Several months after the events at Palazzo Venturi, Naomi Price is commissioned to organise the launch journey of the restored Halcyon Express, a historic luxury train recreating a late-1920s European route through Paris, Zurich, Innsbruck, Ljubljana and Venice.
Eleanor Finch has no intention of becoming involved.
Then Naomi sends her a photograph of the restored dining car and asks:
“Do you think this is original?”
Its provenance certificate says it is. A document supposedly dating from 1952 appears to confirm that the surviving fittings of Halcyon Dining Car No. 2417 were recovered and reconstructed.
But Eleanor finds a photograph taken in 1929.
The original 2417 had six windows.
The restored carriage has seven.
Further investigation reveals even greater differences. The real 2417 had pale oak interiors, oval mirrors and eighteen seats. The carriage now bearing its number contains dark walnut, deep green upholstery, brass lamps and a gilded swallow panel.
Then the swallow disappears.
In its place is an old luggage label marked:
2421.