Thanks Raze.  I took the other way out and unlocked the door and killed the guard.  Only then the quest "Free Penumbra" became active.  Weird... I think it was bugged.  But all is fine right now.  It's the same with my wine quest - it's still active but the guy with the wine is gone (since I gave him away for burning the cart) and I picked up the wine from his room.