Page 88 of The Duke's Mysterious Lover
“Och, aye, ye always had friends in strange places,” Demon acknowledged. “And I understand that the Crown doesnae want to act against an earl without due cause. But the evidence isnae enough?”
Thorne was shaking his head. “We’ve been asked to set atrap for Blackrose, to push him into action in a public place. There needs to be nae doubt about his guilt forthatparticular crime—whatever it may be—before the Crown believes we can present the evidence against his earlier crimes.”
Georgia placed her tea cup delicately into the saucer. “It makes sense, does it not? The man is not only an earl now, but highly connected. He has likely been making connections for years—favors owed and whatnot. His impending marriage only improves that. He can weather a mere scandal, I hate to say.”
“Yes, if legal action is announced against him out of the blue,” Kit pointed out. “But not ifhe’sthe one to start the scandal. We need him in a place where we can control his actions.”
Thorne was smiling at her. “Which is why ye’re all here.”
“So what’s the plan, oh great and glorious leader?” Bull asked, then hissed, “Ow!” when his father poked his shoulder.
“Ye’re no’ supposed to be involved at all, laddie. Keep yer mouth shut so I can pretend ye’re no’ here, especially if yer mother asks.”
“Good point.” Bull turned hopeful eyes toward Kit. “Ye ken, it strikes me I wouldnae be able to talk with my mouth full of cakes.”
Taking the hint, Kit loaded up a plate and passed it to him as Ellie spoke.
“Well, it is obvious what we need to do, yes? We use the code to entice him into a meeting. An encoded message inThe Daily Movement, giving him the information Thorne found about the Greede-Ahl Mine, telling him we want to meet him.”
Griffin was already shaking his head. “No’ enough. He’s a dangerous man, milady, he’ll no’ show up at a meeting just because we ask him to and hint we ken things about him. More likely he’ll send ruffians to the meeting in his place.”
“Not if it’s in a public space.” Kit took a deep breath and lowered her tea cup. “And he doesn’t know who he’s meeting.”
Demon nodded. “We use the code, and the knowledge ofthe mine, to hint we ken more.” His voice was little more than a whisper. “Then one of us, acting as theagentwe’ve hinted in the encoded message, meets with him to entice him into the trap we’ll set.”
“What kind of trap?” Fawkes asked.
Demon started to shrug, then froze, one big hand against the baby’s back. “I dinnae ken,” he hissed. “Something in a place we control. Here?”
“Uncle William will not willingly enter Thorne’s home,” his wife pointed out. “Not knowing Thorne is one of his few surviving agents, even if he does not realize Thorne is working against him. And why are you whispering, dear?”
“Because yer daughter has fallen asleep,” he hissed back. “And is drooling down my back.”
“Excellent.” Georgia grinned and relaxed against the settee. “Now you will have to keep your temper in check.”
“I know how to get him here,” Kit confessed. When all eyes turned her way, she straightened her shoulders. “I’m going to act as my uncle’s agent. The message in the paper will be fromme.”
“Nay,” Fawkes immediately blurted. “Lass, ye cannae ken what kind of evil yer father is capable of.”
Kit held Thorne’s tortured gaze. “I think I can.” She waited for him to object, and it was clear from the pain in his eyes that Thornewantedto.
But he didn’t.
He believed she could do this, even if he hated it.
That realization, more than anything, made her bolder.
“My father doesn’t realize I’m in London. But once he does, he’ll believe I’d been in contact with my uncle, Georgia and Ellie’s father.” She nodded to both the women. “Because I’ll make him believe that. I’ll know everything you tell me about his actions in the past, and because I have no obvious connection to you, he’ll believe me. He’ll have no choice.”
“Fook,” muttered Thorne.
When Fawkes raised a brow in his direction, Thorne repeated the hopeless curse. “Fook, she’s right. It would work. I hate it, but it would work. Blackrose is a wily bastard, with layers to his schemes. He’d believe his brother capable of the same, and would see this as a betrayal from his late brother, no’ us.”
Griffin was slowly nodding. “And he’s egotistical enough that he’d believe his offspring the only one capable of double-crossing him this way.”
“Ye’ll have to convince him ye’re on his side, lass,” Demon whispered. “Or he’ll no’ accept the trap.”
Ellie had produced a small pad of paper and a pencil and began to dictate as she wrote. “Father, I have information you need. To prove my sincerity, allow me to assure you I have not alerted the authorities as to the nonexistence of the Greede-Ahl Silver Mine in Colorado.”She looked up from her scribbling. “We need to entice him further.”
