While
Leonek set up the small rocks to mark the way he came, he heard two voices in conversation down the passage to the left, one male and one female. They sounded unusual, though he could not put his finger on how exactly. He flicked off the lighter, which was starting to get hot, and it cooled off while he waited in the dark. He couldn't see any light down any of the ways out of this cavern.
"Have you been able to get the box open,
Kal'ee?" asked the female voice.
"No,
Y'hali," replied the male voice. "It defies my strength. It has powerful magic."
"Then perhaps my own magic can overcome its defenses. At least one of these strangers must be a sorcerer of considerable ability. And they asked about
Soames too. Most interesting."
"What shall we do about them, sister?"
"Nothing yet. They bear watching, but take no action against them for now unless they get too close. There are other new arrivals in Dunwich as well, and they do not seem like ordinary tourists. They were asking after
Valerie Kirby."
"Ah, such beauty..."
"Keep your claws to yourself, brother. She belongs to
Bertie. There are plenty of other fish in the sea."
"I can still look, can't I? It will be a delight to see her at the wedding on Saturday. I'm sure she will make a lovely bride."
"That she will. My son has excellent taste in women...much like his father did."
"Maybe I'll go over to the manor house and visit them tonight. Don't worry, I'll take care that nobody sees me."
"All right, but be careful not to frighten her. Was there anything else?"
"No,
Y'Hali. I'll go patrol the shore now."
Footsteps began to approach from the tunnel to the left.
by 
