A Thin Line by Tammy Jo Burns Page A

information you have is true, your very life could be in jeopardy if it fell into the wrong hands.”
    “Which is why I contacted the authorities.”   She tried to make note of his speech, but he spoke through a scarf wrapped around his face that muffled his words.
    “Some authorities cannot always be trusted.”
    “Can you?”
    “Explicitly.”
    “Then I see no problem, do you?”
    “No.”
    “Good.   I want to tell you the information, but I’m not sure I want to reveal the name.”
    “What good does that do me?”
    “I really don’t know.   I’m having a few doubts.”
    “There are men and women trying to tear apart this country and kill our men.   Do you want that on your conscience for the sake of saving one man?”
    “Let’s take it a step at a time.   I overheard a highly titled lord informing a very French woman about where our men would be landing at various places on the continent.”
    “That is critical information.”
    “I know.”
    “How long ago did you hear this?”
    “A fortnight.”
    “A fortnight?   Do you realize there could already be men dying because you failed to come forward earlier?”
    “Yes, and believe me, I have lived with that guilt every day and night since,” she took a deep, fortifying breath before going on.   “I recently heard another meeting.   Same man, same woman, same type of information.”
    “This man must be very special to you for you to wait so long.”
    “Perhaps once, but no more.”   Gabe squinted through his mask to try and get a better look at the informant.   He found the person to be familiar in some way.   He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.   It was almost as if he would know this person in a different setting.   He shook his head and brought himself back to the conversation.
    “How did you overhear this information?   Are you a servant?”
    “Aye.   In the wrong place at the right time.”
    “Will you tell me the name of the man?”
    “Not yet.”
    “Why not?”
    “I don’t want to see him hang, and I just realized he would indeed hang if found guilty.”
    “Did you think he would be slapped on the wrist and told to be a good boy from now on?”
    “I’m not sure what I thought.”   That voice wound around him like it had so many times in the recent past.   He felt his body tighten in reaction.   Surely not.   “I think deep down he is a good and honest person.   For some reason he is just confused right now.   Perhaps it is the lure of the woman,” she continued, pulling him out of his reverie.  
    A man wouldn’t have that trace of bitterness about a woman involved with a man.   That only left two options.   Neither one set well with him.   He had to hear her talk again, just to be sure.   Gabe felt almost positive Kala could be found under that mask, but who did she speak of?   Southerby?   Dewhurst?   Perhaps even McKenzie?   Her demeanor told him she cared deeply for the man.   He had never known her to be that serious about anyone, let alone those three.
    “Can you give me a description of the woman?”   She did.   She described Natalia perfectly, including the red dress she wore to Richard and Drucilla’s ball for Derek and Tessa.   The red dress that had left little to the imagination.   The dress that Mikala had seen when she peeked through the door after eavesdropping on them.   “Dammit,” he bit out.
    “Pardon?”
    “Nothing, I need to think for a moment.”
    If everything added up correctly, that meant she still considered him a traitor, even after told otherwise.   He knew Natalia had fallen for the information, but he hadn’t realized anyone else had, or that anyone had heard the information being passed.   If she heard, who else could possibly have heard?
    “I believe I have seen that woman around before.”
    “You have?”
    “Indeed.   Her name is Natalia and she is a French spy.”   He knew he deliberately fed her information, but he had to gain her trust.