Taken By Storm Part 26

"A place of generous gossip is a pub."

Burke understood. "I think you need a few new garments to impress our friends back in America, so I shall leave you here while I have a pint or two at the local pub."

She smiled and they entered the shop.

It smelled delightful and there was color everywhere from the bolts of material stacked on shelves and draped over chairs, to the tables covered in lace and bowls of ribbons spilling out of them.

The seamstress was as pet.i.te as Storm, though her hair raged red against milk-pale skin and her wide

green eyes sparkled with friendly delight. She was only too happy to oblige Burke after he explained that his wife required several garments to be made of her finest material. He hoped she wouldn't mind advising his wife on the styles of the local aristocrats, since she wanted to impress her friends back home.

How unfortunate that his wife could not partake in the conversation.

The seamstress told him not to worry, she would handle everything, and shooed him out of the shop, though not before he gave his wife a peck on the cheek and whispered, "Be good and have fun."

Storm smiled sweetly and patted her husband's arm.

Burke was not rea.s.sured but took his leave. What trouble could she get into in a seamstress shop?

Plenty.

He ignored his thought and decided to keep his visit to the pub brief.

Burke entered the small pub not that different from the saloons in America, depending of course on location. The larger towns and cities had the more garish saloons, while one would find a saloon much like this in a small town. There was a bar big enough for maybe four men to stand at and three tables

occupying s.p.a.ce for two. The smell wasn't too inviting, but then once you got drinking the smell was no longer noticeable.

He went to the bar and ordered a pint, then attempted a conversation with the skinny bartender,

commenting on a range of topics including poachers, thieves, and how the Scots dealt with such crimes.

"It's Thomas Gibbons you need to talk to about such things. He's worked for some of the landlords."

The bartender grinned and pointed to a lone man sitting at a table. "A pint of ale will buy you all the information you need."

"Mind if I join you?" Burke asked, placing a pint of ale in front of the man.

"Have a seat," he offered and grabbed hold of the tankard.

Burke decided to get right to the point for a good reason-the short, round man smelled as if it had been

weeks since he last bathed.

"I wondered how the landlords here in Scotland deal with crimes," Burke said. "The bartender told me you were the man to talk with."

"Trouble handling your tenants in America?" Thomas asked with a laugh and took a generous swallow of

ale.

Burke smiled, letting the man a.s.sume what he wished.

"The landlords tolerate no crime on their lands," Thomas said with a pound of his tankard on the table.

"They deal with crimes swift and harshly. It's the only way to keep control of the tenants."

Thomas went into great detail, much of which Burke already knew thanks to Storm and his own observations since arriving.

"You should speak with the Earl of Balford," Thomas suggested. "Only a fool would steal from that man.

The consequences are much too harsh."

"How harsh?"

"Prison, fines..." He lowered his voice. "The man knows how to get what he wants from his prisoners.

Believe me, sir, no one wants to find himself in Balford's prison.""And where can I find him?" Burke asked innocently."Glencurry, perhaps two days' ride from here." He kept his voice low and leaned close to Burke, who tried not to take a breath. "He's not a man to cross. Be careful dealing with him."

Burke leaned back and called out to the bartender. "Another pint for Thomas."

Thomas grinned. "Thank you, sir, you are most kind."

Burke thanked him for his time, and not wanting to leave Storm on her own too long, he took his leave.

He sucked in a giant breath of fresh chilled air as soon as he left the pub, and headed for the seamstress

shop.

He was a bit disappointed, since he didn't feel that he'd learned anything new. The man had simplyverified what he already knew about the Earl of Balford-that the man was a b.a.s.t.a.r.d.He'd dealt with b.a.s.t.a.r.ds before, men who wanted more than their fair share, men who thought they were ent.i.tled and that the law didn't apply to them. Burke knew too that in order to deal with such men, youhad to step outside the law, and as he had mentioned to Storm once, he had done so when necessaryand he'd do it again.

He entered the shop ready to wait for Storm if she wasn't finished, since he wanted her to enjoy this day of freedom and fun, and came face to face with Lady Alaina.

She stood perfectly still staring at him.She was an indescribable beauty. Whereas Storm's beauty was tangible, hers was ethereal, not like anyhe'd ever seen before or expected to see again.

