After leaving Moira's room, Barbara was making a beeline back to her own. She rounded a corner at speed and almost stepped into Marcello. "You." She said by way of greeting. "Can we talk? Or are you too busy being an earl right now?"

"Earling, earling," Marcello replied, looking a little tired. He sighed and looked her over. "Why?" he asked. "Is this about Dierdre's husband?"

Barbara glared at him. "Are you using Seer shit on me?" She replied, crossing her arms. "That's no fair."

"No, everything anyone has said to me today is about Dierdre's husband," Marcello replied. "Is it about him?" he asked, with a pained look. "Babs, you know the Seer shit doesn't work like that."

"I've been hanging around bards too much, then. Sorry." She replied, starting to look concerned. "When Matt and I went and visited his mother? The High Bard?" She asked. "She said the Lady Oisin started taking hostages, because she's out of money, or needs more. And long story short, Matt and his mother, and I, think Duncan's planning some sort of coup." She frowned. "Is that what you've been hearing too?"

"Err..." Marcello hesitated. "I heard he kidnapped Morgana's child," he replied. "You know Bonet? Judith's Aquitainean fellow? He tried to arrest him." He frowned at Barbara, squinting slightly. "I haven't heard anything about hostages. What did you hear, exactly?"

"Just that she's taking hostages." Barbara replied. "Matt said she's likely not in debt, because the last Baroness was cheap, so she probably needs payment. And Aisling suggested that she took them to keep her enemies at bay." She frowned at the last part. "Is he still in the tower, then?"

Marcello shook his head. "No," he replied. "Dierdre had a conniption, and Bonet didn't have any proof." He shrugged. "So...hm. Do we know who the hostages are?'

"I asked if they would have Acorn." She said, putting up a hand. "Matt and Aisling said that was illegal. You have to tell people when you have a hostage. When they held me, they sent a runner to the College to bother the bards about it. If I had picked the Countess as the person to bail me out, they would have told her too."

Marcello tugged on his earlobe. "So we don't know who she has?" he asked. "What if she had a reason beyond...well, ransom? Do you think she might take someone and not tell? But that doesn't make sense if Duncan is trying to..." He shook his head. "What do you know about Duncan, then?"