Storm took a breath and fought back tears. She would not cry and she would not linger on the sad memories. She told Burke this story for a reason and she hoped it served the purpose she intended.
“You understand now why you should not trust the earl?”
“I understand even more, and believe me, I don’t trust him. Once the papers are signed, Cullen and I will leave Weighton immediately—”
“Weighton? The earl wants the exchange to take place at Weighton?” she asked, shaking her head. “The earl doesn’t intend for your brother or you to leave the prison.”
“My captain and several sailors will be with me.”
“He won’t let them in the prison. Rules, he will claim, and in your zeal to free your brother you will imprison yourself.”
“Not so, I know what I do.”
“Didn’t you hear what I just told you? The earl will have his way. He will have your gold mine, your brother, and you. This will never work. We need another plan.”
“There is no other plan,” Burke warned.
Storm walked up to him and jabbed him in the chest. “You’re a stubborn American.”
“And you’re not a stubborn Scot?” he said and grabbed her finger, spun her around, his arms closing around her middle, and leaned his face over her shoulder to press his cheek to hers.
She struggled for a moment, then leaned back against him, resting her hands on his arms wrapped around her. “It serves no purpose to battle each other.”
“Then surrender and the problem is solved,” he advised with a kiss to her cheek.
“I cannot. This plan is doomed to fail.”
“We will plan it together so that there is no room for failure,” he offered.
“It will not work, Burke,” she said, wishing she was wrong, yet knowing she was right.
“It will. We will make it work.”
He truly believed in the plan’s success and she hated to discourage him, but how did she make him see the truth?
Then an idea occurred to her. “I think Lady Alaina could again prove helpful,” Storm said, drifting out of his arms to turn and face him. She would know or could learn of her father’s intentions. She would be able to convince Burke of the folly of his plan. Then Storm herself would need to convince him that the only way out of Weighton for his brother was for her to go in.
“I don’t think her father would discuss his plans with her.”
“Probably not, but I believe Lady Alaina would have a way of finding out. She has known of Cullen’s whereabouts each time he was moved.”
Burke seemed hesitant.
“If we are to make this plan work, we need to make certain we consider all the variables and be prepared, or else we are guaranteeing our failure.”
“There you go making sense again,” he teasingly accused.
“I try,” she said and drifted back into his arms. He welcomed her as he always did, his arms going around her, protecting, comforting, loving her.
“Can we get a message to her?” Burke asked.
“I’ll see that one is sent right away. We’ll let her know of her father’s plan and ask that she keep us apprised of any changes.”
“Tell her also that we’ll let her know when to be ready.”
Storm nestled in the crook of his arm to glance up at him. “Ready?”
“She’s going with us to America.”
There was no point in addressing this subject again. Burke had his opinion on the matter and she had hers and they would never agree. She would let him believe what he wished to believe. It would make the next couple of weeks easier. Then he would be gone and it would be done. She would never see him again.
The pain in her heart nearly brought her to her knees and she cursed herself for falling in love with Burke. But it was done and she could do nothing about it but bid him farewell.
“No disagreement?’ he asked with a smile. “Do I dare hope we’ve made progress?”
“We have much to plan. We can’t waste time on a trivial matter.”
“Trivial?” His smile faded and he dropped his arms from around her. “My love for you is not trivial. My wanting us to wed and have a life together in America is not trivial. My—”
His sudden pause had her eyes turning wide. He looked about to say something and she had a feeling that, whatever it was, she wasn’t going to like it.
“You’re coming to America with me and that’s the end of it.”
She broke into a smile, and she gave a little cough to clear her giggles before she spoke. “You are amusing.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Feel amused if you like but you are going with me.”