“Wewereprepared, then,” Olivia said. It mattered to her that they hadn’t failed entirely to predict what might be needed. Granted, they’d been keeping tabs on Rose for the wrong reasons, but that didn’t matter if they could use her now. This could make all the difference.
After she hung up, Olivia sat in the car for a while, regrouping and thinking about next steps. When she was certain of the detail, she sent a message calling for a meeting of the most senior members of the Order.
Then she sent a message to Henry.Love you, darling. Can’t wait to see you at the weekend x.
He wouldn’t know about Diana yet, and when he learned, he would be devastated. Their affair had been long and passionate. So, best to remind him that his wife was a loving constant in his life, nomatter what he was going through, and best to remind him before he even knew he’d need that little bit of comfort.
Anya
Mum’s voice was low-pitched and intense. “Anya, listen to me. There are two very important things hidden in your father’s collection. One is a letter and the other is a glossary. The glossary isthe key to deciphering the Voynich manuscript.”
“What?” I wanted to laugh. All that tension, for this? It was a spectacular delusion. They must have her back on morphine. The Voynich manuscript was one of the most famous in the world. People had been trying to decipher it for centuries. Maybe Mum was thinking about it because of the offer I’d had from Yale, because the manuscript lived in their Beinecke Library. It was the most-visited item on their website and had spawned serious academic studies in cryptography and linguistics, as well as a world of wild and rampant speculation online. I felt almost addled with relief that this was a figment of her imagination.
“Oh, Mum,” I said. “What have they given you?”
“Just ibuprofen. I promise. Check with the nurse if you like. I’m aware of how crazy this sounds, Anya, but youneedto listen. The worst thing you can do right now is ignore me. I’m completely sentient.”
“Okay,” I said, to appease her. “Tell me more.”
“The glossary consists of four pages of vellum, which have been cut up into eight pieces and hidden inside the binding of another book. The letter is hidden with them. I know this because I did it. You need to retrieve them and destroy them, because the Voynich is not what people think it is. It’s not an end in itself; it’s a means to an end. It’s the key to something else, something incredibly valuable that’s been hidden for a very long time. I don’t know exactly what this thing is, but I do know that some people badly want it, and Imeanverybadly. People have died for this, Anya. Lives have been lost because of it, and I won’t let them take your life, too.” Her voice shook.
“Mum,” I said slowly. I wondered if she had any idea how insane she still sounded, first the Voynich and now a mysterious hidden object that it was the key to finding. She interrupted me.
“Anya! Youmusttake this seriously. I need you to trust me and to do what I say. I know you’re thinking I’ve lost my mind, or that I’m addled on morphine, but test me. Ask me a question. Ask me anything. Let me prove that I mean every word of this.”
I tried to think. The pressure of coming up with something quickly was a lot, but if there was one thing Mum couldn’t do when she was on morphine, it was crosswords or word puzzles. The drug confused her too much.
I asked, “What do banyan trees and rhinoceroses have in common?”
She fell silent, and my heart beat the inside of my rib cage like a drum as I waited for an answer.
After a moment, she said, “That’s easy, darling, it’s us. You and me: bANYAn and rhinoceROSEs.”
I felt my blood run ice cold in every artery, vein, and capillary.She was absolutely herself. “Okay,” I said. “What do I need to do?”
“You need to find the manuscript and take it. If that’s impossible, split its binding and extract the gloss and the letter. There are nine pieces of vellum altogether, inside the front and back covers. As soon as you have them, leave. Then you and Sid need to run, and you need to hide so well that nobody can find you. Can you do that for me? Are you with the manuscripts now?”
“I’m just outside the building.”
“What’s security like?”
“I don’t know.” I looked up at the castle and felt daunted. It was as solid, imposing, and unforgiving as any place I’d ever visited.
“Pay attention to it when you go back in.”
“How do I do this?” I asked. “How do I do any of it?”
She paused. “You’ll have to work that out. I have faith in you. But whatever you do, do it now. Hello?”
I heard another voice in the background. Mum said something muffled. When she spoke to me again her voice was artificially bright and chipper. “The nurse is here. She needs her phone back. Can you do as I say?”
“Can you tell me what the book looks like?”
“Ask me anything you want about it.” It was obvious that she couldn’t talk openly.
“Is the binding remarkable in any way?”
“No. It’s as plain as can be. Darling, I really must go. Just one more very quick thing. I’ve been wondering if you and Sid had considered getting a pet? It might be a lovely thing to do now that you’re settled. Viv saw a very nice black cat for adoption. It had beautiful lantern eyes. Anyway, it’s up to you of course, but I just wanted to mention it, and I’ve really got to give this very kind nurse her phone back. Bye now.”
