.”
“You were in Prague. The Book of Life was in Prague. Benjamin was in Prague. Knox found something in Prague,” Fernando said slowly. “You’re right, Matthew. That’s more than a coincidence.
It’s a