“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 damned 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 temporarily from 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. “This fellow 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
“It’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 the latest 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. “And besides, between what we learned from Lady Alaina and the information we can find out from the man we 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?”
“We need more information,” she advised, attempting to calm his agitation while understanding it. He was a man who took decisive action, but more thought was called for in this situation, and besides, she didn’t want to see him imprisoned, especially not by the Earl of Balford.