Chapter 8 #2
And by “find out,” I knew he meant to torture Collins until he gave it up.
The thought sent a chill down my spine and a wave of nausea through me.
If Collins fell into the hands of the British, I genuinely feared the extremity of the actions that would be taken against him.
Beatings and threats with heated fireplace pokers would only be the tip of the iceberg.
“Do you honestly think Collins isn’t prepared for that?
” Sidney derided, speaking into the void left by my distressed silence.
“He’s got his own trusted men surrounding him at all times.
” A lie. “He’s probably ordered them to kill him before letting him be taken.
” Another lie. “And there are men waiting to seamlessly step into the vacuum of his leadership, carrying on his will regardless.” And yet another lie.
As little as I knew, it was still quite clear that no one would be able to fill the Big Fellow’s shoes should he be captured or killed.
“You’ve met him then?” O leaped on Sidney’s words, though I had known the question was coming and that it would be foolish to try to convince them we had not.
“Once,” I said before Sidney could claim otherwise.
“At Vaughan’s Hotel.” The Crown Forces were already aware that rebels frequented the place.
They certainly raided it often enough. “After your officers accused us of wasting their time and refused to help us locate the phosgene, we had to risk arranging a meeting to uncover what he might know about it.”
“And did he know anything?” Anderson asked.
“A few things.” I crossed my arms. “Even claimed that Lord Ardmore offered to give the phosgene to him if he used it as he bid him to.”
This clearly shocked all of them and infuriated O. “Why would he do that?”
I shrugged. “All I know is what Collins told us.”
“Why didn’t you alert the authorities after you departed?” Sturgis wanted to know. “It’s possible we might have apprehended him.”
“He left before we did,” I lied, though I suspected he’d left immediately after. Even if he had not, he’d evaded capture so often, I had little doubt he would have escaped anyway.
O’s lips pursed in displeasure. “And what did he look like?”
“He was seated in shadow and, I suspect, wearing a disguise.” I wondered if I should be alarmed by how easily lies were tripping off my tongue, particularly considering they could be considered treasonous.
But I still had not worked out exactly how I felt about this revolution—who was right and who was wrong, who I trusted and who I did not—and I wasn’t about to be forced to give up anything more than I had to, until I did.
O sat forward. “I’ve long suspected he dons disguises.” This wasn’t surprising, as O took great pleasure in wearing disguises himself. “Then he must have a room at Vaughan’s. Though I’ve heard he moves about town.” He looked at me, as if waiting for confirmation.
“I don’t know where he stays,” I replied. Though I had my suspicions. And I knew several of the addresses he visited, at least briefly, most days. But they had not asked about that. “My purview was the phosgene.”
O removed a silver cigarette case from his pocket, tapping it against his leg as he considered me and my claims. “Well, now that the phosgene is found, we want you to make it your purview. In fact, it’s a condition of your release.”
I looked at Anderson, who nodded, while Sidney protested angrily. “Another condition?”
“Yes.” O’s grin was so smarmy, it looked like it might slide right off his face. “Consider it a test of loyalty, if you like. Just doing your bit for your country and the cause of peace and justice.”
I could tell Sidney was very close to slugging O. That was something I would have liked to see, but it would not help our cause, so I pressed a restraining hand to the taut muscles in his arm.
“What exactly are you asking us to do?” I wanted the matter stated plainly.
Anderson held up a staying hand toward O, perhaps recognizing how short Sidney’s leash was on his temper after being jeered about his loyalty to his country when he’d already sacrificed so much. There was a bullet scar on his chest millimeters from his heart, which proved he’d nearly died for it.
“And please don’t smoke in here,” Anderson told O as the other man removed a cigarette from his case to light it.
Anderson ignored the displeasure that briefly flickered across O’s face, addressing me.
“We need you to gather information about these rebels. Most specifically Collins and his intelligence organization.”
“Precisely what Captain Xavier is doing?” I countered.
