Margaret Kent’s office, Westminster Palace
“I want to know the connection between Fabiola’s poisoning and the white queen chess piece, right now.” Margaret rapped on her desk.
Carolus shrugged, but the Cheshire didn’t. He had possessed a rabbit now. Enough with the politicians and humans, he’d thought. A talking rabbit amused him much more.
“We’re on it, Duchess,” Carolus said. “But it’s really hard to find a plausible connection.”
“I don’t take no for an answer,” Margaret said. “This is too mysterious. I need to know what the Chessmaster is up to.”
“I say he is up to end the world as we know it,” the Cheshire said. His voice was squeaky and he sniffed between words. His rabbit nose was running as if he had the flu, and his eyes were funny. He stared at everything in such excitement as if it were a miracle, especially the carrot in front of him.
“I didn’t permit you to speak, Cheshire,” Margaret roared.
“As you wish, Duchess. Carrots?” he offered. “Good for the temper—and ugly women.”
“I thought they were good for the eyes,” Carolus said.
“I can’t speak because the Duchess told me not to,” the Cheshire said.
“But you are speaking,” Carolus argued.
“I could stop speaking if you stop asking.” The Cheshire grinned with the rabbit’s mouth, which was creepy.
“Stop it!” Margaret said, reading a message she’d just received on her mobile phone. “I’m told the Pillar and Alice are in China. They found a second piece, part of the puzzle.”
“China!” the Cheshire said. “Never had Chinese carrots.”
Margaret dismissed him. “The next piece is a rook,” she told Carolus.
“A rook?” Carolus asked. “And a white queen. Hmmm, I have no idea what this means.”
“Neither do I,” Margaret began, but then she suddenly felt ill and clutched her stomach.
“You pregnant?” The Cheshire chewed on his carrot.
“She looks ill,” Carolus said.
Margaret had lost her speech. The pain inside her was too strong and sudden. She reached out, but the Cheshire gripped tighter to the carrot and refused to share. She reached out to Carolus and he stuck his head forward, wondering if this was some kind of dance.
Margaret dropped speechless on the floor with a thud.
“Is she dead?” Carolus said.
“I think she was poisoned.” The Cheshire puffed the carrot like a pipe. “In fact, I think what happened to Fabiola just happened to her, too.”
“Are you saying Fabiola’s poisoning has something to do with them finding the white queen?” The Cheshire shook his rabbit’s foot. “And Margaret’s poisoning has something to do with them finding the rook?”