Page 76 of Highland Crown
“And Hudson?”
“Searc’s study.”
Cinaed pushed for the door, but Blair stopped him again. “Wait. We won’t let them walk out with her. But let them make the first move. Be patient. We don’t want to make it any more dangerous for her, I should think.”
“Colonel Wade, you know I don’t take kindly to anyone barging into my house.” Searc’s voice was hard and gruff. “But since you’re here, why don’t you introduce your spirited junior officer?”
The colonel had no chance to speak. Hudson cut in, introducing himself, his jangling voice filling the room, loud and arrogant. “Lieutenant Ellis Hudson, of the 10th Royal Hussars.”
Isabella’s blood ran cold at the nearness of the man.
She pressed her face against one of the cases to see what was happening. Only a small sliver of the room wasvisible. She thought worriedly of Cinaed, hoping someone had awakened him. Perhaps Jean had gone up. Hudson wouldn’t come here unless he had an army with him.
“What can I do for you, Colonel?” Searc appeared to be intentionally ignoring the newcomer.
“You will address me andnotColonel Wade,” Hudson barked, moving into Isabella’s field of vision.
She shrank back involuntarily, but only for a moment.
“I’ve been sent here from Edinburgh on a mission of the utmost importance to the Crown, and I answer only to my commander there.”
“I didn’t know that’s the way the British army worked,” Searc put in. “New military protocol, Colonel?”
Hudson continued to talk, ignoring the barb. “And nothing you say or offer me…” He paused and sent a degrading glance at Colonel Wade. “Nothing will dissuade me from accomplishing what I’ve been assigned to do.” He looked around the study. “And that includes any effort on your part to bribe me with gifts, favors, or whatever else you use in this barbaric corner of the kingdom to induce others to do your bidding.”
Even before he finished talking of bribes, the map on the board near Isabella’s hiding place drew his interest. Her heart stopped as he moved toward it.
“Why are you here, Lieutenant?” Searc asked sharply.
Hudson paused and looked back at him. “Yesterday, there was an attack on a prisoner escort on the way to Nairn. You will hand over those responsible.”
The lieutenant’s broad back was to her. Isabella wished she had a knife. A broken stick would do.
“I have no knowledge of any attack. How would I know who was responsible?”
“Your reputation and your web of spies are well known to us,” he said, turning his back on Searc and coming closer to the map… and Isabella. “You’re lying.”
“Careful what you say, laddie. Slander is still taken quite seriously by the courts here.”
Hudson scoffed. “You paid local officials as well as—I suspect—military officers to attend your seditious gathering and stand on the perimeter like so many puppets, allowing violence against the Crown to be incited from the platform. And while these treasonous acts were taking place, you knew exactly what was happening on the coach road.”
“You give me far too much credit,” Searc growled. “And you haven’t a shred of evidence to back your outlandish claims.”
“Give the order to search the house,” Hudson barked at Colonel Wade. “There has to be plenty of evidence in this ruin that will incriminate him of this crime or some other. There isn’t a Scot in the Highlands who doesn’t have something to hide.”
An item on a shelf in the case beside the map drew Hudson’s attention. He was only a few feet from where she hid.
“We spoke of this before we came in here, Lieutenant.” Wade cleared his throat uncomfortably. “We have no desire to create a situation which could result in bloodshed or destruction of property. And if you still intend to take Mr. Mackintosh from his home, his household will—”
“Save your breath, Colonel. Our duty is to the Crown, not some scoundrel in this vile place.” He wheeled his tall frame and glared. “Are you a loyal officer, or are younot? I tell you this man is guilty of nefarious crimes. Whom do you fear?”
Searc’s men, Isabella thought. She recalled all the weapons hidden in this house, in this very room. They were probably better armed than the soldiers. They wouldn’t go down without a fight.
“I advised against it, but we are here at your insistence.”
Appearing satisfied, Hudson turned back to the case and approached. Isabella had nowhere to go.
“Very well. Take me to Fort George,” Searc snapped, stopping the lieutenant in his tracks. “I’ll go willingly, without any trouble. My men won’t stand against you. I’m certain we can resolve whatever misunderstandings we have and avoid any complications that will surely arise here.”