“Yes, well, you will be doing it for us.” Anderson tilted his head, displaying a shrewdness I knew I should have been wary of.
“And considering all the intelligence you were able to track down about the phosgene cylinders and the doors you were able to open, I suspect you’ll succeed in ways others haven’t.
” He nodded toward his cohort. “You’ll report to Sturgis since you’re already socially acquainted. That shouldn’t raise any red flags.”
“You do realize that once I’m released, they’ll be mistrustful of me,” I queried incredulously. “In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if we were blacklisted. They’re not fools. If I attempt to make contact with them, they’ll be suspicious.”
“Then wait a few weeks. Make it look like your anger over your imprisonment and the general state of Ireland is festering and is driving you to consider switching sides.”
Panic climbed my throat. Anderson spoke so blithely, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he realized how close he was to the truth. Searching his features, I tried to tell if he was taunting me.
“Time may be critical, but not if haste results in your death, Mrs. Kent,” Anderson added when I failed to respond. “That will get us nowhere.”
I glanced at each of the other men in turn, finding that for once even O appeared solemn, before meeting Sidney’s gaze.
There was a spark of agitation and defiance in his dark blue eyes.
One I shared. To have already done so much only to be rewarded in such a shoddy manner, and then for them to have the audacity to ask us to do more!
But what choice did we have? They might have made it sound perfectly reasonable, even patriotic, but I could sense the steel beneath the request.
If we said no, if we refused, we would be made examples of. All of our friends and staff would be at risk as well. And the investigation into Ardmore, our accusations against him, might all be dismissed as the ravings of two traitors.
Sidney’s hand gripped mine as resignation stole across his face, matching my own.
“We’ll do what we can,” he assented before barking in his best officer’s tone.
“But we’ll need time. Especially for my wife to recover from your men’s gentle attentions.
I’m not risking her health and well-being further.
And if you have a problem with that, you can take it up with King and Hardy. ”
“Of course,” Anderson agreed.
“Now, if there’s nothing else, I’d like to take my wife home.” Sidney had already stood, making it clear we were done regardless of what they wanted. He hauled me carefully to my feet.
“I’ll escort you out,” Sturgis said with a glance at his watch. “I’ve a lunch appointment anyway.”
Sturgis made polite small talk as we slowly descended the stairs, leaving us as we made our way out into the Lower Castle Yard.
The air had a bite to it, but otherwise the yard looked and smelled much the same as the last time I’d seen it, crowded with personnel and idling military vehicles spewing petrol fumes.
The only difference was Sidney’s carminered Pierce-Arrow roadster parked near the Palace Street gate.
Though I couldn’t see it at first through the crowd of Auxies gathered around it.
One by one all of the men in the yard seemed to turn toward us curiously, and I tilted my head downward, hoping to hide as much of my face as I could with the brim of my hat.
My facade was fragile, and I feared at any moment it might crack under the strain.
I had to focus all my attention on simply breathing in and out and taking one step in front of the other.
“Excuse me, chaps,” Sidney declared good-naturedly when the men failed to part wide enough to allow him to reach the passenger door.
As one, they seemed to come out of a trance, stepping out of the way while one sandy-haired officer opened the door for me. I nodded to him and was about to climb inside when an Auxie somewhere behind me suddenly cried out.
“Let’s have three cheers for Mrs. Kent, lads! Hip, hip—”
“Hurrah!” they shouted.
“Hip, hip—”
“Hurrah!”
“Hip, hip—”
“Hurrah!”
I turned as they finished their third hurrah, tears in my eyes as I forced a brave smile and gave them all a jaunty wave before ending with blowing them a kiss.
Sidney helped me into the car as they continued to cheer.
I dabbed furiously at my eyes, not wanting to distress or disappoint the men—bless them!
Sidney rounded the motorcar quickly as I continued to smile and wave through the window.
The rumble of the engine drowned out some of their lively exclamations, but they followed us through the gate and out into the streets of Dublin.
Only after we turned the corner onto Dame Street did I crumple, sobbing anguished tears.