Free December by Gabrielle Lord Page B

closed, one showing it opened— revealing the portrait of Elizabeth the First inside, one showing the back with the rose and rosebud, while the last was a magnified depiction of the Middle French inscription.
    After studying the photos for some time, Dr Brinsley sat back and fanned himself with a wad of papers. ‘I must say,’ he said, ‘this is incredible. The usual explanation for this sort of precious, antiquarian item reappearing in modern day is that it has been held by a family for hundreds of years, so long that its origin and importance has been forgotten or lost, then the piece is sold when a family finds itself in financial difficulties. I’dsay it came on the market fairly recently, was bought up by a dealer who also didn’t know its history, and then was sold for its face value—a jewelled miniature of Queen Elizabeth the First by an unknown artist. It would bring a high price just as it is, but certainly not the price it is actually worth.’
    The Keeper’s face was filled with enthusiasm. ‘I think I’m starting to get some idea of what the Ormond Singularity might be. Mind you, it’s only a guess—an educated guess—but there’s something I have at home that I think you should see.’
    He pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose, then leaned over to his desk and unlocked a drawer.
    ‘In the meantime, I have this,’ he said, taking out a small document. It seemed to be written in Latin, but I could understand the date—1575. ‘It’s a record of a marriage. The marriage of one of Black Tom’s illegitimate sons, Piers Duiske Ormond—a secret marriage contracted at Duiske Abbey, Graignamanagh.’
    ‘G’managh? That’s one of the names on the transparency,’ I said, swinging round to Boges. ‘Piers must have been a common name.’
    ‘This shows that Piers Duiske Ormond married a young lady called Anne Desmond,’ said the Keeper, ‘before he married the woman who isknown to history as his wife, and with whom he had his son Edward.’
    I was confused. Too many names were being thrown around.
    ‘Never mind all that,’ Dr Brinsley said, as if reading my mind. ‘What is important is the record of this secret marriage. Especially since I suppose you already know that Black Tom outlived his legitimate heirs?’
    ‘What’s all this got to do with the Riddle and the Jewel, Dr Brinsley?’ I asked.
    ‘It will make sense in good time, young man.’ He paused to take a sip of water from a mug on his desk. ‘Someone had hidden it in one of the ancient books that we bought from the Black Abbey some years ago.’
    Piers Ormond of the stained glass window had been at the Black Abbey. Had he hidden the original record of the secret wedding after copying it for his collection of papers? Had he been meaning to return and collect it when he had more information, before the war prevented his plan?
    ‘Here,’ said the Keeper, ‘is the name of Piers Duiske Ormond’s father, the tenth Earl of Ormond, Black Tom Butler. And here, where his mother’s name should be, there’s only this—’ The Keeper adjusted his half-moon glasses and cleared histhroat. ‘Magna domina incognita,’ he intoned in Latin.
    ‘A great lady. Unnamed, unknown,’ Boges translated.
    ‘Well done, young man. I see you know your Latin.’
    ‘But I still don’t see what this has to do with anything,’ I said.
    ‘It has everything to do with it. I’ve been studying the Singularity for years now. I don’t have the whole picture by any means, but I have some information about it. Just now, seeing the photos of the Jewel, the text of the inscribed motto and what it implies … I can’t help playing around with certain possibilities.’ He looked around suddenly, as if wary of his surroundings. ‘This place is too public for this sort of discussion . This may be even more dangerous than I first anticipated.’
    ‘Oh, it’s a dangerous business,’ I assured him, considering the countless times in the last year I had