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“Yes, we’ve already spoken to them.”

“Well, let’s go and ask Robert. He’s in his study with his steward this morning.” The duchess led the way, and they burst in on the duke in a group.

Rob looked up, surprised. “Good morning, my love. To what do I owe this delegation?”

The duchess went around to his side of the desk and murmured something in his ear.

His eyebrows went up and he shook his head. “No, I haven’t.” He waved to the man on the other side of his desk, “Giles, can you give us a moment, please?”

“Of course, Your Grace.” He rose and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

“This is most peculiar,” said the duke.

“I may have misremembered where I put it,” said Emily, blushing. She was starting to feel uncomfortable about the fuss she was causing. “If I can’t find it, I can redo the drawings of the items. It will just be the ones from the excavation that are lost.”

“But still, it is worrying,” said the duke, frowning. “I’m very reluctant to think any of the servants could be responsible. Most of them have been with us for years, and anyone new we employ always comes with excellent references.”

“Indeed, we don’t want to accuse anyone, do we, Deo?” said Emily quickly.

“Not without cause, no. Where are Kenrick and Bidenden?” he added.

“Creighton will know,” said the duke. “Out, I should think. Neither showed for breakfast.”

Lords Kenrick and Bidenden were indeed out.

“Lord Bidenden had business in Leicester this morning, I believe, and left the house before eight,” said Creighton. “Master Kenrick took his horse for a gallop at about ten o’clock. I am in expectation of them both returning for luncheon however.”

Emily and Deo returned to the library, and she sat down at the table. “I shall just have to do new drawings, Deo, and we will hope the sketchbook turns up. Oh, wait! Perhaps I took it upstairs last night?”

“Wouldn’t you have remembered?”

She shrugged, “I was a little distracted last night. I was very excited! I’ll just go and look. It won’t hurt to check.”

He nodded and went back to his desk, while she raced upstairs to check the untidy mess of papers and books on the desk and side table in their sitting room. She tidied everything up carefully as she made a thorough search of the room but didn’t find her sketchbook. A little dejected, she returned to the library.

“No luck?” he said, taking in her expression and the fact that she was emptyhanded.

“No. I wish I could remember—” She broke off. “You came in here last night to get those books, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” He frowned. “I don’t remember anything out of place, but I wasn’t looking at the trestle table. I went straight to the shelves.”

She sighed and sat down. “Well, I’d best get started on a new set of sketches then.”

Lord Bidenden didn’t return for luncheon, but Kenrick did. When asked about the sketchbook, Kenrick said quizzically, “No disrespect to your artistic skills, Emily, but I’ve little interest in such things. Unless of course,” he added with a cheeky look at his brother, “that goblet turns out to be the Holy Grail after all!”

Deo cast a puzzled look between the brothers. “No one has suggested it is, to my knowledge.”

“We made a joke to that effect last night,” said the duke.

Emily leaned forward eagerly. “Did Deo tell you that we have identified our man as a commander who fought under Arthur?”

“What?” said the duke, dropping his fork.

“Em!” protested Deo. “It’s not a positive identification. It relies on Mallory for goodness’ sake!”

“Only for the Bedegraine bit,” remonstrated Emily. “His actual name appears in Geoffrey and Wace and Layamon. You showed me those last night.”

“Whoa! Hold on!” said the duke, leaning forward. “You found this fellow’s name in History of the Kings of Britain?”