Page 96 of Highland Sword
“More like treason in the making, sir,” Sir Rupert responded sharply. “A sworn enemy of the Crown meeting with the brother to the king? With no knowledge of the Prime Minister or the Home Office? The king will not be pleased. Or Lord Sidmouth either.”
“Lord Sidmouth maintains his position by creating enemies for the Crown,” Aidan retorted. “Fear and hatred in the realm simply mean more influence and control forhim, I’d say.Anymeeting arranged to create lasting peace will not please him.”
“What do you know about peace, Mr. Grant?” Sir Rupert huffed. “You who endanger lives by putting criminals like the Chattans back on the street.”
“Have you forgotten, sir? You were too afraid for the case to reach its conclusion. Not I, but courts of law free men—like the Chattan brothers—who are unjustly accused. I only provide my services to protect the innocent against the plotting of men who clutch at power with both hands, men like you and your master Sidmouth.”
“What plotting?” Burney scoffed.
“The Home Office lures innocent people into committing crime. You entrap them with your agents. Youcreatethe very crimes that you prosecute men for.”
“Take care, Mr. Grant. We create nothing. We identify, we expose, we prosecute. We drag the vermin from their holes and show the public their twisted plots.”
“How miraculous that you happen to discover these plots prior to any actual crime being committed. In case after case, you arrest reformers and political foes. You charge them with crimes that are nothing more thanthoughts. Only you call itconspiracyand depict these men as dangerous extremists.”
“And that’s a credit to our organization. To our brilliance. We are everywhere. We hear everything. We are in people’s homes. We know the crimes they are willing to commit before they take the first step.”
“You pit friends against one another, Sir Rupert. You tear families apart.”
“We do what we must to protect the Crown.King and country.Certainly you’ve heard the phrase, even if you don’t know what it means.”
“You are a stain on the honor of king and country.You’re a threat to free people whose lives you manipulate and destroy through your schemes.”
“Save your speeches for the election, Mr. Grant. With radical opinions such as those, you’ll never be elected to Parliament.” He sent a sly look in Morrigan’s direction. “Not that you’re electable any longer anyway.”
Morrigan put a hand on Aidan’s knee to stop him rising to his feet. They’d been married such a short time, and already her temper had been passed on to her husband.
“Let me understand you, Sir Rupert,” Searc said. “You’re in favor of imprisoning men for crimes they may never have committed, but for your efforts to entrap them. For the sake of protecting king and country, as you say.”
“Absolutely. We must stamp out threats before they come to fruition.”
Before anyone could respond, the sound of pounding on a distant door was followed by raised voices. Searc was on his feet when the door of the dining room opened and a servant came in apologizing.
“They’ll not go away, master. And they say they’ll wait not another minute.”
“Who are they?” Searc barked. “How dare they interrupt me and my guests?”
“The constable, sir. And four of his deputy constables. They’ve got a wagon and all in the lane.”
“What do they want?”
“They’re here to arrest someone.”
“That’s preposterous!” Searc pushed by him, shouting down the hall. “What is this nonsense about?”
A moment later, the constable entered, with his men close behind him. He was waving a document, and he bowed at the sight of the Lord Mayor.
“Explain yourself,” Searc demanded curtly.
The constable’s men spread out. They were armed with cudgels and looked ready to use them.
“We’re here to take Sir Rupert Burney into custody.”
Silence fell over the room.
“On what charge?” Burney burst out. “I am an official of the Crown. You have no right to take me anywhere.”
The constable drew the warrant from his coat, pointing it at the accused.
