It was a small room, perhaps four paces deep by five wide, lined on the two longer walls with waist-high book-cases and rich tapestries depicting scenes of hunting and court life. Across the opposite wall, a wide window was curtained from floor to ceiling in rich burgundy velvet. A huge gray stone fireplace dominated the wall with the door, its wide mantel unadorned save for a pair of simple pewter candlesticks with fat, yellow candles and a small icon of Saint Hilary, the patron of the basilica.

To the right of the window, an intricately carved prie-dieu faced the corner, the kneeler and armrest covered with the same burgundy velvet as the drapes. An ivory crucifix stood on a small stand in the corner itself, flanked on either side by twinkling votive lights in ruby glass holders. To the left and in front of the window was a small desk of dark, polished wood, its surface covered with books and documents.

In the center of the room, set back from the fireplace, a heavy, round oak table dominated the rest of the chamber, claw-footed legs resting solidly on the polished marble floor. Two matching chairs with high backs faced each other across the table, and several more of a similar design were set closer to the fireplace, facing toward the flames. A heavy tapestry rug covered the floor between table and fireplace, muffling the cold and hollowness that might otherwise have pervaded the room.

Morgan pulled out one of the chairs at the table for Kelson, then dragged a third chair from in front of the fireplace. As he did so, Duncan deposited his empty bottle beside the desk and began opening the heavy drapes.

“Do you think that’s wise?” Morgan asked, his attention turned momentarily from his own task.

Duncan glanced briefly at his cousin, then turned to peer through the amber leaded glass. “I think it’s safe enough,” he finally said. “No one can see in, in the daytime, and the glass distorts, anyway.” He crossed to the table and took a seat. “Besides, now we’ll be able to see if anyone approaches from outside. That will be very important in about half an hour, if I’ve judged correctly.”

“That soon?” Morgan said matter-of-factly, reaching into his tunic to remove a small black suede pouch. “We haven’t much time, then, have we?”

He glanced casually around the room as he placed the pouch on the table and began untying the leather thongs that bound it. “I’ll need more light here, Duncan, if you don’t mind. And by the way, since when do you have to refill the holy water yourself? I thought you had curates and sacristans to do such things.”