“Yes. His life extended right through her long reign. He died in the earlier years of James’s kingship, but James had no time for him. His best years were with good Queen Bess. He’s buried right here, at St. Mary’s, which is why I thought it appropriate. I’d like to look at the church after.”

Alex’s green eyes were contemplative, but betrayed no thought or emotion. He shifted his gaze to Siân as she spoke energetically.

“That key, then, that Will had—when Diana died. Is that what you mean?”

“Possibly. Probably. I might know if I saw it.” He turned his gaze on Alex again, attempting what the latter thought was a casual look, but not quite succeeding. “I don’t guess you know what would have happened to it?”

Alex, though usually such a private human being, reacted to the question in a moment, which concealed the deliberation of his answer. He drew something easily from his shirt pocket, which dangled on a chain in front of them. Three pairs of eyes were transfixed by the object.

“I have it.” His voice was mild.

Siân looked at it like a fleeting ghost, and Will’s hands were there with her, turning it over reverently; but she was almost more touched that Alex—normally such a level man—had it with him, a piece of Will, an inextricable link; a revelation, to see Alex with such an object. She wanted to cry.

Calvin was trying not to let his hands betray him. He wanted to reach for it; but before he could speak, Lucy, who had been only an observer for most of the conversation, stretched a hand toward it, then cradled it in her own palm.

“Alex, it’s beautiful. Can I hold it?”

He smiled with some surprise at her fascination; it was a fairly simple silver key, old perhaps, but with only the modest decoration of a tiny engraving and a small pearl. Yet he passed it to her freely. She closed her hand over it respectfully, and her eyelids closed as well. Sunlight played on her long, dark lashes, and she was a part of that light.

In the moment that was suspended Calvin was trying to find a way to ask for it too; but Alex was moved by something intangible on Lucy’s face. “Would you like to hold on to it? Keep it for a time?” Saying anything seemed a travesty. He felt his words broke across an evanescent moment, but he had to voice them. Without shattering the spell, she answered him silently, with a look Alex had never seen before, but hoped to see again. It communicated a powerful “yes,” and other emotions Alex couldn’t translate.