Alex spoke. “That was nice. She’s a lost soul at the moment—and not always at her best with other women. But I thought she enjoyed herself today—for the most part.”

“She’s been through some pain, though.” Lucy looked from Alex to Simon and back, and didn’t want to pry. “She was your brother’s girlfriend…?” It was only half a question. She’d put unspoken facts together around the lunch table.

“More than three years they were together. But they parted in May. Not that they would have, if it had been up to Siân.” Alex was more pensive than his words suggested.

“She seemed to be making a fresh start—or trying to.” Simon looked at Alex, and changed his tone to one of grim humor. “There’s nothing like an early death in tragic circumstances to elevate you to quasi-divine status. A typical James Dean gesture from Will! Poor girl will never get over him now.”

“But he’d want her to,” Lucy offered.

“Yes, he would.” Alex smiled sadly at her, and closed the discussion. “Simon, what were you thinking about this new man of hers?”

“My mother used to say, if you can’t find something nice to say about someone, don’t say anything.” Simon threw his head back and laughed. “So, that would consign me to stony silence, I’m afraid.”

“There is something about him,” Lucy said to both faces. “But is it because you just don’t like him for Siân?”

Simon reacted quickly: “I don’t trust him. Period. Did you see his eyes when you gave that key to Lucy? He wanted it—plain as the nose on his face.”

“It’s a bit Treasure Island, isn’t it?” Alex was incredulous. “I was surprised how much it fascinated Will; but I think that had something to do with his relationship with our mother, and his interest in her family and his place within it. He always felt that he was very like her. I think his curiosity was some sort of quest toward his identity. Calvin could surely only want it if he thought it unlocked the Queen’s jewels. Which is very unlikely.”

“But the information about Dee is illuminating.” Simon looked for any mute commands from Alex, but none came. “I don’t know anything about him, but I was able to get that document of Will’s checked—the original that came with the key. Did he tell you?” Alex shook his head. “My cousin does radio carbon dating at Oxford. There’s a margin of error, of course, but he gave it a leeway from about 1550 to 1650.”