"Got to learn how to amuse yourself if you're going to spend the rest of your days with Chillhurst." Magnus regarded her with an affectionate glance. "Slit a few of those seals and let's see who's doing what this week."
"Very well, if you insist." Olympia reluctantly picked up one of the small white notes and frowned at the blob of wax that sealed it. "Do either of you have anything I can use to open this?"
Steel hissed softly against leather.
Olympia stared in amazement as daggers appeared in the hands of both of her in-laws. She gazed at the ornate hilts of the blades that Magnus and Thaddeus presented to her.
"Here you go, my girl," Magnus said.
Olympia remembered the blade that Jared had worn on his thigh the day he had arrived in Upper Tudway. "Does every man in the Flamecrest clan make a habit of carrying a dagger upon his person?"
"Family tradition." Thaddeus assured her. "Even my nephew keeps his handy."
" 'Course the dagger Chillhurst carries is special," Magnus said with a touch of pride. "Carried it myself for years until I passed it on to him. It's the one Captain Jack himself carried."
"Really?" Olympia forgot all about the pile of invitations in front of her. "I did not realize that Jared's blade once belonged to his great-grandfather."
"Damned fine piece of steel," Magnus said. "Saved Captain Jack's life more'n once. Saved my son's life, too, and that of Thaddeus's boys on one occasion. Captain Jack nicknamed it the Guardian."
"The Guardian." Olympia jumped to her feet. "You called Jared the Guardian."
"So he is." Magnus arched his brows. "Another family tradition. The man that carries the blade carries the title."
"Good grief. I hadn't realized." Olympia thought swiftly.
"What's up, lass?" Thaddeus demanded.
"Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. One of the mysterious phrases in the diary is 'Beware the Guardian's deadly kiss when you peer into its heart to find the key.' " Olympia whirled away from the table. "I must see that blade for myself."
She heard chairs scrape on the floor behind her as she dashed toward the door.
"What, ho," Thaddeus boomed. "She's off, Magnus. She's onto something."
"After her, man," Magnus roared.
Olympia did not wait for them. She ran out into the hall and took the stairs two at a time to the third floor.
When she reached the landing, she turned and raced down the corridor to the schoolroom. Breathing quickly, she reached for the knob, turned it, and threw open the door. It crashed against the wall.
Ethan, Hugh, and Robert were gathered around the globe. They turned to stare at her in astonishment.
Jared looked up and saw Olympia, noting her excited expression. "Is something wrong, my dear?"
"Yes, no, I do not know." Olympia heard Magnus and Thaddeus arrive in the doorway behind her. "Chillhurst, would you mind very much if I took a close look at your dagger?"
Jared glanced over her head to where his father and uncle stood. "What is going on here?"
"Damme if I know," Magnus said cheerfully. "The lass has got the wind in her sails. We're merely followin' in her wake."
Jared gave Olympia a repressive look. "If this has something to do with your study of the diary, my dear, it can wait until the afternoon. You know I do not like to have the lessons interrupted."
Olympia flushed. "Yes, I know, but this is extremely important, my lord. May I please examine the dagger?"
Jared hesitated and then shrugged in obvious resignation. He crossed the room to where his coat hung on a hook. He reached inside and removed the dagger from its sheath. Without a word he handed it, hilt first, to Olympia.
She took the blade cautiously and touched the lethal tip. "Beware the Guardian's deadly kiss," she whispered. She studied the intricate design of the hilt. "Your father tells me this dagger belonged to your great-grandfather and that it is called the Guardian."
Jared slanted his father an ironic glance. "Another nonsensical family legend."
Olympia turned the blade over in her hand. "Is there any way to remove the hilt?"
"It can be done," Jared said slowly. "But why would you wish to do so?"
She looked up eagerly. "Because I wish to peer into the heart of the Guardian."
Jared took the blade from her, his eyes on her face. "Very well. It is obvious that there is no other way to satisfy your curiosity."
Olympia smiled. "Thank you, sir."
A short while later, Jared eased the chased hilt free of the blade shaft. He glanced into the hollow interior of the hilt. "Bloody hell."
"What is it?" Robert asked eagerly. "What do you see, sir?"
"Yes, what is it?" Ethan demanded as he and Hugh crowded close.
Jared looked at Olympia and smiled wryly. "I believe the honors belong to my lady."
Olympia whisked the hilt out of his hand and peered into it. There was an aged piece of paper neatly tucked inside. "There is something in here."
"Damme," Thaddeus muttered.
"Remove it, lass. The anticipation is going to be the death of me," Magnus said.
Fingers trembling with excitement, Olympia tugged the folded paper out of the hilt. She opened it carefully and studied what was written on it. "I believe these numbers will prove to be the longitude and latitude of the mysterious isle where the treasure is hidden."
Jared put his hand on the globe. "Read them to me."
Olympia read the numbers aloud. "They must be in the vicinity of the West Indies."
"They are." Jared gazed thoughtfully at a spot on the globe that was slightly north of Jamaica. "From all accounts Captain Jack was an excellent mathematician. He could calculate longitude and latitude with great accuracy."
"By God, son," Magnus said in ringing tones. "Your lady has done it. She's found the key to the treasure."
"So it would seem," Jared said slowly.
"Not quite," Olympia said.
Everyone turned to look at her.
"What do you mean?" Thaddeus demanded. "We have in our hands the precise information we need to sail to that damned island where Captain Jack hid the treasure."
"Yes, but we only have half of the map of the island, itself," Olympia said. "The other half is still missing. I grow more and more convinced that Captain Yorke's descendents hold the other half of the map."
"Then all is lost." Magnus slammed his fist into his palm. "There are no bloody descendents."
"Could try digging up the whole island, I suppose," Thaddeus said thoughtfully.
Jared gave him a derisive glance. "Assuming you could even find the island, it is highly doubtful that you could discover the treasure by digging at random."
"We could help you, sir," Robert volunteered.
"We are very good at digging," Hugh assured Jared.
"So is Minotaur," Ethan said.
"Enough." Jared held up a hand for silence. "Olympia is quite right. We do not have all the pieces of the puzzle yet. The search for clues must go on."
Olympia gazed at the scrap of paper that had been hidden in the dagger hilt. "We must try to discover if any of the Yorkes are still around."
Magnus frowned. "Told you, the line died out. Captain Yorke had no son to carry on the name, as far as I know."
"What about a daughter?" Olympia asked quietly.
A stunned silence fell on the room.
"Damme," Thaddeus muttered. "Hadn't thought about that."
"A daughter can pass along a family treasure or secret just as well as any son," Olympia said. "Indeed, only yesterday Mr. Seaton was telling me the tale of how his grandmother ran a shipping empire that she had inherited from her father."
Jared's indulgent expression vanished. His gaze turned cold. "I will not have Seaton involved in this, is that clear, Olympia?"
"Yes, of course. Excuse me." Olympia turned toward the door. "I must get back to the diary. There are one or two points I wish to check."