"Our analyst tells us that there has been a significant increase in the amount of searches done through the library systems and the internet database on certain keywords that are of concern to the Order Sir," the thinner of the two said.
"Do not waste my time with stupid suspicions Cornelius. The internet is just what it is- words; they lead to nothing. The key is here and it is safe. No one, I repeat, no one is smart enough to piece everything together," the burly one replied. Though muscular and big in size, the man looked very elegant in his white designer suit as he sipped his cup of tea.
"But sir, the hits have been increasing over the past few days and are always the same- Dante, Dürer. Anicii, Donati... Portinari," the man named Cornelius replied.
The man who was drinking his tea paused for awhile, considering this piece of information. Taking a notepad, he wrote something, ripped it off and gave it to him.
"Take this to the analyst- he'll know what to do... And Cornelius?"
"Yes sir?"
"Tell the Battle at East Sussex that I want Portinari under lock and key at all times. Increase their security if they must," said the large man.
Cornelius scampered as fast as he could away from the man. He had never told anyone his real name but had instructed all to always address him as Mr F . But most of them called him Mr Foul, from his initials- F.A.O. He hardly spoke but was neither kind nor brute in his management of the Order. Most of them kept out of his way and did not bother him much unless it was absolutely important.
The man called Mr F. stared out the window from his office. From time to time, some people have taken interest in those subjects that Cornelius had mentioned but to be interested in them all at the same time? That is too much of a coincidence.
****
When Ella woke up that morning, she had found herself asleep ontop her books on her father's desk. Looking at the clock, she realized that it was already 9am. Her father must have already left for his class. She was still bleary eyed when she walked to the kitchen to fetch herself a glass of milk.
"Morning sunshine," a deep baritone voice greeted her. Ella was still half dazed to recognize the voice and had screamed in surprise.
"Your father let me in. He told me to wake you up and take you out... But when I saw you sleeping, I decided to help myself to breakfast. Care for some?" said Ben calmly. Ella eyed him suspiciously.
"No kisses or suspicious seduction?"
"Yuck... you might have morning breath," Ben replied a little too smoothly.
"WHAT?! I do NOT have morning breath you idiot! ARGH!" she yelled as she dumped her glass in the sink and stormed up to her room.
"Hey! I was joking! Ella!!!" he replied, getting to his feet and following her up the stairs.
"Stay there!" she yelled back. "Morning breath... I'll give you morning breath!" she muttered as she slammed the bathroom door.
"Way to go brother," Aurora snickered.
"It was a trick to get her out of the first floor so I can look at the stuff she was studying last night," Ben replied.
"But I've already told you that!" Adrian muttered.
"He's just trying to salvage his pride. Kinda reminds me of Anna don't you think? The way she'd yell at you. But of course you'd yell back at her all the same," chimed Aurora.
"Hush now all of you. Look..." Ben pointed out. "She found links here and there but I don't know how she's going to piece them together. She will need to find more clues before she finds anything substantial."
"At least she doesn't know we're her guardians," Aqurico said.
"No one knows that; it has never and could never be documented because the women only know this at the hour of their death," replied Ben.
"You forget the old man and the late Lady Margaret..." said Adrian.
"No... they wouldn't... would they?"
"Then what do you call this?" Aurora said, holding up the
divinia comedia
and the printing of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse by Dürer.
"No! Rafael would never betray us, nor would he purposely harm his daughter by sharing such information! No, I know him... he will not do this. Perhaps he wanted to check us up... wanted to make sure we could really protect Ella," Ben said defensively.
"I trust him," Aqurico said. "Sometimes when his emotions get too overwhelming, I can sense their presence. He is a kind soul, that man; he only wants happiness for his daughter."
"Ben!" called Ella from upstairs. The four siblings looked at each other. Ben turned to leave the study and gestured for his siblings to return to their spirit form. He wondered what she could possible want.
"Yeah?" he yelled back.
"Would you like to follow me to the Sussex fair?" Ella said as she walked down the stairs. Ben raised his eyebrows as he studied her dressing: jeans, a white polo t-shirt and a cowboy hat; in her hands a pair of leather boots.
"In England?" he asked cautiously.
"No, silly! Here, in New Jersey! What don't you ever read American history?" laughed Ella as she put on her leather boots.
