Free Strange Conflict by Dennis Wheatley

water. After the operation, which took some moments, he unpacked further impedimenta from his case. Telling them all to watch his movements carefully, he sealed the windows and a door concealed in the bookshelves, which led to the room above, each at both sides and at the tops and the bottoms, with lengths of asafœtida grass and blue wax, making the sign of the Cross with the charged water over every seal as he completed it. He then produced five little silver cups which he filled two-thirds full with the water and placed one in each valley of the pentacle. Next he took five long, white, tapering candles and set them upright, one at each apex of the five-pointed star. Having charged five brand-new horseshoes he placed these in the rear of the candles with theirhorns pointing outwards, and beyond each vase of charged water he set bunches of certain strong-smelling herbs.
    These complicated formulas for the erection of outward barriers being at last completed, the Duke turned his attention to his friends.
    â€˜Richard will remain with me until one o’clock,’ he said, ‘Simon will relieve him at that hour and remain on duty until four o’clock, Rex will take on then until I wake, which will probably be soon after seven, but he is not to rouse me unless danger threatens; which, of course, also applies to Richard and Simon. You understand that?’
    Rex nodded, and the Duke went on: ‘You have all seen how the sealing is done. When you others have left us, Richard will seal the door to the hall, but, naturally, Simon will have to break the seals when he comes in to start his watch, so he will re-seal the door when Richard has gone out and Rex will re-seal it again after he has relieved Simon.’
    â€˜Where do I come in?’ asked Marie Lou.
    â€˜You don’t, Princess, for the moment.’ The Duke smiled. ‘I purposely gave Richard first watch so that he would not disturb you after one o’clock; but I shall certainly need your help later on. We must now see to our personal protection.’
    He moved over to his case again and produced some long wreaths of garlic flowers, Rosaries with little golden Crucifixes attached, medals of Saint Benedict, holding the Cross in his right hand and the Holy Rule in his left, and phials of salt and mercury. Having charged the crucifixes and medals he placed one set of this strange regalia about Richard’s neck and another round his own while he gave instructions that Richard was to pass his set on to Simon, and Simon to Rex, as they relieved one another.
    As the Duke closed his case Richard remarked: ‘It’s only just on ten o’clock, so isn’t it a bit early to turn in?’
    De Richleau shook his head. ‘No. It’s impossible to guess what time the Admiral will go to bed. If by chance he was working very late last night, it’s quite on the cards that he might turn in early tonight and it’s essential that I should be with him when he leaves his body, otherwise I might not be able to recognise him in his spirit form and the whole night would be wasted.’
    â€˜Right-oh, then; off you go, people.’ Richard kissed Marie Lou fondly and smiled at the others. ‘I’ll be seeing you, Simon, around one o’clock, but if by chance you fall asleep I’ll carry on till Rex puts in an appearance.’ He flourished some clean sheets of paper and a brand-new pencil. ‘This is just the opportunity I’ve been waiting for to write an article on substitute foods for poultry in war-time, and as I’m not much of an author it will keep me busy for hours.’
    â€˜You won’t get more than three hours,’ Simon smiled; ‘I shall be here on the dot of one. You know I never go to bed before two, in any case.’
    â€˜You will tonight, Simon dear,’ said Marie Lou firmly, ‘because you must be fresh for your turn of duty, and even if you don’t sleep you’re to lie