Destiny

"He died in 1745 while at sea in a tragic accident. It would have been quite impossible."

"Did he have a son? The coat-of-arms would have descended to him."

"Sir Henry did have a son, but he was only eight at the time Carolyn was born."

"What about brothers?" A

"Sir Henry did have two younger brothers. The youngest brother died while fighting the French in 1747."

"What about the other brother?"

"I've not found anything out about him. He seems to have disappeared," the professor said.

"No family fortune to care for?"

"Remember, dear girl," the professor said, "this is Britain. We had the law of primogeniture here. Only the eldest male issue shall inherit family estates. Once Sir Henry had a son to carry on the family name, the rest of the family got nothing."

"Then who would use his heraldry?"

"I don't know. I shall keep looking and endeavor to find out. But as it stands at the moment, I'm at a loss to explain it."

"Thanks, Graham," A

"Of course, dear girl. I am yours to command. I have only one request."

"Yes."

"Once you decipher this puzzle, come to England and share the story with me. It's been too long since I've seen you."

"I will," A

Chapter 26

"ANNJA."

Waking with a start, A

"What?" she asked. Her throat was dry.

"We're descending. We'll land in a few minutes."

A

Roux looked guilty. "I feel bad for waking you. You've hardly been asleep at all."

"I'll be fine." A

"May I?" Roux gestured to the seat next to her.

"Sure."

Roux sat and belted himself in. "I plan on accompanying you." He paused. "Unless you have an objection."

A

"It's going to be dangerous," she warned.

Roux favored her with a small smile. "Now that you have the sword, I should wonder if you will ever know peace again."

A

"You could give up the sword." He regarded her with idle speculation.

For a quiet moment, A

"No," she said. "I can't."

"I'm not going."

Standing at the door of the jet, the noise of the airport loud in her ears, A

Hands clasped behind his head, he lounged, barefoot, on the sofa.

"I thought you couldn't wait to see me get killed," A

Mirthlessly, Garin gri

Without a word, A

A jet screamed through the air overhead. A

Eyes were watching her. She was sure of that. She wondered if she would ever see Garin again.

Three men waited outside the gates, near the baggage-claim area. They were better dressed than the motorcycle riders but they were the same kind of stock.

"Miss Creed," one of them said.

A

"Mr. Lesauvage sent a car for you."

"I prefer my own car," A

"Mr. Lesauvage," the man said more harshly, "insists."

"He can call me and arrange a meeting place." A

The man stepped forward and grabbed A

Buckling, gasping for breath, the man staggered away. The second man reached for her, but she shifted, grabbed his arm and bent it behind him, then lifted his arm high between his shoulders and rammed him into the nearest wall. Senseless, he collapsed.

The third man took one step, then Roux swung the walking stick up between his legs. Mewling with pain and grabbing himself, the man dropped to the floor.

Roux adjusted his collar and tie. Frowning, he gazed at the rapid approach of the security people. "Well, so much for the quiet arrival."

It took almost an hour to straighten out the mess with airport security. In the end, one of Lesauvage's men claimed to have staggered drunkenly into A

"Have you always been this way?" Roux asked while they stood at the car-rental desk.

A

The agent brought a set of keys to a Nissan Terrano 4X4. The cost was extra, but A

"But Lesauvage is a criminal," A

Roux smiled and shook his head. "You remind me so much of her at times. So focused. So deliberate. So convinced of your own righteousness."

"Of who?" A

Roux fell into step beside her. "Of Joan."

For a moment, the image of the burning pyre filled A

"I know," Roux said. "I was going to remind you of that."

A

"Miss Creed," Lesauvage said.

A

And what are you doing? she wondered. Starting one or ending one? She didn't know.

"We'll meet outside Mende," A