Free Blood Line by Alanna Knight Page A

son's fierce logic to accept.
    Again Faro considered the steep slope of Castle Rock. Inaccessible from inside or outside the barred window, he concluded that no man in his right senses would have the folly or initiative to attempt its scaling. He would have given much to have known how the dead man had spent his last hour.
    Mace locked the doors behind them. 'Is there anything else I can do for you, Inspector, any information I can help you with?'
    It was a forlorn hope, but Faro produced the two cameos.
    'Have you ever seen these before?'
    Mace studied the jewels carefully. 'No, I haven't, I regret to say. But I am almost certain these miniatures are of Queen Mary and Darnley, possibly at the time of their marriage.' His voice increased in excitement as he continued, 'May I ask how you came by them, Inspector?'
    'They came into my possession recently.' Faro was not prepared to say more that that.
    'Are they from a collection?' Mace asked eagerly.
    'Perhaps so. I know little of their history. I was hoping they might have come from the royal apartments.'
    'Stolen, you mean?' Mace sounded profoundly shocked.
    'Yes, that is why I am here, to discover if any items are missing.'
    Mace smiled sadly. 'I wish they were mine. You see, my family has a great many trinkets of this period, and I would be willing to swear that these pieces are authentic' He nodded enthusiastically. 'Yes, indeed, you can take my word for it. These are more likely to have been the personal possessions of Queen Mary than most of the artefacts in the Castle.' He paused. 'If you have a moment, Inspector, I should like to check the inventory of the Queen's jewels.'
    Mace walked quickly across the quadrangle and unlocked a room containing narrow stacks of dusty files. He pointed across to dismembered suits of armour, swords and pistols, heaped together with a rusty 'iron maiden' off its supports.
    'These are awaiting reconstruction, for exhibition in the new museum. I am something of an expert in this kind of work. A labour of love, one might say,' continued Mace happily.
    Faro declined the invitation for a closer inspection and took the opportunity to rest his ankle. A much frayed and dilapidated velvet chair, upon whose interior he suspected rats had freely feasted, did not deter him. He sat down and a few moments later Mace emerged from the labyrinth triumphantly clutching a roll of yellowed documents.
    'This inventory of the Queen's jewels is absolutely fascinating and quite unique. Much of it dates from the time of her reign, written by her Lord Chamberlain. Later we have documents from the time of her first imprisonment at Lochleven and later in England when her possessions were being listed by her jailers at the request of Queen Elizabeth. The miniatures should date these two pieces fairly accurately. Most likely painted and exchanged at the time of their betrothal early in 1565 and certainly not later than Darnley's murder at Kirk o'Field in 1567.'
    'So short a time,' said Faro. 'Presumably they were disposed of immediately after she married the Earl of Bothwell.'
    Mace nodded, rifling through the parchments. 'Indeed, in the circumstances, it's highly unlikely that the Queen would wish to keep any mementoes of her second husband.' Mace paused and looked across at Faro. 'How very strange. The inventory of the jewels. It isn't here in its usual place. Quite extraordinary.' He shrugged. 'Perhaps it is away being catalogued. Yes, that would be the answer. I'm sorry to disappoint you, Inspector. Mr Forster will know. I'll find out from him and let you know.'
    'If you would be so kind, a note to the Central Office will find me.'
    'Very well. And now, how else can I help you?'
    'I'm not sure. You are very knowledgeable about Queen Mary.'
    Mace beamed. 'History is my speciality. My own family dates from the sixteenth century. Such a time to live, so rich in romance.'
    'And in mayhem and murder,' said Faro, a suggestion which Mace chose to ignore. 'Do you happen to