12
‘So you need this key.’ Valerie tapped a pen thoughtfully against her lips, a characteristic gesture. I said nothing, letting her think in peace. I have great confidence in Val. She always comes up with something. ‘I wonder why Milady has custody of it,’ she said at length.
A good question, one I had not really considered. ‘The Society’s entire existence is about protecting rare old stuff, isn’t it?’
‘Might be reason enough.’ She thought some more, her eyes straying to the books on the far shelves. ‘The House predates Milady by quite a margin, of course. I wonder why Alban is so certain Milady is keeping the key.’
A faint suspicion entered my head. ‘Predates? By how far?’
She nodded, following my train of thought perfectly — or perhaps I was following hers. ‘The House’s precise dat
