Play@YSDC

Elizabeth tries to talk out of the corner of her mouth,
“We can make good use of the secret passages to this room.” Elizabeth agrees. “I would feel happier if the automaton was not involved- for its own protection and for others.
Diego, would you be happy to help?”

"Of course, Elizabeth," says Diego. "It would be my pleasure."

"I can unjam the secret door's mechanism," said Leonardo, "and we can lie in wait in the passage and watch. The automaton can remain in the room. We'll have to give it very specific instructions not to kill this time, but to take the thief alive. The only problem remaining is how to make the thief aware that the crystal is here unguarded without arousing suspicion. A statement made at supper in front of everyone should do it, but we'll have to work out precisely what to say."

There are, but not tonight as far as you know. There will be more activities during the day the next two days, but the only ones you know about are the performance of the play tomorrow and the masquerade ball the following night.

“Are they still at dinner?” Elizabeth asks. “We might have time. Something like, ‘The master is very pleased to have his jewel restored but he has gone to bed early, tired from the stress of it.’ Do you think?”

"Oh, yes," said Leonardo. "Supper is a long, drawn-out affair here with several courses. Of course, the crystal was never successfully taken. Perhaps I could go down to supper myself and say that I'm refreshed after a short nap. I actually do that all the time. I find that twenty or thirty minutes of sleep brings me back to full alertness, if I do it frequently enough. I'll leave the puzzle box on my desk, and the rest of you could hide in the passage and watch. The crystal will naturally not be in the puzzle box, but on my person. However, the thief will not know that and will think the room to be empty. While sitting down, I can make a show of patting where I've been keeping the box, which is something I've observed people do with valuable objects they carry. Then I can remark that I've forgotten the puzzle box in my chambers, but then say it should be all right there. That will let the thief know that it's there unguarded, and it should not be too unsubtle."

“That sounds like a good plan. We will arrange ourselves here. Perhaps you could waggle your eyebrows or something at Gui and the Chevalier to let them know something’s afoot.
Shall we continue the painting later?” Elizabeth asks.

"Yes, we can continue with the painting tomorrow," said Leonardo, packing away his painting supplies and resetting the hidden switch for the secret door so that it can be opened again. He placed the empty puzzle box on the desk. "The light has faded anyway. I'll go downstairs now. That should give you plenty of time to hide in the passage, and then you can watch to see if a thief comes." He spoke to the automaton. "When someone tries to steal the puzzle box, you are to seize and hold the thief. You are not to kill. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father," said the automaton.

"Good evening, then. I am feeling rather hungry." With that, he left the room and headed for the stairs.

Elizabeth stands up and stretches. She walks up and down, “We might be sat still for some time.” She explains to the others. “We had better make a plan before the thief arrives. Diego, you should go to the door and prevent the thief’s escape. Story, you guard the secret door to prevent escape that way, and I’ll be ready to help wherever it is needed.”

"I can stand here," said Diego, moving behind the open door leading to the hall from the workshop. "When we make our move, I can slam the door shut and block it. The only other exits are the secret passage and the door to Leonardo's bedchamber. And the window, of course. Perhaps you should wait just inside the passage and watch through the little hole."

Elizabeth looks worriedly at the window, “I think we are too high up for it to be an option.” She says. “And I don’t think there’s a way out of the bedchamber.” She walks over to the chamber to check. Then she moves to the hole and then looks around for a hiding place to move to afterwards.

"It is a long way down," said Diego. "Let us hope our thief cannot climb."

Elizabeth checked the bedchamber, and there was indeed no way out, except for its own window. The best hiding place looked to be just within the secret passage, with the hidden door closed. She would be able to view the room through the peephole without any chance of being seen.

Where does Story want to be?

With a nod to Diego and Story, Elizabeth installed herself in the hiding place and put her eye to the peep hole.

Story waited with Elizabeth in the secret passage. Time passed, and then more time. Nobody seemed to be taking the bait.

“I suppose it’s quite possible they might wait until everyone has gone to bed. Or, as we aren’t at dinner with everyone else, they might not risk it at the moment.” Elizabeth whispers.

“I suppose you could go down and say that Diego and I are, er, away on a moonlit walk together in the gardens.” Elizabeth blushes in the darkness.

“With us all accounted for, the thief may be bolder.”

"That's a great idea. It'll give me a chance to see what the others have deduced as well.
And Maestro, I shall say that you've retired for the evening. Would that seem more or less usual?
Be careful, though. One less of us here more evens the odds."

[pending any further conversation at this moment, Story will move towards the feasting hall...]

Elizabeth watches her go and settles down to wait.

Leonardo had actually gone downstairs a while ago.

Elizabeth is moving to the thread linked below:

Waiting

Story is moving to the thread linked below:

Chance Encounter