Page 88 of Highland Sword
“Who knows that the Duke of Clarence is coming?” she asked.
“No one. No one outside of the government hierarchy, anyway. They don’t want to bring any attention to thistrip,” he told her. “Once he arrives, I assume there will be some public announcement of it.”
She showed him what they’d found in the caricature. Beneath one of the arches of the bridge, two fishermen were hauling in a net, filled with their fish. Mixed in with the catch, cleverly hidden, was a lion, a unicorn, and a crown.
“These wouldn’t, by any chance, be on the duke’s coat of arms, would they?”
Aidan peered at the image and a smile stole across his face. “I believe they are.”
“What if I wrote back to Sir Rupert and told him I’ve heard here at the castle that the Duke of Clarence is coming to Inverness?”
“Better still, what if you wrote to the rogue and told him the duke is coming and that he’s going to meet with the son of Scotland?”
“Why would we tell him so much?”
“Because no one knows it, except the duke and his closest advisors.” Aidan paced the room a few times.
She could already tell he was plotting. “Tell me.”
“Entrapment. That’s the game Burney is famous for—tricking people into trusting someone they shouldn’t, and then getting them to do the exact thing he can use against them.”
“Are you planning to turn that ruse on the fox himself?” she asked.
Aidan nodded, closed the door, and told her what he was thinking.
CHAPTER31
MORRIGAN
They now knew why no one had been able to locate Madame Laborde after Sir Rupert took her away in his carriage from Barn Hill. He didn’t put the artist in a tavern or in some cramped room at an inn. He moved her into his own residence.
Once Morrigan discovered the approximate location, Searc’s people were able to find the house Sir Rupert had taken on Huntly Street, a cobblestone lane that ran along the river. Searc knew the house. It had belonged to a successful old smuggler he’d done business with years ago.
Looking out the front windows of the grey stone building, one would see the exact alignment of the Old Bridge and Castle Hill, just as she’d drawn them in her sketches. Searc’s people were also able to discern that no one went in or out of the house without Burney’s approval. A burly footman turned away all callers whenever a passing vendor happened to go knocking. Only the occasional glimpse of Madame Laborde at an upstairs window confirmed she was there.
While they’d tried to find a way to meet with the artist,Morrigan sent a letter to Burney containing the information they’d decided on.
The duke is coming to Inverness. He plans to meet with the son of Scotland.
A letter had immediately come back to Dalmigavie addressed to Morrigan.
Where? When?
Morrigan responded with her own demand.
Give back my father’s letter.
That left them at a standoff. Morrigan imagined that, despite her handful of good deeds, she wasn’t trusted. The man had to know she would never betray Isabella and her husband. All of this worked perfectly into their plans.
When Morrigan, Aidan, and Sebastian left Dalmigavie with a contingent of men to accompany the carriage, a white blanket of snow still covered the ground. Before they even reached Inverness, however, she was surprised to find the countryside was frozen but free of snow.
Their plan was simple. The back of Sir Rupert Burney’s residence opened out onto a lane that ran parallel with the river. On the far side lay a large field that Searc referred to as Fairfield Park. They’d discovered that Madame Laborde left the house nearly every day in the midafternoon and walked briskly around the park. They would approach her there.
They waited for her at the edge of the park when she emerged for her daily jaunt. As she passed the carriage, Morrigan stepped out and approached her.
The artist was immediately alarmed. “I can’t speak to you. They watch me. One of his men always follows when I go for my walks.”
Morrigan already knew that. Sebastian was overseeing a diversion that coincided with Madame Laborde going out.
