Padre Tolomeo's workshop, a day later
The first thing Padre Tolomeo says when Nate joins him in the storeroom is, 'Have you bolted the door?'
"What is it?"
Padre Tolomeo's face is drained pale, the shadows lying heavy underneath his eyes. He looks as if he's been running himself ragged to get to the bottom of this, denying himself food and sleep until he'd solved the mystery.
"The situation is far more serious than I had thought. You must inform your master that things are far more advanced than I had previously thought. You must all take great care that this never reaches Elizabeth."
Nate thinks back to the bottles he'd purloined from Rene's shop."The contents of the samples I brought you."
"I analysed it most thoroughly. I tested it several times to make sure. I have to tell you, t
