The front door of the inn was securely locked, just as the front door of their inn had been. They found an unlatched window in the Abbot’s Inn just off the big old kitchen that had soot and stains older than the three of their ages piled on top of each other.
“We need a candle,” Susannah whispered, once they stood in the middle of the kitchen, which smelled of old grease, fresh carrots, and sour ale. “We can’t take the chance of bumping into things and perhaps waking the owner.”
Rohan grunted and began to root about for a candle. “Aha, here we are.” He raised the candle for them to see. Once they got it lit and the flame protected with Rohan’s cupped hand, they made their way toward the inn stairs. They were narrow, very old, and creaked louder than a shrieking maiden aunt with each landing footfall.
No one came out yelling at them, thank the good Lord. Rohan was beginning to wonder if anyone at all was staying in this inn. It even smelled empty, except for that fresh carrot smell in the kitchen.
They walked to the chamber at the very end of the dark hallway. A thin line of light showed beneath the old door.
Rohan drew a very deep breath. He pulled Susannah against him and whispered against her ear, “You will stay out here. There is no way you will come into that room. If you even try it, I will become irate. I will seethe. My belly will cramp and bow me to my knees. Swear to me you will remain out here.”
It was difficult. He could see that she wanted to argue, since she wanted very much to be in that room, to face down Tibolt and Theodore Micah. She’d been in on everything since the beginning, and he hadn’t, at least not the three robberies at Mulberry House. His look never wavered. Finally, giving in to that look, she nodded. “All right, I will stay here, but only because the room is probably small and there would be too many of us and it could be chaotic.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Rohan said. “Stay pressed against the wall.” He looked at Philip, who was smiling very grimly.
He handed Susannah the candle. He nodded. Phillip very gently turned the doorknob. The fools hadn’t even locked the door. They’d been that sure of themselves and their safety. That made Rohan so furious he could have howled with it. The door wouldn’t have been unlocked if they expected any trouble. It was difficult to accept, but he had to. Tibolt had left him to die—had left all three of them—without a backward glance.
Very carefully, he eased the door open, then paused at the sound of arguing.
“You expected brilliant gems, but that doesn’t matter. It’s the Holy Grail, you bloody fool! You will have as many gems as you desire.”
Theodore Micah was silent for a moment, then he said thoughtfully, “I think, Tibolt, that I don’t wish to be your lieutenant, your flunkey. I want to be the one to hold the Grail, the one to drink holy water from it. I want the power, the immortality. You said that George’s slut came to no harm after drinking from it. You have proved that this Devil’s Vessel was all a sham carried through the ages to keep robbers away from it. You proved that it is indeed the magical Grail.”
“I can’t let you do that,” Tibolt said slowly. “It is mine, only mine.”
“It belongs to neither of you. Don’t move, either of you, or I will blow your brains out of your heads.”
Tibolt and Theodore Micah were standing in the middle of the floor, the cask lying on a tabletop between them. They didn’t seem to be doing anything except staring into that cask.
“Rohan,” Tibolt said, stumbling back. “It can’t be. There was no way out of the catacomb. I checked. Theodore looked and looked. There was no way out!”
“It appears you were quite wrong, both of you. There was a way out and we found it.”
Theodore Micah made a dash
for his gun, which lay on top of the bed. Phillip kicked his arm away. He didn’t care if he’d broken the bone. Micah yelled in pain. Rohan called out, “Susannah, come in and close the door. Yes, everything’s all right now. Now, stand against the door. You were right, there’s very little room in here.”
As for Tibolt, he didn’t move, except for shifting his gaze back and forth from his brother to Susannah, who was now standing with her back flat against the closed door. As for Teddy, his face was drawn in pain. Mercerault had broken his arm with that kick. It had sounded like a very solid kick.
He turned to Rohan. “There was no way out. I left you in total blackness. How did you do it?”
Rohan wasn’t about to tell him that Susannah had seen through the darkness, had seen the small knob against the wall with all the skeletons and skulls pressed against it, that she had seen the ancient door that led to freedom. No, first he wanted to have the Grail.
Theodore Micah was whimpering in pain. Tibolt turned on him. “You stupid puking little sod. Shut up!”
“I’m not a stupid puking little sod. What I am is unlucky to believe such a coddy bastard as you. So they couldn’t escape, could they? What about your blessed Grail? It probably has no more power than a paper knife.”
“Phillip, why don’t you quickly search these two?”
Phillip leaned down to Theodore Micah. He found a knife strapped to his ankle. “Nasty little thing,” he said, pulled it out of its strap, and shoved it into his belt after he’d straightened. “Tibolt,” he said quietly, “don’t move. It would give me too great a pleasure to batter you to a pulp.”
Even though he was wounded, Theodore Micah had other plans. In a flash, he grabbed the reliquary and threw it with all his strength at Rohan’s arm, sending the gun flying. He lunged at Susannah, pulling her back against him in an instant. He pressed a small blade against Susannah’s throat.
“Damn you, where did that second knife come from? How can you move your damned arm? Phillip broke it.”
Theodore Micah laughed. “You did know that I am an actor, did you not? An actor learns many things, my lord. No,” he said quickly, turning to face Phillip, “don’t move or I will cut her throat.” He continued in a meditative voice, “The first woman whose throat I sliced lived in Honfleur. I had taken a packet over to meet a smuggler friend of mine. She listened to a private conversation. I will never forget the gurgling sound she made and all that bright red blood. Heed me, gentlemen, for I am serious here. You may take your damned brother, my lord, but I will have the Grail. It’s there on the floor. The key is right beside it. Now hand it to me.”
Rohan was breathing hard, nearly beside himself. He should have tied Susannah up and left her with Phillip’s mare in the stable. Damnation! How could he have allowed this to happen twice? He was a damnable protector. He saw no hope for it. “Don’t hurt her.”