Burke decided that fate had thrown them together, and he intended to take advantage of the situation. He

approached her. "Pardon me, but do we know each other?"

She lowered her eyes. "Forgive me, I thought for a moment, but lately-" She shook her head. "You remind me of someone."

"Perhaps I know him.""That's not possible. You're an American, he's a Scotsman.""There's a Scotsman that looks like me? Poor fellow."Lady Alaina laughed. "That is where you are different since he fancies himself a handsome man.""Then he's a wise one too.""You have his humor."No, he and Cullen had their father's humor. He was anxious to know if they spoke of the same man so he asked, "What is this charming fellow's name?"She whispered it so softly that he didn't hear it."What was that you said?""Lady Alaina, I am almost ready for you. Oh good, Mr. Longton, you've returned. Your wife is just about finished," the seamstress said after stepping from behind the curtain. "Excuse me a moment, Lady

Alaina, while I finish with Mrs. Longton."

Lady Alaina drifted off to sit in a silk-draped chair near the window and Burke almost swore aloud. One second more and he would have had a name. He'd be d.a.m.ned if he was going to leave the shop without a name. If she knew Cullen, then she would know if the prisoner they followed was his brother.

Storm stepped from behind the curtain fastening the last clasp on her jacket and averted her eyes when she caught sight of Lady Alaina.

"Sweetheart," he said, walking over to Storm. "You'll never guess. I have a double here in Scotland and

this lovely woman knows him."

He walked over to Lady Alaina, Storm on his arm. "May I introduce myself? Burke Longton from the

Dakota Territory in America and my wife, Mary, who I'm sorry to say has lost her voice temporarilyfrom an illness suffered during our voyage here.""Lady Alaina of Glencurry, the Earl of Balford's daughter," she offered in return."A pleasure," Burke said, and noticed how Alaina stared oddly at Storm."How rude of me for staring, but you also look familiar."Storm's smile was congenial."Perhaps our ancestors roamed this area," Burke suggested, though he wondered if there could be a reason for Lady Alaina to recognize Storm. If so, they couldn't remain in her presence for long. "Thisfellow you mentioned that I resembled, perhaps if I spoke with him-""He's no longer in the area," Lady Alaina said, clearly upset."I'm ready for you, Lady Alaina," the seamstress said, walking over to her.Burke noticed she looked relieved, as if the tiny woman had rescued her.

"It was a pleasure meeting both of you. I hope you enjoy your visit to Scotland."

Burke could have sworn he caught the start of tears forming in her eyes as she bid him farewell and walked past him.

"Lady Alaina," he called out softly, but loud enough for her to hear and turn around.

He caught a glisten in the corner of her eye and knew he had been right, she was on the verge of tears, and he felt guilty having upset her.

"The name," he said. "I didn't catch the fellow's name whom I resemble."

"Cullen," she said, and quickly turned away.

Chapter 21.

"I t's Cullen!" Burke exclaimed once they entered his cabin.Storm took off her bonnet and jacket and placed them on the chest. "It doesn't make sense.""What do you mean?""How would Lady Alaina have made an acquaintance of a prisoner?" Storm shook her head. "The earl would never allow his daughter access to the prison. We could very well be chasing the wrong man."

"Then I need to question her some more and find out what she knows of Cullen."

Storm shoved her hand out to stop him. "That would definitely cause suspicion, and I wouldn't be

surprised if she is already suspicious of us. With gossip a livelihood on the docks there'll be many tongues wagging about the American who asks so many questions. And if Thomas could be bought with a pint or two of ale, what makes you think one of your crew can't be bought as cheaply?"

Burke didn't look too happy. "What you're suggesting is that we'll need to leave here by tomorrow thelatest if we're not to take chances.""We'll need to leave before dawn's first light."

"You don't think we should be seen again?""I think enough people have seen us already, any more and we'd be asking for trouble," she said. "Andbesides, between what we learned from Lady Alaina and the information we can find out from the manwe pay, it may be enough to piece the puzzle together."

"If not?"

"Then we'll have no choice but to speak with Lady Alaina again."

Burke paced the room. "Then why not just question her now and save us time?"